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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 94 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)
▲ +1.5 pts
27-Yr Liberty Shift (FY 00→27)
▲ +1.1 pts
Annual Budget Growth (YoY)
+3.2% YoY
5-Yr Budget Expansion
+17.3% (CAGR +3.3%/yr)
#4
State Rank
Martin County
COUNTY • Martin County • Pop: 4,829
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.196514Fiscal: 88.2Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +1.5% YoY (+7.3% 5Y)
Grade A+(90.6/100)
#7
State Rank
Dallam County
COUNTY • Dallam County • Pop: 3,785
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.305559Fiscal: 81.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.7% YoY (+19.0% 5Y)
Grade A(88/100)
#8
State Rank
Somervell County
COUNTY • Somervell County • Pop: 10,242
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.326548Fiscal: 80.4Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.6% YoY (+17.7% 5Y)
Grade A(87.5/100)
#10
State Rank
Sabine County
COUNTY • Sabine County • Pop: 11,333
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.339147Fiscal: 79.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.0% YoY (+21.6% 5Y)
Grade A(87.2/100)
#14
State Rank
Hartley County
COUNTY • Hartley County • Pop: 3,768
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.35417Fiscal: 78.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.0% YoY (+22.0% 5Y)
Grade A(86.8/100)
#17
State Rank
Franklin County
COUNTY • Franklin County • Pop: 10,399
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.365679Fiscal: 78.1Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.6% YoY (+31.5% 5Y)
Grade A(86.6/100)
#19
State Rank
Coke County
COUNTY • Coke County • Pop: 3,391
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.410814Fiscal: 75.4Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.3% YoY (+18.7% 5Y)
Grade A(85.5/100)
#22
State Rank
Parmer County
COUNTY • Parmer County • Pop: 6,109
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.377399Fiscal: 77.4Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 96▲ +1.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.6% YoY (+17.1% 5Y)
Grade A(85.3/100)
#23
State Rank
Kimble County
COUNTY • Kimble County • Pop: 4,478
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.420943Fiscal: 74.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.5% YoY (+17.8% 5Y)
Grade A(85.2/100)
#26
State Rank
San Augustine County
COUNTY • San Augustine County • Pop: 8,112
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.32357Fiscal: 80.6Regulatory: 83.7Debt: 92.7▲ +0.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.5% YoY (+20.0% 5Y)
Grade A(84.7/100)
#28
State Rank
Hansford County
COUNTY • Hansford County • Pop: 3,991
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.451241Fiscal: 72.9Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.8% YoY (+16.0% 5Y)
Grade A(84.5/100)
#40
State Rank
Wilbarger County
COUNTY • Wilbarger County • Pop: 11,079
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.493176Fiscal: 70.4Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.5% YoY (+22.6% 5Y)
Grade A(83.5/100)
#42
State Rank
San Saba County
COUNTY • San Saba County • Pop: 5,088
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4970Fiscal: 70.2Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.0% YoY (+29.8% 5Y)
Grade A(83.4/100)
#47
State Rank
Jack County
COUNTY • Jack County • Pop: 7,860
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.436571Fiscal: 73.8Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 92.8▲ +1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.7% YoY (-3.7% 5Y)
Grade A(83/100)
#51
State Rank
Reeves County
COUNTY • Reeves County • Pop: 10,696
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.404621Fiscal: 75.7Regulatory: 86Debt: 89.8▲ +0.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.2% YoY (+15.8% 5Y)
Grade A(82.8/100)
#53
State Rank
Kinney County
COUNTY • Kinney County • Pop: 2,973
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.5224Fiscal: 68.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.1% YoY (+25.5% 5Y)
Grade A(82.8/100)
#54
State Rank
Morris County
COUNTY • Morris County • Pop: 11,834
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.41205Fiscal: 75.3Regulatory: 78.9Debt: 100▲ +1.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+1.0% 5Y)
Grade A(82.7/100)
#55
State Rank
Moore County
COUNTY • Moore County • Pop: 13,694
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.50846Fiscal: 69.5Regulatory: 85.4Debt: 100▲ +2.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.5% YoY (+12.7% 5Y)
Grade A(82.7/100)
#62
State Rank
Jackson County
COUNTY • Jackson County • Pop: 13,453
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4590Fiscal: 72.5Regulatory: 80.8Debt: 100▲ +1.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.8% YoY (+18.2% 5Y)
Grade A(82.3/100)
#63
State Rank
Hemphill County
COUNTY • Hemphill County • Pop: 3,071
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.53742Fiscal: 67.8Regulatory: 86Debt: 100▲ +1.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.0% YoY (+19.9% 5Y)
Grade A(82.2/100)
#65
State Rank
Delta County
COUNTY • Delta County • Pop: 5,544
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.549581Fiscal: 67Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +2.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.2% YoY (+12.4% 5Y)
Grade A(82.1/100)
#67
State Rank
Donley County
COUNTY • Donley County • Pop: 3,291
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.556632Fiscal: 66.6Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +2.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.3% YoY (+14.2% 5Y)
Grade A(82/100)
#69
State Rank
Marion County
COUNTY • Marion County • Pop: 10,545
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.540701Fiscal: 67.6Regulatory: 85.4Debt: 100▲ +1.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.0% YoY (+17.5% 5Y)
Grade A(81.9/100)
#72
State Rank
Haskell County
COUNTY • Haskell County • Pop: 4,589
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.568977Fiscal: 65.9Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.5% YoY (+25.8% 5Y)
Grade A(81.7/100)
#75
State Rank
Nolan County
COUNTY • Nolan County • Pop: 11,838
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.404041Fiscal: 75.8Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 83.5▲ +1.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.8% YoY (+12.8% 5Y)
Grade A(81.5/100)