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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 1,252 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)
▼ -5.1 pts
Annual Budget Growth (YoY)
+3.5% YoY
5-Yr Budget Expansion
+22.5% (CAGR +4.5%/yr)
#1252
State Rank
WELLMAN-UNION CISD
ISD • Terry County • Pop: 245
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.50572Fiscal: 10Regulatory: 100Debt: 15▼ -2.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+23.5% 5Y)
Grade F(42.8/100)
#1251
State Rank
KINGSVILLE ISD
ISD • Kleberg County • Pop: 2,343
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.4104Fiscal: 15.4Regulatory: 100Debt: 15▼ -0.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+21.7% 5Y)
Grade F(44.9/100)
#1250
State Rank
RIO HONDO ISD
ISD • Cameron County • Pop: 1,314
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.33787Fiscal: 19.7Regulatory: 100Debt: 15▼ -0.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+23.6% 5Y)
Grade F(46.6/100)
#1249
State Rank
TAFT ISD
ISD • San patricio County • Pop: 789
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.3174Fiscal: 21Regulatory: 100Debt: 15▼ -1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+25.3% 5Y)
Grade F(47.2/100)
#1248
State Rank
LYTLE ISD
ISD • Atascosa County • Pop: 1,807
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.2902Fiscal: 22.6Regulatory: 100Debt: 15▼ -1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+24.1% 5Y)
Grade F(47.8/100)
#1247
State Rank
GODLEY ISD
ISD • Johnson County • Pop: 3,325
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.29014Fiscal: 22.6Regulatory: 100Debt: 15▼ -0.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+22.1% 5Y)
Grade F(47.8/100)
#1246
State Rank
PROGRESO ISD
ISD • Hidalgo County • Pop: 1,291
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.28857Fiscal: 22.7Regulatory: 100Debt: 15▼ -1.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+21.9% 5Y)
Grade F(47.8/100)
#1245
State Rank
FORNEY ISD
ISD • Kaufman County • Pop: 19,695
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.2869Fiscal: 22.8Regulatory: 100Debt: 15▼ -0.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+21.9% 5Y)
Grade F(47.9/100)
#1244
State Rank
NEEDVILLE ISD
ISD • Fort bend County • Pop: 3,676
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.28304Fiscal: 23Regulatory: 100Debt: 15▼ -1.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+24.2% 5Y)
Grade F(48/100)
#1243
State Rank
BARTLETT ISD
ISD • Bell County • Pop: 405
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.2804Fiscal: 23.2Regulatory: 100Debt: 15▼ -1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+22.7% 5Y)
Grade F(48/100)
#1242
State Rank
BALMORHEA ISD
ISD • Reeves County • Pop: 149
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.27809Fiscal: 23.3Regulatory: 100Debt: 15▼ -0.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+20.0% 5Y)
Grade F(48.1/100)
#1181
State Rank
SANTA ROSA ISD
ISD • Cameron County • Pop: 812
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.27805Fiscal: 23.3Regulatory: 100Debt: 22▼ -0.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+24.8% 5Y)
Grade F(49.8/100)
#1000
State Rank
TERRELL ISD
ISD • Kaufman County • Pop: 5,180
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.2780Fiscal: 23.3Regulatory: 100Debt: 35.7▲ 0.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+21.9% 5Y)
Grade D(53.2/100)
#1241
State Rank
PETERSBURG ISD
ISD • Hale County • Pop: 230
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.27558Fiscal: 23.5Regulatory: 100Debt: 15▼ -0.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+25.1% 5Y)
Grade F(48.2/100)
#864
State Rank
Sunray ISD
ISD • Moore County • Pop: 2,336
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.2714Fiscal: 23.7Regulatory: 100Debt: 44.7▲ +0.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.8% YoY (+21.4% 5Y)
Grade D(55.7/100)
#467
State Rank
NEW DIANA ISD
ISD • Upshur County • Pop: 1,151
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.27017Fiscal: 23.8Regulatory: 100Debt: 100▲ +4.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+20.6% 5Y)
Grade C(69.5/100)
#1196
State Rank
PLAINVIEW ISD
ISD • Hale County • Pop: 3,846
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.2637Fiscal: 24.2Regulatory: 100Debt: 19.4▼ -0.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+22.9% 5Y)
Grade F(49.5/100)
#1240
State Rank
JOSHUA ISD
ISD • Johnson County • Pop: 6,017
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.26253Fiscal: 24.2Regulatory: 100Debt: 15▼ -1.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+22.8% 5Y)
Grade F(48.4/100)
#1217
State Rank
LA VILLA ISD
ISD • Hidalgo County • Pop: 459
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.26128Fiscal: 24.3Regulatory: 100Debt: 17.7▼ -0.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+20.4% 5Y)
Grade F(49.1/100)
#1239
State Rank
PONDER ISD
ISD • Denton County • Pop: 1,740
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.2600Fiscal: 24.4Regulatory: 100Debt: 15▼ -0.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+22.0% 5Y)
Grade F(48.5/100)
#1238
State Rank
TERRELL COUNTY ISD
ISD • Terrell County • Pop: 108
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.2594Fiscal: 24.4Regulatory: 100Debt: 15▼ -0.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+22.3% 5Y)
Grade F(48.5/100)
#1236
State Rank
BURLESON ISD
ISD • Johnson County • Pop: 12,621
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.25897Fiscal: 24.5Regulatory: 100Debt: 15▼ -0.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+22.7% 5Y)
Grade F(48.6/100)
#1237
State Rank
ROYSE CITY ISD
ISD • Rockwall County • Pop: 10,171
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.25897Fiscal: 24.5Regulatory: 100Debt: 15▼ -0.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+19.8% 5Y)
Grade F(48.6/100)
#1235
State Rank
HARROLD ISD
ISD • Wilbarger County • Pop: 159
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.2575Fiscal: 24.6Regulatory: 100Debt: 15▼ -1.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+21.8% 5Y)
Grade F(48.6/100)
#1234
State Rank
HARLANDALE ISD
ISD • Bexar County • Pop: 11,114
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.2575Fiscal: 24.6Regulatory: 100Debt: 15▼ -1.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+23.2% 5Y)
Grade F(48.6/100)