Kentucky•In office since 2019•Party: D

Andy Beshear

Serving as Governor of Kentucky since 2019. Evaluation based on verified public data.

Overall GradeC-

42.9 / 100

Ranked #41 of 50 nationally

Economy

48.3 / 100C

Unemployment RateF

4.7%

National avg 3.9%

Rank 46 of 508 pct

Trend since took officefrom 4.4%

Median Household IncomeC-

$60,187

National avg $74,580

Rank 44 of 5012 pct

Trend since took officefrom $48,375

Job GrowthB

3.8%

National avg 5.5%

Rank 30 of 5042 pct

Trend since took officefrom 1.5%

Real GDP GrowthC+

5.0%

National avg 8.0%

Rank 37 of 5028 pct

Trend since took officefrom 2.0%

Real Wage GrowthC+

2.5%

National avg 3.0%

Rank 39 of 5022 pct

Trend since took officefrom 1.0%

Fiscal Health

55.4 / 100C+

State Debt per CapitaC-

$3,700

National avg $3,580

Rank 37 of 5027 pct

Trend since took officefrom $4,100

Rainy Day FundA+

28.0%

National avg 14.0%

Rank 6 of 5090 pct

Trend since took officefrom 12.0%

State & Local Tax BurdenB-

9.6%

National avg 11.2%

Rank 16 of 5069 pct

Trend since took officefrom 9.5%

Credit RatingF

National avg 90

Rank 48 of 505 pct

Trend since took officefrom 78

Quality of Life

48.1 / 100C

Poverty RateD

15.3%

National avg 11.5%

Rank 43 of 5014 pct

Trend since took officefrom 16.3%

High School Graduation RateA-

91.6%

National avg 87.0%

Rank 3 of 5096 pct

Trend since took officefrom 91.0%

Life ExpectancyF

74.4 yrs

National avg 77.5 yrs

Rank 44 of 5013 pct

Trend since took officefrom 75.4 yrs

Violent Crime RateC

259 / 100k

National avg 380 / 100k

Rank 13 of 5077 pct

Trend since took officefrom 212 / 100k

Bridges in Poor ConditionC+

5.6%

National avg 6.6%

Rank 27 of 5048 pct

Trend since took officefrom 6.0%

How this grade is built

Each metric gets two scores: how the state ranks among all 50 states (60%) and how much it changed under this governor (40%). These combine into a 0–100 score per metric, averaged within three pillars — Economy, Fiscal Health, Quality of Life — then curved across the cohort so grades spread A–F.

Full methodology →