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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 101–125 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)
▲ +0.8 pts
27-Yr Liberty Shift (FY 00→27)
▼ -0.6 pts
Annual Budget Growth (YoY)
+3.9% YoY
5-Yr Budget Expansion
+21.3% (CAGR +3.7%/yr)
#101
Briscoe County
COUNTY • Briscoe County • Pop: 1,346
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.63693Fiscal: 61.8Regulatory: 85.4Debt: 100▲ +0.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.8% YoY (+26.6% 5Y)
Grade B(79.6/100)
#102
Milam County
COUNTY • Milam County • Pop: 23,385
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.54593Fiscal: 67.2Regulatory: 86Debt: 90.4▲ +1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.2% YoY (+48.6% 5Y)
Grade B(79.6/100)
#103
Castro County
COUNTY • Castro County • Pop: 4,740
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.5400Fiscal: 67.6Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 88.5▲ +0.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.2% YoY (+33.4% 5Y)
Grade B(79.5/100)
#104
Bastrop County
COUNTY • Bastrop County • Pop: 85,416
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4554Fiscal: 72.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 80.1▲ +0.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.0% YoY (+24.6% 5Y)
Grade B(79.4/100)
#105
Cameron County
COUNTY • Cameron County • Pop: 322,414
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.476658Fiscal: 71.4Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 82.2▼ -0.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.0% YoY (+26.9% 5Y)
Grade B(79.4/100)
#106
Bowie County
COUNTY • Bowie County • Pop: 82,065
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.426915Fiscal: 74.4Regulatory: 75.6Debt: 92.4▲ +0.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.6% YoY (+26.2% 5Y)
Grade B(79.3/100)
#107
Mason County
COUNTY • Mason County • Pop: 4,404
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.671035Fiscal: 59.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +2.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.2% YoY (-32.2% 5Y)
Grade B(79.2/100)
#108
Jones County
COUNTY • Jones County • Pop: 14,868
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.54112Fiscal: 67.5Regulatory: 85.4Debt: 88.9▲ +1.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.1% YoY (+16.5% 5Y)
Grade B(79.1/100)
#109
Wichita County
COUNTY • Wichita County • Pop: 105,278
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.51859Fiscal: 68.9Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 84.7▲ +1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.8% YoY (+13.0% 5Y)
Grade B(79/100)
#110
Presidio County
COUNTY • Presidio County • Pop: 6,035
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.5267Fiscal: 68.4Regulatory: 78.3Debt: 96.3▲ +1.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.1% YoY (+21.7% 5Y)
Grade B(78.8/100)
#111
Colorado County
COUNTY • Colorado County • Pop: 19,724
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.462128Fiscal: 72.3Regulatory: 76.1Debt: 93▲ +1.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.9% YoY (+1.5% 5Y)
Grade B(78.8/100)
#112
Walker County
COUNTY • Walker County • Pop: 52,796
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4690Fiscal: 71.9Regulatory: 77.6Debt: 91.3▲ +0.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+24.9% 5Y)
Grade B(78.7/100)
#113
Armstrong County
COUNTY • Armstrong County • Pop: 1,944
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.472708Fiscal: 71.6Regulatory: 71.4Debt: 100▲ +1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.2% YoY (+40.7% 5Y)
Grade B(78.6/100)
#114
Stephens County
COUNTY • Stephens County • Pop: 7,911
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.646001Fiscal: 61.2Regulatory: 86Debt: 95.4▲ +1.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.5% YoY (+28.7% 5Y)
Grade B(78.4/100)
#115
Red River County
COUNTY • Red River County • Pop: 11,580
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.697113Fiscal: 58.2Regulatory: 86Debt: 100▲ +1.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.1% YoY (+22.6% 5Y)
Grade B(78.4/100)
#116
Ward County
COUNTY • Ward County • Pop: 9,435
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.68379Fiscal: 59Regulatory: 84.9Debt: 100▲ +2.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.1% YoY (+17.1% 5Y)
Grade B(78.3/100)
#117
Gonzales County
COUNTY • Gonzales County • Pop: 17,886
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.268093Fiscal: 83.9Regulatory: 68.2Debt: 83.3▲ 0.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.9% YoY (+36.8% 5Y)
Grade B(78.3/100)
#118
Rusk County
COUNTY • Rusk County • Pop: 46,368
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.541209Fiscal: 67.5Regulatory: 78.5Debt: 95.2▲ +1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.0% YoY (+19.1% 5Y)
Grade B(78.3/100)
#119
Karnes County
COUNTY • Karnes County • Pop: 11,108
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.23696Fiscal: 85.8Regulatory: 57.5Debt: 95.6▲ +0.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.3% YoY (+9.9% 5Y)
Grade B(78.3/100)
#120
Camp County
COUNTY • Camp County • Pop: 11,345
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.422737Fiscal: 74.6Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 72.4▼ -0.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.6% YoY (+19.1% 5Y)
Grade B(78.3/100)
#121
Childress County
COUNTY • Childress County • Pop: 4,671
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.538745Fiscal: 67.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 83.8▲ +0.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.8% YoY (+42.5% 5Y)
Grade B(78.3/100)
#122
Dimmit County
COUNTY • Dimmit County • Pop: 8,899
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.3100Fiscal: 81.4Regulatory: 78.2Debt: 72.9▼ -0.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.8% YoY (+10.2% 5Y)
Grade B(78.2/100)
#123
Medina County
COUNTY • Medina County • Pop: 53,916
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4434Fiscal: 73.4Regulatory: 81Debt: 81.4▲ +0.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.0% YoY (+10.1% 5Y)
Grade B(78.1/100)
#124
Brown County
COUNTY • Brown County • Pop: 34,540
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.51609Fiscal: 69Regulatory: 78.2Debt: 92.7▲ +1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+18.3% 5Y)
Grade B(78.1/100)
#125
Kaufman County
COUNTY • Kaufman County • Pop: 155,311
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.411792Fiscal: 75.3Regulatory: 81Debt: 78.5▼ -0.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.0% YoY (+26.4% 5Y)
Grade B(78.1/100)