Back to Public Records Search
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)
▲ +1.0 pts
27-Yr Liberty Shift (FY 00→27)
▲ +0.9 pts
Annual Budget Growth (YoY)
+3.0% YoY
5-Yr Budget Expansion
+17.4% (CAGR +3.2%/yr)
#1
Culberson County
COUNTY • Culberson County • Pop: 2,327
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.117456Fiscal: 93Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +0.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+15.8% 5Y)
Grade A+(92.5/100)
#2
Glasscock County
COUNTY • Glasscock County • Pop: 1,141
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.1485Fiscal: 91.1Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.2% YoY (+17.7% 5Y)
Grade A+(91.8/100)
#3
Reagan County
COUNTY • Reagan County • Pop: 2,442
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.146519Fiscal: 91.2Regulatory: 83.5Debt: 100▲ +1.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.8% YoY (-56.6% 5Y)
Grade A+(90.7/100)
#4
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)
#5
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)
#6
Palo Pinto County
COUNTY • Palo Pinto County • Pop: 27,810
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.284133Fiscal: 83Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 98▲ +1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.7% YoY (+1.8% 5Y)
Grade A(88/100)
#7
Llano County
COUNTY • Llano County • Pop: 24,677
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.258232Fiscal: 84.5Regulatory: 83.5Debt: 100▲ +0.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.5% YoY (+25.1% 5Y)
Grade A(88/100)
#8
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)
#9
Freestone County
COUNTY • Freestone County • Pop: 18,239
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.331499Fiscal: 80.1Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +0.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.2% YoY (+28.0% 5Y)
Grade A(87.4/100)
#10
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)
#11
Eastland County
COUNTY • Eastland County • Pop: 16,941
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.34272Fiscal: 79.4Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.1% YoY (+32.2% 5Y)
Grade A(87.1/100)
#12
Wharton County
COUNTY • Wharton County • Pop: 35,887
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.346206Fiscal: 79.2Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 100▲ +1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+26.6% 5Y)
Grade A(87/100)
#13
Hood County
COUNTY • Hood County • Pop: 71,605
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.278022Fiscal: 83.3Regulatory: 86Debt: 94▲ +0.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.5% YoY (+21.9% 5Y)
Grade A(86.9/100)
#14
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)
#15
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)
#16
Harrison County
COUNTY • Harrison County • Pop: 63,833
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.341086Fiscal: 79.5Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 98▲ +0.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.6% YoY (+20.2% 5Y)
Grade A(86.6/100)
#17
Cooke County
COUNTY • Cooke County • Pop: 41,410
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.334493Fiscal: 79.9Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 97.2▲ +0.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.1% YoY (+25.5% 5Y)
Grade A(86.6/100)
#18
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)
#19
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)
#20
Grayson County
COUNTY • Grayson County • Pop: 136,617
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.3051Fiscal: 81.7Regulatory: 86.6Debt: 89.8▲ +0.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.8% YoY (+16.6% 5Y)
Grade A(85.4/100)
#21
Hunt County
COUNTY • Hunt County • Pop: 101,218
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.332241Fiscal: 80.1Regulatory: 85.4Debt: 93.8▲ +0.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.0% YoY (+27.7% 5Y)
Grade A(85.4/100)
#22
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
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)
#24
DeWitt County
COUNTY • DeWitt County • Pop: 15,641
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.383831Fiscal: 77Regulatory: 85.4Debt: 97.3▲ +0.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.6% YoY (+19.8% 5Y)
Grade A(85/100)
#25
Gregg County
COUNTY • Gregg County • Pop: 99,687
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.330292Fiscal: 80.2Regulatory: 85.4Debt: 91.4▲ +0.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.5% YoY (+21.7% 5Y)
Grade A(84.8/100)
Highest Tax & Overreach Burden in Category
Harris County (Harris County)• FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.38529• 5Y Freedom: ▼ -1.7 pts • 5Y Budget: +17.3%
Grade D (53.7/100)
Chambers County (Chambers County)• FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.473164• 5Y Freedom: ▼ -2.3 pts • 5Y Budget: +47.4%
Grade D (54.2/100)
Hays County (Hays County)• FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4125• 5Y Freedom: ▼ -1.1 pts • 5Y Budget: +32.3%
Grade D (55.1/100)
Williamson County (Williamson County)• FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.421547• 5Y Freedom: ▼ -1.3 pts • 5Y Budget: +26.4%
Grade D (55.8/100)
Travis County (Travis County)• FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.344445• 5Y Freedom: ▼ -1.5 pts • 5Y Budget: +24.8%
Grade D (55.9/100)