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Gov't Size in Texas Counties - 2012

-- by David Swink, FCTA, 07/28/2014

FCTA has been appalled by the cost of government. In Virginia, we have compared the 134 local governing jurisdictions (96 counties and 38 cities) strictly by the percentage of each population devoted to government, testing the proposition that "body count" might be an indicator of local government "efficiency". Virginia counties and cities averaged 3.95 percent.

We wanted to then check the results for Maryland (a very blue state) and Texas (a very red state), to see if there is some political correlation. The table below shows the results for Texas, whose government "body count" for its 254 counties averaged 4.22 percent of the population.

Finding: With average local government "efficiency" in VA at 3.95%, MD at 4.17%, and TX at 4.22% -- a mere 0.27% variation -- we have not found this "body count" metric to be a major cost driver. So one must instead watch how those public servants are spending your money.

TxLoc:County: Locality 2012 Pop(Est) GenGov + Safety + School = TotGov PctGov Tx001:AndeCo: Anderson Co 58,080 265 268 1,355 1,888 3.25% Tx003:AndrCo: Andrews Co 16,137 477 84 529 1,090 6.75% Tx005:AngeCo: Angelina Co 87,488 999 471 3,013 4,483 5.12% Tx007:AranCo: Aransas Co 23,847 214 124 550 888 3.72% Tx009:ArchCo: Archer Co 8,714 72 44 320 436 5.00% Tx011:ArmsCo: Armstrong Co 1,948 21 11 80 112 5.75% Tx013:AtasCo: Atascosa Co 46,423 522 233 1,453 2,208 4.76% Tx015:AustCo: Austin Co 28,653 190 143 876 1,209 4.22% Tx017:BailCo: Bailey Co 7,111 232 57 258 547 7.69% Tx019:BandCo: Bandera Co 20,586 97 119 424 640 3.11% Tx021:BastCo: Bastrop Co 74,791 327 368 2,143 2,838 3.79% Tx023:BaylCo: Baylor Co 3,620 183 23 112 318 8.78% Tx025:BeeCo: Bee Co 32,501 304 115 1,016 1,435 4.42% Tx027:BellCo: Bell Co 323,536 2,318 1,836 11,901 16,055 4.96% Tx029:BexaCo: Bexar Co 1,785,787 20,326 9,663 46,832 76,821 4.30% Tx031:BlanCo: Blanco Co 10,673 55 43 259 357 3.34% Tx033:BordCo: Borden Co 612 21 4 49 74 12.09% Tx035:BosqCo: Bosque Co 18,107 100 75 514 689 3.81% Tx037:BowiCo: Bowie Co 93,022 588 505 3,140 4,233 4.55% Tx039:BrzaCo: Brazoria Co 324,295 2,031 1,466 9,256 12,753 3.92% Tx041:BrzsCo: Brazos Co 200,400 1,815 1,170 4,265 7,250 3.62% Tx043:BrewCo: Brewster Co 9,254 83 71 285 439 4.74% Tx045:BrisCo: Briscoe Co 1,543 29 4 35 68 4.41% Tx047:BrooCo: Brooks Co 7,175 104 68 298 470 6.55% Tx049:BrowCo: Brown Co 37,841 519 227 1,093 1,839 4.86% Tx051:BurlCo: Burleson Co 17,316 124 79 504 707 4.08% Tx053:BurnCo: