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Bastiat & Liberty Watchdog Index
Texas Local Government Freedom Index
Objective, empirical rankings grading 6,167 Texas local governments and 31,351 elected officials on fiscal restraint, tax burden, private property rights, and regulatory overreach. Zero peer normalization.
Top Ranked Governments (Highest Liberty)
Showing 51–75 of 254 matching jurisdictions
28-Year Freedom & Budget Trend Benchmark (FY 2000 – FY 2027)
Cohort Average Across Visible Page (25 Ranked Entities)5-Yr Freedom Trend (FY 22→27)
▲ +1.1 pts
27-Yr Liberty Shift (FY 00→27)
▲ +0.6 pts
Annual Budget Growth (YoY)
+3.5% YoY
5-Yr Budget Expansion
+20.9% (CAGR +3.5%/yr)
#51
Kinney County
COUNTY • Kinney County • Pop: 2,973
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.5224Fiscal: 68.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.1% YoY (+25.5% 5Y)
Grade A(82.8/100)
#52
Burleson County
COUNTY • Burleson County • Pop: 18,954
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4520Fiscal: 72.9Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 93.2▲ +1.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.5% YoY (+17.0% 5Y)
Grade A(82.8/100)
#53
Reeves County
COUNTY • Reeves County • Pop: 10,696
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.404621Fiscal: 75.7Regulatory: 86Debt: 89.8▲ +0.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.2% YoY (+15.8% 5Y)
Grade A(82.8/100)
#54
Moore County
COUNTY • Moore County • Pop: 13,694
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.50846Fiscal: 69.5Regulatory: 85.4Debt: 100▲ +2.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.5% YoY (+12.7% 5Y)
Grade A(82.7/100)
#55
Morris County
COUNTY • Morris County • Pop: 11,834
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.41205Fiscal: 75.3Regulatory: 78.9Debt: 100▲ +1.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+1.0% 5Y)
Grade A(82.7/100)
#56
Angelina County
COUNTY • Angelina County • Pop: 75,218
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.459041Fiscal: 72.5Regulatory: 86Debt: 93.6▲ +0.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.2% YoY (+18.8% 5Y)
Grade A(82.5/100)
#57
Erath County
COUNTY • Erath County • Pop: 35,637
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.385673Fiscal: 76.9Regulatory: 78.1Debt: 97.7▲ +0.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.8% YoY (+20.9% 5Y)
Grade A(82.5/100)
#58
Maverick County
COUNTY • Maverick County • Pop: 49,725
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.380583Fiscal: 77.2Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 85.2▲ +0.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.8% YoY (+17.3% 5Y)
Grade A(82.5/100)
#59
Lampasas County
COUNTY • Lampasas County • Pop: 23,342
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.5200Fiscal: 68.8Regulatory: 85.4Debt: 100▲ +1.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.7% YoY (+58.6% 5Y)
Grade A(82.4/100)
#60
Trinity County
COUNTY • Trinity County • Pop: 16,583
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.5390Fiscal: 67.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.3% YoY (+18.5% 5Y)
Grade A(82.4/100)
#61
Blanco County
COUNTY • Blanco County • Pop: 15,031
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.3725Fiscal: 77.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 83.9▼ -0.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.1% YoY (+22.6% 5Y)
Grade A(82.4/100)
#62
Jackson County
COUNTY • Jackson County • Pop: 13,453
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4590Fiscal: 72.5Regulatory: 80.8Debt: 100▲ +1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.8% YoY (+18.2% 5Y)
Grade A(82.3/100)
#63
Hemphill County
COUNTY • Hemphill County • Pop: 3,071
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.53742Fiscal: 67.8Regulatory: 86Debt: 100▲ +1.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.0% YoY (+19.9% 5Y)
Grade A(82.2/100)
#64
Aransas County
COUNTY • Aransas County • Pop: 26,334
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.381634Fiscal: 77.1Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 83.7▲ +0.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.9% YoY (+22.8% 5Y)
Grade A(82.1/100)
#65
Delta County
COUNTY • Delta County • Pop: 5,544
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.549581Fiscal: 67Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +2.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.2% YoY (+12.4% 5Y)
Grade A(82.1/100)
#66
Donley County
COUNTY • Donley County • Pop: 3,291
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.556632Fiscal: 66.6Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +2.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.3% YoY (+14.2% 5Y)
Grade A(82/100)
#67
Orange County
COUNTY • Orange County • Pop: 76,152
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.492847Fiscal: 70.4Regulatory: 85.4Debt: 95.9▲ +1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.6% YoY (+20.7% 5Y)
Grade A(82/100)
#68
Marion County
COUNTY • Marion County • Pop: 10,545
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.540701Fiscal: 67.6Regulatory: 85.4Debt: 100▲ +1.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.0% YoY (+17.5% 5Y)
Grade A(81.9/100)
#69
Johnson County
COUNTY • Johnson County • Pop: 179,955
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4140Fiscal: 75.2Regulatory: 84.1Debt: 89.7▲ +0.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.0% YoY (+26.8% 5Y)
Grade A(81.9/100)
#70
Houston County
COUNTY • Houston County • Pop: 18,606
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.420462Fiscal: 74.8Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 86.1▲ +0.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.1% YoY (+25.7% 5Y)
Grade A(81.8/100)
#71
Haskell County
COUNTY • Haskell County • Pop: 4,589
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.568977Fiscal: 65.9Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.5% YoY (+25.8% 5Y)
Grade A(81.7/100)
#72
Coryell County
COUNTY • Coryell County • Pop: 62,428
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4974Fiscal: 70.2Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 93.4▲ +0.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.7% YoY (+32.9% 5Y)
Grade A(81.7/100)
#73
Fayette County
COUNTY • Fayette County • Pop: 24,612
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.43439Fiscal: 73.9Regulatory: 79.5Debt: 97▲ +0.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.1% YoY (+21.9% 5Y)
Grade A(81.6/100)
#74
Nolan County
COUNTY • Nolan County • Pop: 11,838
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.404041Fiscal: 75.8Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 83.5▲ +1.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.8% YoY (+12.8% 5Y)
Grade A(81.5/100)
#75
Smith County
COUNTY • Smith County • Pop: 212,961
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.361317Fiscal: 78.3Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 79.5▼ -0.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.1% YoY (+22.8% 5Y)
Grade A(81.5/100)