Chart: how Texas compares with other states on various metrics (Rick Perry, Texas on the Brink)

According to Texas governor Rick Perry and many fiscal conservatives, Texas is a great example of conservative principles in action. For instance (link):
[Perry said] the very "future of the nation" depended on a blunt conversation about which course was best: California's "big government, protectionist, nanny state" or Texas' "limited-government, unsubsidized, freedom state."
So, how's that limited-government, unsubsidized, freedom state working out?

Not very well at all, as shown by the "Texas on the Brink" report (texaslsg.org/texasonthebrink) from the Legislative Study Group. That group is comprised of state legislators; all or many are liberals ( peekURL.com/zew5HUU ) and that shows in their focus. But, many metrics aren't disputable, such as Texas ranking 47th in SAT scores (i.e., nearly the worst in the U.S.) Or, Texas coming in at 44th worst in their estimated public high school graduation rate.

The statistics in the following table were taken from the 2013 report; see that for the footnotes (table styles via this). The report also counts Puerto Rico, and in four cases Texas came in 51st. Note especially that the following is a ranking, and being near the top is good for some rankings but not for others. See the report for the details.

Texas doesn't compare well with other states

Metric How Texas ranks
Tax Revenue Collections per Capita 45th
Total State Expenditures per Capita 48th
Sales Tax Collections per Capita 18th
Elementary and Secondary Public School Enrollment 4th
Average Salary of Public School Teachers 31st
Current Expenditures for Public K-12 Schools per Student in Average Daily Attendance 43rd
Percentage of Revenue for Public K-12 Schools from State Governments 35th
Average Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) Combined Scores 47th
Estimated Public High School Graduation Rate 44th
Percentage of Population with at Least a Bachelor's Degree 30th
Percentage Enrollment in Public Higher Education 8th
Per Capita State Spending on State Arts Agencies 48th
Pupil-Teacher Ratio in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools 26th
Percentage of Population Graduated from High School 50th
Number of Births 2nd
Percent of Babies Born at Low Birth Weight 19th
Percent of Population Under 18 2nd
Percent of Uninsured Children 2nd
Percent of Children Living in Poverty 7th
Percent of Children (19-35 months) Fully Immunized 23rd
Percent of Population Uninsured 1st
Percent of Non-Elderly Uninsured 1st
Percent of Low Income Population Covered by Medicaid 48th
Percent of Population with Employer-Based Health Insurance 43rd
Health Care Expenditures per Capita 46th
Per Capita State Spending on Mental Health 50th
Medicaid Payments per Enrollee 41st
Percent of Adults Physically Active 37th
Hospital Beds per 1000 Population 29th
Physicians 41st
Dentists 44th
Registered Nurses 46th
Percent Living Below Federal Poverty Level 8th
Percent of Population with Food Insecurity 3rd
Average Monthly (WIC) Benefits per Person 51st
Percent of Adults who are Overweight or Obese 8th
Rate of Death due to Heart Disease 22nd
Prevalence of Diagnosed Diabetes 15th
Diabetes Death Rate 17th
Percent of Adults Who Visit the Dentist 46th
Overall Birth Rate 3rd
Teenage Birth Rate 4th
Births to Unmarried Mothers 17th
Percent of Women with Pre-Term Birth 11th
Percent of Non-Elderly Women with Health Insurance 51st
Percent of Women Who have had a Dental Visit within the Past Year 47th
Rate of Women Aged 40+ Who Received Mammograms 42nd
Rate of Women Aged 18+ Who Received Pap Smears 41st
Breast Cancer Rate 38th
Cervical Cancer Rate 8th
Percent of Women with High Blood Pressure 17th
Percent of Needs Met for Women Seeking Contraceptives 36th
Percent of Pregnant Women Receiving Prenatal Care in First Trimester 50th
Women's Voter Registration 47th
Women's Voter Turnout 51st
Percentage of Women Living in Poverty 4th
Percentage of Women with a Bachelor's Degree or Higher 32nd
Percentage of Businesses Owned by Women 18th
Median Income for Full Time Work 27th
Consumers with Subprime Credit 3rd
Housing Cost Burden for Homeowners 36th
Foreclosure Rates 44th
Private Loans to Small Businesses 40th
Asset Poverty Rate 21st
Median Net Worth of Households 44th
Financial Capability 39th
Financial Behavior 44th
Retirement Plan Participation (Age 21-64) 46th
Average Credit Card Debt 46th
Amount of Carbon Dioxide Emissions 1st
Total Amount of Toxic Releases into Water 4th
Amount of Recognized Cancer-Causing Carcinogens Released into Air 4th
Amount of Hazardous Waste Generated 1st
Industrial Toxic Air Pollution 10th
Amount of Recognized Cancer-Causing Carcinogens Released into Water 5th
Number of Hazardous Waste Sites on National Priority List 7th
Total Energy Consumption Per Capita 6th
Energy Efficiency 32nd
Average Hourly Earnings of Production Workers on Manufacturing Payroll 17th
Percent of Workforce that are Members of a Union 43rd
Workers' Compensation Premium Rate 38th
Earnings Ratio Between Full-time Year-Round Workers by Gender 12th
Unemployment Rate 36th
Median Household Income 29th
Income Inequality Between the Rich and the Poor 43rd
Income Inequality Between the Rich and the Middle Class 43rd
Home Ownership Rate 42nd
Affordability of Homes 6th
Auto Insurance Cost 12th
Personal Bankruptcy Filings Rate Per Capita 46th
Percent of Households with Internet Access 34th
Number of Executions 1st
Rate of Incarceration 4th
Violent Crime Rate 16th
Murder Rate 22nd
Percentage of Murders Involving Firearms 24th
Reported Rape Cases Per Capita 27th
Property Crime Rate 2nd
Larceny and Theft Rate 3rd
Deaths Due to Motor Vehicle Accidents 19th
Percent of Voting-Age Population Registered to Vote 47th
Percent of Voting-Age Population that Votes 51st