Burnet Co 43,556 345 337 1,096 1,778 4.08% Tx055:CaldCo: Caldwell Co 38,701 208 220 867 1,295 3.35% Tx057:CalhCo: Calhoun Co 21,609 193 148 648 989 4.58% Tx059:CallCo: Callahan Co 13,533 87 41 482 610 4.51% Tx061:CameCo: Cameron Co 415,551 3,267 2,306 15,979 21,552 5.19% Tx063:CampCo: Camp Co 12,486 58 30 420 508 4.07% Tx065:CarsCo: Carson Co 6,127 129 23 232 384 6.27% Tx067:CassCo: Cass Co 30,177 308 130 1,116 1,554 5.15% Tx069:CastCo: Castro Co 8,177 166 41 340 547 6.69% Tx071:ChamCo: Chambers Co 36,095 463 141 1,022 1,626 4.50% Tx073:CherCo: Cherokee Co 51,154 287 248 1,334 1,869 3.65% Tx075:ChilCo: Childress Co 7,078 300 63 220 583 8.24% Tx077:ClayCo: Clay Co 10,537 205 19 335 559 5.31% Tx079:CochCo: Cochran Co 3,030 93 25 204 322 10.63% Tx081:CokeCo: Coke Co 3,223 188 13 104 281 8.72% Tx083:ColeCo: Coleman Co 8,680 285 41 303 629 7.25% Tx085:ColnCo: Collin Co 834,674 4,611 3,234 20,588 28,433 3.41% Tx087:ColwCo: Collingsworth Co 3,022 60 18 134 212 7.02% Tx089:ColoCo: Colorado Co 20,687 144 118 599 861 4.16% Tx091:ComlCo: Comal Co 114,590 734 683 3,305 4,722 4.12% Tx093:ComnCo: Comanche Co 13,734 310 113 385 808 5.88% Tx095:ConcCo: Concho Co 4,024 66 21 77 164 4.08% Tx097:CookCo: Cooke Co 38,726 586 230 1,334 2,150 5.55% Tx099:CoryCo: Coryell Co 76,850 637 256 1,744 2,637 3.43% Tx101:CottCo: Cottle Co 1,482 37 6 55 98 6.61% Tx103:CranCo: Crane Co 4,573 102 36 188 326 7.13% Tx105:CrocCo: Crockett Co 3,732 168 39 150 357 9.57% Tx107:CrosCo: Crosby Co 6,102 68 30 298 396 6.49% Tx109:CulbCo: Culberson Co 2,293 63 32 96 191 8.33% Tx111:DalmCo: Dallam Co 7,021 59 59 341 459 6.54% Tx113:DalsCo: Dallas Co 2,453,907 29,247 16,936 58,916 105,099 4.28% Tx115:DawsCo: Dawson Co 13,653 368 69 590 1,027 7.52% Tx117:DeafCo: Deaf Smith Co 19,368 281 107 657 1,045 5.40% Tx119:DeltCo: Delta Co 5,323 41 29 179 249 4.68% Tx121:DentCo: Denton Co 708,050 3,195 2,642 15,181 21,018 2.97% Tx123:DewiCo: DeWitt Co 20,461 459 73 952 1,484 7.25% Tx125:DickCo: Dickens Co 2,332 21 12 99 132 5.66% Tx127:DimmCo: Dimmit Co 10,481 258 63 497 818 7.80% Tx129:DonlCo: Donley Co 3,602 131 24 231 386 10.72% Tx131:DuvaCo: Duval Co 11,623 451 141 477 1,069 9.20% Tx133:EastCo: Eastland Co 18,397 274 100 936 1,310 7.12% Tx135:EctoCo: Ector Co 144,609 2,091 846 3,978 6,915 4.78% Tx137:EdwaCo: Edwards Co 1,968 29 24 143 196 9.96% Tx139:ElliCo: Ellis Co 153,806 598 766 4,823 6,187 4.02% Tx141:ElpaCo: El Paso Co 828,600 7,598 4,706 25,958 38,262 4.62% Tx143:EratCo: Erath Co 39,554 385 183 872 1,440 3.64% Tx145:FallCo: Falls Co 17,606 130 110 515 755 4.29% Tx147:FannCo: