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Bastiat & Liberty Watchdog Index
Texas Local Government Freedom Index
Objective, peer-normalized rankings grading 6,175 local governments and 34,023 elected officials on fiscal restraint, tax burden, private property rights, and regulatory overreach.
Top Ranked Governments (Highest Liberty)
#1
Bell County
COUNTY • Bell County • Pop: 387,000
Tax Rate: $0.3317Fiscal: 85.9Regulatory: 77.7Debt: 78.3
Grade A(81.1/100)
#2
Winkler County
COUNTY • Winkler County • Pop: 5,578
Tax Rate: $0.4581Fiscal: 82.5Regulatory: 79Debt: 58
Grade B(81/100)
#3
Hutchinson County
COUNTY • Hutchinson County • Pop: 17,889
Tax Rate: $0.5000Fiscal: 82.5Regulatory: 79Debt: 58
Grade B(81/100)
#4
Grimes County
COUNTY • Grimes County • Pop: 29,291
Tax Rate: $0.4231Fiscal: 82.5Regulatory: 79Debt: 58
Grade B(81/100)
#5
Travis County
COUNTY • Travis County • Pop: 1,326,000
Tax Rate: $0.3758Fiscal: 82.5Regulatory: 79Debt: 15.9
Grade B(81/100)
#6
Howard County
COUNTY • Howard County • Pop: 22,564
Tax Rate: $0.3017Fiscal: 82.5Regulatory: 79Debt: 58
Grade B(81/100)
#7
Live Oak County
COUNTY • Live Oak County • Pop: 10,323
Tax Rate: $0.3867Fiscal: 82.5Regulatory: 79Debt: 58
Grade B(81/100)
#8
Karnes County
COUNTY • Karnes County • Pop: 11,108
Tax Rate: $0.2411Fiscal: 82.5Regulatory: 79Debt: 58
Grade B(81/100)
#9
Limestone County
COUNTY • Limestone County • Pop: 19,420
Tax Rate: $0.5600Fiscal: 82.5Regulatory: 79Debt: 58
Grade B(81/100)
#10
Chambers County
COUNTY • Chambers County • Pop: 51,750
Tax Rate: $0.4671Fiscal: 82.5Regulatory: 79Debt: 58
Grade B(81/100)
#11
Cameron County
COUNTY • Cameron County • Pop: 322,414
Tax Rate: $0.4767Fiscal: 82.5Regulatory: 79Debt: 58
Grade B(81/100)
#12
Bee County
COUNTY • Bee County • Pop: 21,022
Tax Rate: $0.4767Fiscal: 82.5Regulatory: 79Debt: 58
Grade B(81/100)
#13
Austin County
COUNTY • Austin County • Pop: 30,340
Tax Rate: $0.5170Fiscal: 82.5Regulatory: 79Debt: 58
Grade B(81/100)
#14
Madison County
COUNTY • Madison County • Pop: 11,428
Tax Rate: $0.5000Fiscal: 82.5Regulatory: 79Debt: 58
Grade B(81/100)
#15
Jackson County
COUNTY • Jackson County • Pop: 13,453
Tax Rate: $0.4345Fiscal: 82.5Regulatory: 79Debt: 58
Grade B(81/100)
#16
Polk County
COUNTY • Polk County • Pop: 59,102
Tax Rate: $0.5986Fiscal: 82.5Regulatory: 79Debt: 58
Grade B(81/100)
#17
Erath County
COUNTY • Erath County • Pop: 35,637
Tax Rate: $0.3811Fiscal: 82.5Regulatory: 79Debt: 58
Grade B(81/100)
#18
Lubbock County
COUNTY • Lubbock County • Pop: 270,293
Tax Rate: $0.4701Fiscal: 81Regulatory: 76Debt: 58
Grade B(78.5/100)
#19
Galveston County
COUNTY • Galveston County • Pop: 333,343
Tax Rate: $0.4088Fiscal: 81Regulatory: 76Debt: 58
Grade B(78.5/100)
#20
Brazoria County
COUNTY • Brazoria County • Pop: 346,295
Tax Rate: $0.3048Fiscal: 81Regulatory: 76Debt: 58
Grade B(78.5/100)