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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 1–25 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)
▼ -0.6 pts
27-Yr Liberty Shift (FY 00→27)
▼ -3.2 pts
Annual Budget Growth (YoY)
+3.5% YoY
5-Yr Budget Expansion
+23.0% (CAGR +3.4%/yr)
#254
State Rank
Harris County
COUNTY • Harris County • Pop: 3,670,053
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.38529Fiscal: 76.9Regulatory: 20Debt: 63.9▼ -1.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.6% YoY (+17.3% 5Y)
Grade D(53.7/100)
#237
State Rank
Dallas County
COUNTY • Dallas County • Pop: 1,981,085
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.213776Fiscal: 87.2Regulatory: 20Debt: 85.8▼ -0.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.3% YoY (+21.5% 5Y)
Grade C(63.3/100)
#220
State Rank
Tarrant County
COUNTY • Tarrant County • Pop: 1,767,609
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.1875Fiscal: 88.8Regulatory: 20Debt: 100▲ +0.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +1.4% YoY (+11.8% 5Y)
Grade C(67.5/100)
#85
State Rank
Bexar County
COUNTY • Bexar County • Pop: 1,759,874
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.299999Fiscal: 82Regulatory: 83.5Debt: 75.6▼ -0.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.5% YoY (+15.4% 5Y)
Grade A(80.9/100)
#250
State Rank
Travis County
COUNTY • Travis County • Pop: 1,326,000
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.344445Fiscal: 79.3Regulatory: 20Debt: 68.7▼ -1.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.7% YoY (+24.8% 5Y)
Grade D(55.9/100)
#196
State Rank
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)
#219
State Rank
Denton County
COUNTY • Denton County • Pop: 893,923
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.189485Fiscal: 88.6Regulatory: 35.8Debt: 78.7▼ -1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.0% YoY (+21.7% 5Y)
Grade C(67.6/100)
#221
State Rank
Fort Bend County
COUNTY • Fort Bend County • Pop: 769,130
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4120Fiscal: 75.3Regulatory: 60.7Debt: 63.7▼ -1.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.5% YoY (+21.1% 5Y)
Grade C(67.3/100)
#96
State Rank
El Paso County
COUNTY • El Paso County • Pop: 710,038
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.451133Fiscal: 72.9Regulatory: 83.5Debt: 87.3▲ +0.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.8% YoY (+32.9% 5Y)
Grade A(80.2/100)
#225
State Rank
Montgomery County
COUNTY • Montgomery County • Pop: 639,133
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.3790Fiscal: 77.3Regulatory: 44Debt: 81.2▼ -0.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.2% YoY (+22.5% 5Y)
Grade C(66.6/100)
#251
State Rank
Williamson County
COUNTY • Williamson County • Pop: 619,817
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.421547Fiscal: 74.7Regulatory: 25.5Debt: 67.9▼ -1.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.2% YoY (+26.4% 5Y)
Grade D(55.8/100)
#246
State Rank
Hidalgo County
COUNTY • Hidalgo County • Pop: 615,325
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.5750Fiscal: 65.5Regulatory: 39.6Debt: 83.2▲ 0.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.1% YoY (+25.8% 5Y)
Grade C(60.9/100)
#208
State Rank
Bell County
COUNTY • Bell County • Pop: 387,000
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.3463Fiscal: 79.2Regulatory: 47.3Debt: 89.1▼ -0.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.2% YoY (+17.5% 5Y)
Grade B(70.5/100)
#235
State Rank
Brazoria County
COUNTY • Brazoria County • Pop: 346,295
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.304758Fiscal: 81.7Regulatory: 31.2Debt: 80.1▼ -1.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.8% YoY (+26.9% 5Y)
Grade C(63.6/100)
#245
State Rank
Galveston County
COUNTY • Galveston County • Pop: 333,343
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.320724Fiscal: 80.8Regulatory: 20.7Debt: 86.5▲ 0.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.5% YoY (+13.0% 5Y)
Grade C(61.2/100)
#105
State Rank
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)
#29
State Rank
Nueces County
COUNTY • Nueces County • Pop: 289,680
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.299366Fiscal: 82Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 84.6▼ -0.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.7% YoY (+24.8% 5Y)
Grade A(84.3/100)
#238
State Rank
Lubbock County
COUNTY • Lubbock County • Pop: 270,293
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.322782Fiscal: 80.6Regulatory: 22.7Debt: 90.1▼ -0.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.3% YoY (+15.8% 5Y)
Grade C(62.7/100)
#252
State Rank
Hays County
COUNTY • Hays County • Pop: 262,559
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4125Fiscal: 75.3Regulatory: 20Debt: 71.9▼ -1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.0% YoY (+32.3% 5Y)
Grade D(55.1/100)
#241
State Rank
McLennan County
COUNTY • McLennan County • Pop: 213,362
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.319638Fiscal: 80.8Regulatory: 32.9Debt: 74.3▼ -1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.8% YoY (+25.6% 5Y)
Grade C(62.4/100)
#74
State Rank
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)
#76
State Rank
Ellis County
COUNTY • Ellis County • Pop: 207,688
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.273667Fiscal: 83.6Regulatory: 70.2Debt: 93.4▲ +0.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.8% YoY (+27.1% 5Y)
Grade A(81.4/100)
#243
State Rank
Comal County
COUNTY • Comal County • Pop: 200,335
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.305015Fiscal: 81.7Regulatory: 31.4Debt: 73▼ -1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.0% YoY (+38.7% 5Y)
Grade C(61.9/100)
#223
State Rank
Webb County
COUNTY • Webb County • Pop: 199,517
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.3900Fiscal: 76.6Regulatory: 32.3Debt: 100▲ +0.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.9% YoY (+25.3% 5Y)
Grade C(66.9/100)
#18
State Rank
Jefferson County
COUNTY • Jefferson County • Pop: 197,996
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.3570Fiscal: 78.6Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 94.9▲ +0.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.8% YoY (+18.3% 5Y)
Grade A(85.5/100)