Back to Public Records Search
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 151–175 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)
▲ +1.0 pts
27-Yr Liberty Shift (FY 00→27)
▼ -2.2 pts
Annual Budget Growth (YoY)
+4.7% YoY
5-Yr Budget Expansion
+24.5% (CAGR +4.3%/yr)
#151
Shackelford County
COUNTY • Shackelford County • Pop: 3,321
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.6180Fiscal: 62.9Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 83.4▲ +0.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.7% YoY (+23.6% 5Y)
Grade B(76.3/100)
#152
Yoakum County
COUNTY • Yoakum County • Pop: 5,846
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.667852Fiscal: 59.9Regulatory: 82.7Debt: 93.6▲ +1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.3% YoY (+22.2% 5Y)
Grade B(76.3/100)
#153
Panola County
COUNTY • Panola County • Pop: 24,044
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.57375Fiscal: 65.6Regulatory: 71.2Debt: 100▲ +2.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.2% YoY (+10.5% 5Y)
Grade B(76.2/100)
#154
Swisher County
COUNTY • Swisher County • Pop: 5,210
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.623866Fiscal: 62.6Regulatory: 86Debt: 83.1▲ +0.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.1% YoY (+19.1% 5Y)
Grade B(75.9/100)
#155
Cochran County
COUNTY • Cochran County • Pop: 2,012
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.8080Fiscal: 51.5Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +2.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.8% YoY (-20.0% 5Y)
Grade B(75.9/100)
#156
Refugio County
COUNTY • Refugio County • Pop: 6,623
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.7976Fiscal: 52.1Regulatory: 86Debt: 100▲ +2.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.4% YoY (+17.7% 5Y)
Grade B(75.9/100)
#157
Ochiltree County
COUNTY • Ochiltree County • Pop: 6,965
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.636938Fiscal: 61.8Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 83.2▲ 0.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.9% YoY (+35.1% 5Y)
Grade B(75.8/100)
#158
Live Oak County
COUNTY • Live Oak County • Pop: 10,323
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.615969Fiscal: 63Regulatory: 81.9Debt: 87.8▲ +0.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.3% YoY (+44.1% 5Y)
Grade B(75.8/100)
#159
Jim Wells County
COUNTY • Jim Wells County • Pop: 35,064
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.770873Fiscal: 53.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 96.2▲ +1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.9% YoY (+30.0% 5Y)
Grade B(75.8/100)
#160
Zavala County
COUNTY • Zavala County • Pop: 10,198
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.6650Fiscal: 60.1Regulatory: 80.2Debt: 94.4▲ +1.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.7% YoY (-39.0% 5Y)
Grade B(75.7/100)
#161
Starr County
COUNTY • Starr County • Pop: 49,208
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.6846Fiscal: 58.9Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 87.4▲ +0.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.8% YoY (+25.9% 5Y)
Grade B(75.7/100)
#162
Roberts County
COUNTY • Roberts County • Pop: 973
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.823708Fiscal: 50.6Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +2.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.6% YoY (+19.3% 5Y)
Grade B(75.6/100)
#163
Borden County
COUNTY • Borden County • Pop: 628
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.499968Fiscal: 70Regulatory: 83.5Debt: 73▲ 0.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+48.1% 5Y)
Grade B(75.5/100)
#164
Collingsworth County
COUNTY • Collingsworth County • Pop: 2,627
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.815023Fiscal: 51.1Regulatory: 86Debt: 100▲ +1.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.2% YoY (+26.1% 5Y)
Grade B(75.5/100)
#165
Schleicher County
COUNTY • Schleicher County • Pop: 2,388
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.746569Fiscal: 55.2Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 92▲ +0.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.8% YoY (+42.5% 5Y)
Grade B(75.4/100)
#166
Kenedy County
COUNTY • Kenedy County • Pop: 360
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.8000Fiscal: 52Regulatory: 84.4Debt: 100▲ +2.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.4% YoY (+23.4% 5Y)
Grade B(75.3/100)
#167
Foard County
COUNTY • Foard County • Pop: 1,061
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.83996Fiscal: 49.6Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.0% YoY (+26.0% 5Y)
Grade B(75.2/100)
#168
Scurry County
COUNTY • Scurry County • Pop: 12,510
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.6600Fiscal: 60.4Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 82.3▼ -0.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.6% YoY (+26.1% 5Y)
Grade B(75/100)
#169
McCulloch County
COUNTY • McCulloch County • Pop: 7,248
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.613241Fiscal: 63.2Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 76.4▲ +0.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.8% YoY (+22.6% 5Y)
Grade B(74.7/100)
#170
Frio County
COUNTY • Frio County • Pop: 12,999
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.443886Fiscal: 73.4Regulatory: 72.5Debt: 79▲ +0.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.1% YoY (+13.3% 5Y)
Grade B(74.5/100)
#171
Tyler County
COUNTY • Tyler County • Pop: 20,106
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.868077Fiscal: 47.9Regulatory: 86Debt: 100▲ +2.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.3% YoY (+22.2% 5Y)
Grade B(74.3/100)
#172
Andrews County
COUNTY • Andrews County • Pop: 14,486
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4007Fiscal: 76Regulatory: 67.6Debt: 80.6▼ -0.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +1.7% YoY (+19.6% 5Y)
Grade B(74.2/100)
#173
Matagorda County
COUNTY • Matagorda County • Pop: 29,916
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.35241Fiscal: 78.9Regulatory: 58Debt: 88.6▼ -0.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.7% YoY (+51.1% 5Y)
Grade B(74/100)
#174
Kent County
COUNTY • Kent County • Pop: 765
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.88635Fiscal: 46.8Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +2.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.8% YoY (+15.8% 5Y)
Grade B(74/100)
#175
Robertson County
COUNTY • Robertson County • Pop: 17,094
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.65973Fiscal: 60.4Regulatory: 83.7Debt: 82.3▲ +0.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.0% YoY (+88.4% 5Y)
Grade B(74/100)