Fannin Co 33,755 168 149 991 1,308 3.87% Tx149:FayeCo: Fayette Co 24,706 270 120 657 1,047 4.24% Tx151:FishCo: Fisher Co 3,845 126 14 134 274 7.13% Tx153:FloyCo: Floyd Co 6,350 185 37 272 494 7.78% Tx155:FoarCo: Foard Co 1,307 54 6 49 109 8.34% Tx157:FortCo: Fort Bend Co 625,853 1,792 2,077 12,293 16,162 2.58% Tx159:FranCo: Franklin Co 10,643 73 39 264 376 3.53% Tx161:FreeCo: Freestone Co 19,483 120 82 668 870 4.47% Tx163:FrioCo: Frio Co 17,776 105 43 586 734 4.13% Tx165:GainCo: Gaines Co 18,393 370 40 742 1,152 6.26% Tx167:GalvCo: Galveston Co 301,092 2,599 1,894 11,948 16,441 5.46% Tx169:GarzCo: Garza Co 6,388 51 51 191 293 4.59% Tx171:GillCo: Gillespie Co 25,144 385 115 651 1,151 4.58% Tx173:GlasCo: Glasscock Co 1,260 13 4 54 71 5.63% Tx175:GoliCo: Goliad Co 7,346 79 39 209 327 4.45% Tx177:GonzCo: Gonzales Co 20,015 434 82 677 1,193 5.96% Tx179:GrayCo: Gray Co 22,955 184 145 665 994 4.33% Tx181:GrsnCo: Grayson Co 121,679 966 663 3,619 5,248 4.31% Tx183:GregCo: Gregg Co 122,741 1,129 868 3,916 5,913 4.82% Tx185:GrimCo: Grimes Co 26,742 141 103 673 917 3.43% Tx187:GuadCo: Guadalupe Co 139,873 1,240 655 2,953 4,848 3.47% Tx189:HaleCo: Hale Co 36,294 372 217 1,193 1,782 4.91% Tx191:HallCo: Hall Co 3,296 37 18 167 222 6.74% Tx193:HamiCo: Hamilton Co 8,311 264 22 253 539 6.49% Tx195:HansCo: Hansford Co 5,522 227 23 244 494 8.95% Tx197:HrdmCo: Hardeman Co 4,066 202 42 173 417 10.26% Tx199:HrdnCo: Hardin Co 55,177 240 176 1,734 2,150 3.90% Tx201:HarsCo: Harris Co 4,253,963 32,602 21,768 111,675 166,045 3.90% Tx203:HarnCo: Harrison Co 67,208 280 334 2,219 2,833 4.22% Tx205:HartCo: Hartley Co 6,165 16 10 66 92 1.49% Tx207:HaskCo: Haskell Co 5,871 122 25 184 331 5.64% Tx209:HaysCo: Hays Co 169,013 1,310 888 4,855 7,053 4.17% Tx211:HempCo: Hemphill Co 4,077 152 27 179 358 8.78% Tx213:HendCo: Henderson Co 78,939 392 318 2,108 2,818 3.57% Tx215:HidaCo: Hidalgo Co 805,975 5,672 3,343 30,027 39,042 4.84% Tx217:HillCo: Hill Co 35,106 163 225 1,394 1,782 5.08% Tx219:HockCo: Hockley Co 23,150 125 122 1,499 1,746 7.54% Tx221:HoodCo: Hood Co 52,171 265 258 1,054 1,577 4.94% Tx223:HopkCo: Hopkins Co 35,424 696 177 1,051 1,924 5.43% Tx225:HousCo: Houston Co 23,184 142 109 576 827 3.57% Tx227:HowaCo: Howard Co 35,454 588 198 1,220 2,006 5.66% Tx229:HudsCo: Hudspeth Co 3,339 64 53 169 286 8.57% Tx231:HuntCo: Hunt Co 87,056 1,320 471 2,282 4,073 4.68% Tx233:HutcCo: Hutchinson Co 21,907 180 150 874 1,204 5.50% Tx235:IrioCo: Irion Co 1,577 36 16 59 111 7.04% Tx237:JackCo: Jack Co 8,980 143 60 250 453 5.04% Tx239:JaknCo: Jackson Co 14,252 257 