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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 176–200 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)
▲ +0.4 pts
27-Yr Liberty Shift (FY 00→27)
▼ -2.6 pts
Annual Budget Growth (YoY)
+4.4% YoY
5-Yr Budget Expansion
+27.4% (CAGR +4.1%/yr)
#176
Anderson County
COUNTY • Anderson County • Pop: 41,565
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.493907Fiscal: 70.4Regulatory: 78.6Debt: 73.1▼ -0.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.2% YoY (+22.5% 5Y)
Grade B(73.9/100)
#177
Bailey County
COUNTY • Bailey County • Pop: 4,356
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.819029Fiscal: 50.9Regulatory: 85.4Debt: 94.6▲ +1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.3% YoY (+36.8% 5Y)
Grade B(73.9/100)
#178
Terry County
COUNTY • Terry County • Pop: 8,473
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.886226Fiscal: 46.8Regulatory: 86Debt: 100▲ +1.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.5% YoY (+34.1% 5Y)
Grade B(73.8/100)
#179
Deaf Smith County
COUNTY • Deaf Smith County • Pop: 11,854
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.55633Fiscal: 66.6Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 67▼ -0.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.1% YoY (+20.4% 5Y)
Grade B(73.7/100)
#180
Edwards County
COUNTY • Edwards County • Pop: 1,975
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.761581Fiscal: 54.3Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 86.8▲ +0.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.7% YoY (+34.5% 5Y)
Grade B(73.7/100)
#181
Callahan County
COUNTY • Callahan County • Pop: 14,071
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.6890Fiscal: 58.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 79.3▼ -0.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.7% YoY (+91.9% 5Y)
Grade B(73.6/100)
#182
Midland County
COUNTY • Midland County • Pop: 131,512
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.120554Fiscal: 92.8Regulatory: 48.9Debt: 77.5▼ -1.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.2% YoY (+13.9% 5Y)
Grade B(73.6/100)
#183
Titus County
COUNTY • Titus County • Pop: 24,409
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4130Fiscal: 75.2Regulatory: 83.5Debt: 57.3▼ -1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.3% YoY (+20.3% 5Y)
Grade B(73.6/100)
#184
Runnels County
COUNTY • Runnels County • Pop: 9,117
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.828104Fiscal: 50.3Regulatory: 81.1Debt: 100▲ +1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.9% YoY (+75.2% 5Y)
Grade B(73.5/100)
#185
Dickens County
COUNTY • Dickens County • Pop: 1,850
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.85595Fiscal: 48.6Regulatory: 82.4Debt: 100▲ +2.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.7% YoY (+1.4% 5Y)
Grade B(73.3/100)
#186
Ector County
COUNTY • Ector County • Pop: 115,409
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.435438Fiscal: 73.9Regulatory: 79.3Debt: 64.1▼ -1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.5% YoY (+28.5% 5Y)
Grade B(73.3/100)
#187
Stonewall County
COUNTY • Stonewall County • Pop: 1,283
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.910942Fiscal: 45.3Regulatory: 86Debt: 100▲ +2.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.5% YoY (+20.6% 5Y)
Grade B(73.2/100)
#188
Mills County
COUNTY • Mills County • Pop: 4,875
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.601857Fiscal: 63.9Regulatory: 81.5Debt: 76.6▲ +0.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.5% YoY (+20.4% 5Y)
Grade B(73.2/100)
#189
Cottle County
COUNTY • Cottle County • Pop: 1,312
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.880008Fiscal: 47.2Regulatory: 83.5Debt: 100▲ +1.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.6% YoY (+26.8% 5Y)
Grade B(73.1/100)
#190
Henderson County
COUNTY • Henderson County • Pop: 81,562
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.343465Fiscal: 79.4Regulatory: 46.4Debt: 100▲ +0.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.8% YoY (+26.5% 5Y)
Grade B(73/100)
#191
Menard County
COUNTY • Menard County • Pop: 1,985
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.775475Fiscal: 53.5Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 84.4▲ +0.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.5% YoY (+23.9% 5Y)
Grade B(72.8/100)
#192
Kleberg County
COUNTY • Kleberg County • Pop: 24,084
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.77187Fiscal: 53.7Regulatory: 84.4Debt: 86.6▲ +0.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.1% YoY (+28.4% 5Y)
Grade B(72.7/100)
#193
Brewster County
COUNTY • Brewster County • Pop: 9,520
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.375187Fiscal: 77.5Regulatory: 51.7Debt: 94.3▲ +0.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.8% YoY (+22.6% 5Y)
Grade B(72.7/100)
#194
Terrell County
COUNTY • Terrell County • Pop: 833
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.8000Fiscal: 52Regulatory: 76.7Debt: 100▲ +1.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.9% YoY (+21.5% 5Y)
Grade B(72.6/100)
#195
Crockett County
COUNTY • Crockett County • Pop: 3,042
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.878243Fiscal: 47.3Regulatory: 86Debt: 92.9▲ +1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.4% YoY (+27.1% 5Y)
Grade B(72.2/100)
#196
Collin County
COUNTY • Collin County • Pop: 1,015,683
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.151414Fiscal: 90.9Regulatory: 43.9Debt: 79.8▼ -1.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +1.3% YoY (+18.6% 5Y)
Grade B(71.7/100)
#197
Hale County
COUNTY • Hale County • Pop: 24,500
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.694181Fiscal: 58.3Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 72.4▼ -0.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.5% YoY (+26.4% 5Y)
Grade B(71.7/100)
#198
Hutchinson County
COUNTY • Hutchinson County • Pop: 17,889
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.5060Fiscal: 69.6Regulatory: 53.8Debt: 100▲ +1.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.7% YoY (+14.3% 5Y)
Grade B(71.7/100)
#199
Upton County
COUNTY • Upton County • Pop: 2,834
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.228565Fiscal: 86.3Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 27.4▼ -2.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +1.4% YoY (+4.0% 5Y)
Grade B(71.7/100)
#200
Austin County
COUNTY • Austin County • Pop: 30,340
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.509311Fiscal: 69.4Regulatory: 66.5Debt: 82.6▲ 0.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.7% YoY (+23.9% 5Y)
Grade B(71.7/100)