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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 340 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)
▲ +0.7 pts
27-Yr Liberty Shift (FY 00→27)
▲ +0.6 pts
Annual Budget Growth (YoY)
+3.1% YoY
5-Yr Budget Expansion
+23.0% (CAGR +3.3%/yr)
#4
State Rank
City of Weston Lakes
CITY • Fort Bend County • Pop: 4,570
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.0000Fiscal: 100Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.3% YoY (+11.7% 5Y)
Grade A+(95.3/100)
#3
State Rank
City of Hideaway
CITY • Smith County • Pop: 3,459
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.0000Fiscal: 100Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.2% YoY (+11.3% 5Y)
Grade A+(95.3/100)
#2
State Rank
City of DeCordova
CITY • Hood County • Pop: 3,296
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.0000Fiscal: 100Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.7% YoY (+10.8% 5Y)
Grade A+(95.3/100)
#1
State Rank
City of Beach City
CITY • Chambers County • Pop: 3,438
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.0000Fiscal: 100Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.1% YoY (+17.6% 5Y)
Grade A+(95.3/100)
#140
State Rank
City of Crane
CITY • Crane County • Pop: 3,303
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.3718Fiscal: 77.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +0.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.2% YoY (+36.0% 5Y)
Grade A(86.4/100)
#137
State Rank
City of Escobares
CITY • Starr County • Pop: 2,589
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.290034Fiscal: 82.6Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 92.2▲ +0.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.6% YoY (+99.7% 5Y)
Grade A(86.4/100)
#154
State Rank
City of Wake Village
CITY • Bowie County • Pop: 5,796
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.2965Fiscal: 82.2Regulatory: 79.9Debt: 100▲ +1.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.8% YoY (+15.4% 5Y)
Grade A(85.8/100)
#181
State Rank
City of Pecos
CITY • Reeves County • Pop: 10,386
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4395Fiscal: 73.6Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.9% YoY (+16.6% 5Y)
Grade A(84.8/100)
#238
State Rank
City of San Diego
CITY • Duval County • Pop: 3,620
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.305023Fiscal: 81.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 82.5▼ -0.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.1% YoY (+18.6% 5Y)
Grade A(83.6/100)
#259
State Rank
City of Hallsville
CITY • Harrison County • Pop: 4,896
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.275234Fiscal: 83.5Regulatory: 85.4Debt: 80.6▼ -0.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.0% YoY (+23.0% 5Y)
Grade A(83.4/100)
#269
State Rank
City of Sullivan City
CITY • Hidalgo County • Pop: 3,891
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.5000Fiscal: 70Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +2.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.4% YoY (+8.0% 5Y)
Grade A(83.3/100)
#263
State Rank
City of Floydada
CITY • Floyd County • Pop: 2,503
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.372964Fiscal: 77.6Regulatory: 84.1Debt: 91.4▲ +0.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.8% YoY (+17.9% 5Y)
Grade A(83.3/100)
#315
State Rank
City of Hudson
CITY • Angelina County • Pop: 5,288
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.286801Fiscal: 82.8Regulatory: 80.3Debt: 85.9▼ -0.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.9% YoY (+23.9% 5Y)
Grade A(82.7/100)
#327
State Rank
City of Nash
CITY • Bowie County • Pop: 4,208
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.25623Fiscal: 84.6Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 73▼ -0.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+33.8% 5Y)
Grade A(82.4/100)
#328
State Rank
Town of Laguna Vista
CITY • Cameron County • Pop: 3,791
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.454124Fiscal: 72.8Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 91.4▲ +0.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+21.0% 5Y)
Grade A(82.3/100)
#330
State Rank
City of Dimmitt
CITY • Castro County • Pop: 4,069
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4440Fiscal: 73.4Regulatory: 79.6Debt: 100▲ +1.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.6% YoY (+17.1% 5Y)
Grade A(82.2/100)
#335
State Rank
City of Perryton
CITY • Ochiltree County • Pop: 8,492
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.503523Fiscal: 69.8Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 94.6▲ +1.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.2% YoY (+16.4% 5Y)
Grade A(81.9/100)
#338
State Rank
City of Rio Bravo
CITY • Webb County • Pop: 4,523
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.564932Fiscal: 66.1Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.0% YoY (+30.4% 5Y)
Grade A(81.8/100)
#350
State Rank
City of Falfurrias
CITY • Brooks County • Pop: 4,351
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.485523Fiscal: 70.9Regulatory: 86Debt: 91.8▲ +0.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.6% YoY (+20.1% 5Y)
Grade A(81.4/100)
#352
State Rank
City of Clifton
CITY • Bosque County • Pop: 3,535
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.34622Fiscal: 79.2Regulatory: 79.9Debt: 86.3▲ +0.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.1% YoY (+24.8% 5Y)
Grade A(81.2/100)
#358
State Rank
Town of Howe
CITY • Grayson County • Pop: 3,667
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.484477Fiscal: 70.9Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 89.7▲ +0.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.9% YoY (+24.8% 5Y)
Grade A(81.1/100)
#363
State Rank
City of Parker
CITY • Collin County • Pop: 6,332
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.300439Fiscal: 82Regulatory: 79.9Debt: 80.1▼ -0.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.6% YoY (+28.1% 5Y)
Grade A(80.8/100)
#370
State Rank
Town of Annetta
CITY • Parker County • Pop: 3,473
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.0000Fiscal: 100Regulatory: 61.3Debt: 76.1▼ -0.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+17.3% 5Y)
Grade A(80.5/100)
#374
State Rank
City of Hunters Creek Village
CITY • Harris County • Pop: 4,498
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.205164Fiscal: 87.7Regulatory: 57.2Debt: 100▲ +0.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +1.7% YoY (+15.9% 5Y)
Grade A(80.1/100)
#392
State Rank
City of Gun Barrel City
CITY • Henderson County • Pop: 7,133
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.0000Fiscal: 100Regulatory: 40.4Debt: 100▲ +0.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.7% YoY (+15.4% 5Y)
Grade B(79.1/100)