83 494 834 5.85% Tx241:JaspCo: Jasper Co 35,881 270 133 1,113 1,516 4.23% Tx243:JefdCo: Jeff Davis Co 2,314 10 12 91 113 4.88% Tx245:JeffCo: Jefferson Co 251,306 2,622 1,750 6,458 10,830 4.31% Tx247:JimhCo: Jim Hogg Co 5,261 100 48 158 316 6.01% Tx249:JimwCo: Jim Wells Co 41,670 322 253 1,279 1,854 4.45% Tx251:JohnCo: Johnson Co 153,341 867 765 4,796 6,428 4.19% Tx253:JoneCo: Jones Co 19,905 524 80 544 1,148 5.77% Tx255:KarnCo: Karnes Co 14,873 196 61 419 676 4.55% Tx257:KaufCo: Kaufman Co 106,686 1,017 465 3,053 4,535 4.25% Tx259:KendCo: Kendall Co 35,968 283 178 1,201 1,662 4.62% Tx261:KeneCo: Kenedy Co 434 5 4 26 35 8.06% Tx263:KentCo: Kent Co 843 23 3 49 75 8.90% Tx265:KerrCo: Kerr Co 49,826 264 342 1,094 1,700 3.41% Tx267:KimbCo: Kimble Co 4,547 47 28 96 171 3.76% Tx269:KingCo: King Co 278 18 3 38 59 21.22% Tx271:KinnCo: Kinney Co 3,594 50 45 100 195 5.43% Tx273:KlebCo: Kleberg Co 32,114 332 245 977 1,554 4.84% Tx275:KnoxCo: Knox Co 3,770 138 19 168 325 8.62% Tx277:LamaCo: Lamar Co 49,881 248 203 1,786 2,237 4.48% Tx279:LambCo: Lamb Co 13,929 126 87 566 779 5.59% Tx281:LampCo: Lampasas Co 20,146 127 85 609 821 4.08% Tx283:LasaCo: La Salle Co 7,104 50 43 222 315 4.43% Tx285:LavaCo: Lavaca Co 19,476 372 98 338 808 4.15% Tx287:LeeCo: Lee Co 16,593 115 80 505 700 4.22% Tx289:LeonCo: Leon Co 16,789 83 87 587 757 4.51% Tx291:LibeCo: Liberty Co 76,349 338 335 2,303 2,976 3.90% Tx293:LimeCo: Limestone Co 23,601 327 188 787 1,302 5.52% Tx295:LipsCo: Lipscomb Co 3,451 59 20 168 247 7.16% Tx297:LiveCo: Live Oak Co 11,669 109 89 331 529 4.53% Tx299:LlanCo: Llano Co 19,148 145 121 371 637 3.33% Tx301:LoviCo: Loving Co 78 8 4 0 12 15.38% Tx303:LubbCo: Lubbock Co 285,998 4,941 1,905 6,056 12,902 4.51% Tx305:LynnCo: Lynn Co 5,777 146 26 281 453 7.84% Tx307:MccuCo: McCulloch Co 8,303 209 48 328 585 7.05% Tx309:McleCo: McLennan Co 239,542 2,153 1,436 6,812 10,401 4.34% Tx311:McmuCo: McMullen Co 730 30 11 41 82 11.23% Tx313:MadiCo: Madison Co 13,717 81 55 337 473 3.45% Tx315:MariCo: Marion Co 10,320 56 34 214 304 2.95% Tx317:MartCo: Martin Co 5,023 135 23 174 332 6.61% Tx319:MasoCo: Mason Co 4,027 59 15 113 187 4.64% Tx321:MataCo: Matagorda Co 36,580 505 228 1,217 1,950 5.33% Tx323:MaveCo: Maverick Co 55,432 457 337 2,480 3,274 5.91% Tx325:MediCo: Medina Co 46,871 482 150 1,410 2,042 4.36% Tx327:MenaCo: Menard Co 2,230 65 15 80 160 7.17% Tx329:MidlCo: Midland Co 146,786 2,308 828 3,607 6,743 4.59% Tx331:MilaCo: Milam Co 24,130 166 130 714 1,010 4.19% Tx333:MillCo: Mills Co 4,846 46 12 209 267 5.51% Tx335:MitcCo: Mitchell Co 9,337 230 52 