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BL
Tennessee•In office since 2019•Party: R

Bill Lee

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

Overall GradeB
66.7 / 100
Ranked #18 of 50 nationally
At a glanceComputed from the data below — no opinions.
  • An overall grade of B places this governor in the above the national average — ranked #18 of 50.
  • In office 7 years — current results are fully attributable to this administration.
  • Since taking office, this governor has outpaced the national trend on 9 of 20 tracked metrics, lagged on 6, and moved with the country on 5.
  • Strongest area: Fiscal Health (A-). Weakest: Health (D).
Category

Economy

100
65.5 / 100B
Unemployment Rate
B
3.3%
National avg 3.9%
improving faster than US
Rank 20 of 5061 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 3.7%
Category

Fiscal Health

301
77.0 / 100A-
State Debt per Capita
C+
$1,100
National avg $3,580
improving slower than US
Rank 2 of 5099 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom $1,250
Rainy Day Fund
A+
18.0%
National avg 14.0%
improving faster than US
Rank 14 of 5073 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 12.0%
State & Local Tax Burden
B+
7.6%
National avg 11.2%
declining slower than US
Rank 3 of 5096 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 7.5%
Credit Rating
A+
100
National avg 90
on pace with US
Rank 12 of 5079 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 100
Category

Education

010
60.2 / 100B-
High School Graduation Rate
B-
90.6%
National avg 87.0%
improving with US
Rank 8 of 5087 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 89.6%
Category

Health

125
32.0 / 100D
Age-Adjusted Mortality
F
553 / 100k
National avg 407 / 100k
declining faster than US
Rank 45 of 5010 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 451 / 100k
Infant Mortality
C-
6.82
National avg 5.628
improving faster than US
Rank 39 of 5022 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 7.183
Adult Obesity
D-
39.1%
National avg 33.5%
declining faster than US
Rank 46 of 508 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 33.2%
Adult Smoking
D
19.2%
National avg 13.2%
improving slower than US
Rank 48 of 504 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 22.6%
Suicide Rate
C-
17 / 100k
National avg 14 / 100k
declining faster than US
Rank 28 of 5045 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 16 / 100k
Life Expectancy
D+
74.4 yrs
National avg 77.5 yrs
declining with US
Rank 44 of 5013 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 75.5 yrs
Uninsured Rate (Under 65)
C-
10.5%
National avg 8.6%
improving with US
Rank 37 of 5027 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 11.8%
Drug Overdose Death Rate
F
54 / 100k
National avg 34 / 100k
declining faster than US
Rank 48 of 504 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 28 / 100k
Category

Infrastructure

100
62.5 / 100B
Bridges in Poor Condition
B
3.7%
National avg 6.6%
improving faster than US
Rank 13 of 5077 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 4.0%
Category

Opportunity

210
46.4 / 100C-
Food Insecurity
C+
14.0%
National avg 13.5%
declining slower than US
Rank 36 of 5030 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 13.9%
Poverty Rate
C
13.6%
National avg 11.5%
improving faster than US
Rank 39 of 5023 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 15.2%
Median Household Income
D+
$64,035
National avg $74,580
improving with US
Rank 41 of 5018 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom $50,972
Category

Public Safety

010
39.1 / 100D+
Violent Crime Rate
D+
672 / 100k
National avg 380 / 100k
on pace with US
Rank 48 of 504 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 672 / 100k
Category

Environment

100
65.2 / 100B
Drinking Water Violations
B
18.9%
National avg 44.9%
improving faster than US
Rank 7 of 4988 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 20.0%

How this grade is built

Each metric gets two scores: where the state ranks among all 50 states (30%) and how its pace compared to the national trend during this governor's tenure (70%). Metric scores are averaged within eight equally-weighted pillars — Economy, Fiscal Health, Education, Health, Infrastructure, Opportunity, Public Safety, Environment — then the composite is curved across the cohort so grades spread A–F.

Full methodology →