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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 1–17 of 17 matching jurisdictions
28-Year Freedom & Budget Trend Benchmark (FY 2000 – FY 2027)
Cohort Average Across Visible Page (17 Ranked Entities)5-Yr Freedom Trend (FY 22→27)
▼ -0.1 pts
27-Yr Liberty Shift (FY 00→27)
▼ -4.4 pts
Annual Budget Growth (YoY)
+3.9% YoY
5-Yr Budget Expansion
+22.0% (CAGR +4.5%/yr)
#266
State Rank
FORT WORTH ISD
ISD • Tarrant County • Pop: 67,491
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.01984Fiscal: 38.8Regulatory: 100Debt: 100▲ +3.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+21.5% 5Y)
Grade B(75.5/100)
#325
State Rank
IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
ISD • Hidalgo County • Pop: 79,608
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.02485Fiscal: 38.5Regulatory: 100Debt: 100▲ +2.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+24.6% 5Y)
Grade B(75.4/100)
#381
State Rank
NORTHSIDE ISD
ISD • Bexar County • Pop: 98,333
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.0349Fiscal: 37.9Regulatory: 100Debt: 100▲ +3.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.3% YoY (+18.1% 5Y)
Grade B(75.2/100)
#394
State Rank
ARLINGTON ISD
ISD • Tarrant County • Pop: 51,139
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.0776Fiscal: 35.3Regulatory: 100Debt: 100▲ +3.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+20.3% 5Y)
Grade B(74.1/100)
#475
State Rank
Midway ISDb
ISD • McLennan County • Pop: 55,443
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.92847Fiscal: 44.3Regulatory: 100Debt: 64.8▲ +0.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.4% YoY (+22.6% 5Y)
Grade C(68.9/100)
#596
State Rank
HOUSTON ISD
ISD • Harris County • Pop: 168,812
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.86864Fiscal: 47.9Regulatory: 100Debt: 32.1▼ -1.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+22.2% 5Y)
Grade C(62.2/100)
#701
State Rank
Wylie ISDa
ISD • Collin County • Pop: 85,696
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.13265Fiscal: 32Regulatory: 100Debt: 44▲ +0.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.1% YoY (+20.7% 5Y)
Grade D(58.8/100)
#801
State Rank
AUSTIN ISD
ISD • Travis County • Pop: 69,074
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.9141Fiscal: 45.2Regulatory: 100Debt: 15▼ -2.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+25.1% 5Y)
Grade D(56.8/100)
#831
State Rank
CONROE ISD
ISD • Montgomery County • Pop: 72,757
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.93536Fiscal: 43.9Regulatory: 100Debt: 15▼ -1.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+21.8% 5Y)
Grade D(56.3/100)
#882
State Rank
NORTH EAST ISD
ISD • Bexar County • Pop: 53,732
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.975426Fiscal: 41.5Regulatory: 100Debt: 15▼ -1.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+24.9% 5Y)
Grade D(55.4/100)
#896
State Rank
DALLAS ISD
ISD • Dallas County • Pop: 134,308
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.985735Fiscal: 40.9Regulatory: 100Debt: 15▼ -1.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+22.9% 5Y)
Grade D(55.1/100)
#909
State Rank
FORT BEND ISD
ISD • Fort bend County • Pop: 78,062
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.9969Fiscal: 40.2Regulatory: 100Debt: 15▼ -1.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+21.3% 5Y)
Grade D(54.8/100)
#916
State Rank
KLEIN ISD
ISD • Harris County • Pop: 51,236
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.00279Fiscal: 39.8Regulatory: 100Debt: 15▼ -1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+21.7% 5Y)
Grade D(54.7/100)
#935
State Rank
FRISCO ISD
ISD • Collin County • Pop: 62,713
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.0194Fiscal: 38.8Regulatory: 100Debt: 15▼ -1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+22.1% 5Y)
Grade D(54.3/100)
#965
State Rank
ALDINE ISD
ISD • Harris County • Pop: 52,161
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.0371Fiscal: 37.8Regulatory: 100Debt: 15▼ -1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+21.4% 5Y)
Grade D(53.9/100)
#1004
State Rank
CYPRESS-FAIRBANKS ISD
ISD • Harris County • Pop: 114,697
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.06903Fiscal: 35.9Regulatory: 100Debt: 15▼ -1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+21.0% 5Y)
Grade D(53.1/100)
#1060
State Rank
KATY ISD
ISD • Harris County • Pop: 95,295
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.10705Fiscal: 33.6Regulatory: 100Debt: 15▼ -1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+21.0% 5Y)
Grade D(52.2/100)