301 583 6.24% Tx337:MonaCo: Montague Co 19,584 414 91 575 1,080 5.51% Tx339:MontCo: Montgomery Co 484,790 1,979 2,034 11,504 15,517 3.20% Tx341:MoorCo: Moore Co 22,373 452 134 801 1,387 6.20% Tx343:MorrCo: Morris Co 12,801 60 59 406 525 4.10% Tx345:MotlCo: Motley Co 1,195 19 7 27 53 4.44% Tx347:NacoCo: Nacogdoches Co 65,808 994 290 1,925 3,209 4.88% Tx349:NavaCo: Navarro Co 48,077 367 277 1,938 2,582 5.37% Tx351:NewtCo: Newton Co 14,240 73 54 365 492 3.46% Tx353:NolaCo: Nolan Co 14,906 412 96 566 1,074 7.21% Tx355:NuecCo: Nueces Co 347,594 3,027 2,091 9,884 15,002 4.32% Tx357:OchiCo: Ochiltree Co 10,660 278 90 382 750 7.04% Tx359:OldhCo: Oldham Co 2,050 43 20 215 268 13.07% Tx361:OranCo: Orange Co 82,988 633 466 2,434 3,533 4.26% Tx363:PaloCo: Palo Pinto Co 27,883 561 155 723 1,439 5.16% Tx365:PanoCo: Panola Co 24,018 161 120 754 1,035 4.31% Tx367:ParkCo: Parker Co 119,626 557 427 2,926 3,910 3.27% Tx369:ParmCo: Parmer Co 10,168 131 51 492 674 6.63% Tx371:PecoCo: Pecos Co 15,589 292 121 515 928 5.95% Tx373:PolkCo: Polk Co 45,737 212 210 1,087 1,509 3.30% Tx375:PottCo: Potter Co 122,413 2,033 1,133 5,727 8,893 7.26% Tx377:PresCo: Presidio Co 7,506 123 44 347 514 6.85% Tx379:RainCo: Rains Co 10,962 71 57 362 490 4.47% Tx381:RandCo: Randall Co 125,022 157 408 1,163 1,728 1.38% Tx383:ReagCo: Reagan Co 3,481 156 31 179 366 10.51% Tx385:RealCo: Real Co 3,371 36 15 46 97 2.88% Tx387:RedrCo: Red River Co 12,696 73 67 439 579 4.56% Tx389:ReevCo: Reeves Co 13,820 329 653 466 1,448 10.48% Tx391:RefuCo: Refugio Co 7,254 231 72 248 551 7.60% Tx393:RobsCo: Roberts Co 852 29 8 44 81 9.51% Tx395:RobnCo: Robertson Co 16,493 200 111 594 905 5.49% Tx397:RockCo: Rockwall Co 83,028 383 369 2,511 3,263 3.93% Tx399:RunnCo: Runnels Co 10,425 233 56 382 671 6.44% Tx401:RuskCo: Rusk Co 54,013 269 226 1,197 1,692 3.13% Tx403:SabiCo: Sabine Co 10,429 139 33 298 470 4.51% Tx405:SanaCo: San Augustine Co 8,850 68 46 262 376 4.25% Tx407:SanjCo: San Jacinto Co 27,083 76 81 621 778 2.87% Tx409:SanpCo: San Patricio Co 65,268 782 293 2,431 3,506 5.37% Tx411:SansCo: San Saba Co 6,016 233 20 181 434 7.21% Tx413:SchlCo: Schleicher Co 3,256 93 15 131 239 7.34% Tx415:ScurCo: Scurry Co 17,117 296 100 599 995 5.81% Tx417:ShacCo: Shackelford Co 3,368 47 22 138 207 6.15% Tx419:ShelCo: Shelby Co 25,977 141 110 998 1,249 4.81% Tx421:SherCo: Sherman Co 3,057 107 14 145 266 8.70% Tx423:SmitCo: Smith Co 214,617 1,523 1,200 6,021 8,764 4.08% Tx425:SomeCo: Somervell Co 8,624 129 50 297 476 5.52% Tx427:StarCo: Starr Co 61,669 696 367 3,049 4,112 6.67% Tx429:StepCo: Stephens Co 9,439 209 60 274 543 5.75% Tx431:SterCo: Sterling Co 1,183 26 8 52 86 7.27% Tx433:StonCo: Stonewall Co 1,470 144 18 47 209 14.22% Tx435:SuttCo: Sutton Co 3,939 121 24 167 312 7.92% Tx437:SwisCo: Swisher Co 7,880 71 38 294 403 5.11% Tx439:TarrCo: Tarrant Co 1,881,445 15,205 11,612 49,057 76,274 4.05% Tx441:TaylCo: Taylor Co 133,984 1,021 890 3,180 5,091 3.80% Tx443:TerlCo: Terrell Co 924 51 7 50 108 11.69% Tx445:TeryCo: Terry Co 12,614 362 96 468 926 7.34% Tx447:ThroCo: Throckmorton Co 1,609 45 0 68 113 7.02% Tx449:TituCo: Titus Co 32,640 726 172 1,558 2,456 7.52% Tx451:TomgCo: Tom Green Co 113,494 816 1,044 2,570 4,430 3.90% Tx453:TravCo: Travis Co 1,096,246 13,949 7,878 23,207 45,034 4.11% Tx455:TrinCo: Trinity Co 14,258 191 67 399 657 4.61% Tx457:TyleCo: Tyler Co 21,456 209 79 657 945 4.40% Tx459:UpshCo: Upshur Co 40,005 124 166 1,237 1,527 3.82% Tx461:UptoCo: Upton Co 3,271 185 48 163 396 12.11% Tx463:UvalCo: Uvalde Co 26,726 609 145 1,304 2,058 7.70% Tx465:ValvCo: Val Verde Co 48,693 494 263 1,437 2,194 4.51% Tx467:VanzCo: Van Zandt Co 52,407 229 206 1,525 1,960 3.74% Tx469:VictCo: Victoria Co 89,325 1,825 709 2,830 5,364 6.01% Tx471:WalkCo: Walker Co 68,458 646 320 1,014 1,980 2.89% Tx473:WallCo: Waller Co 44,376 196 174 1,273 1,643 3.70% Tx475:WardCo: Ward Co 10,887 135 105 319 559 5.13% Tx477:WashCo: Washington Co 33,943 266 177 1,864 2,307 6.80% Tx479:WebbCo: Webb Co 259,211 2,269 1,764 10,708 14,741 5.69% Tx481:WharCo: Wharton Co 41,150 1,010 254 1,907 3,171 7.71% Tx483:WheeCo: Wheeler Co 5,622 240 32 242 514 9.14% Tx485:WichCo: Wichita Co 131,488 1,465 837 3,425 5,729 4.37% Tx487:WilbCo: Wilbarger Co 13,235 309 82 804 1,195 9.03% Tx489:WilcCo: Willacy Co 22,094 163 109 716 988 4.47% Tx491:WilmCo: Williamson Co 456,359 1,868 1,456 13,495 16,819 3.69% Tx493:WilsCo: Wilson Co 44,396 394 133 1,272 1,799 4.05% Tx495:WinkCo: Winkler Co 7,345 150 65 250 465 6.33% Tx497:WiseCo: Wise Co 60,387 409 251 1,392 2,052 3.40% Tx499:WoodCo: Wood Co 42,157 177 174 996 1,347 3.20% Tx501:YoakCo: Yoakum Co 8,060 272 89 358 719 8.92% Tx503:YounCo: Young Co 18,299 443 106 640 1,189 6.50% Tx505:ZapaCo: Zapata Co 14,273 220 141 540 901 6.31% Tx507:ZavaCo: Zavala Co 11,973 152 58 466 676 5.65% Tx000:AllCo: 254 Counties 26,060,796 235,658 142,555 720,473 1,098,686 4.22% Tx000:State: State Gov't 26,060,796 123,103 50,351 137,095 310,549 1.19% NOTE: All jobs are "Full-Time Equivalent Employment" "Safety" includes Police, Fire, Corrections, and Judicial

Helpful reference: American FactFinder Deep Linking Guide -- Version 2.6, March 22, 2013