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DB
North Dakota•In office since 2016•Party: R

Doug Burgum

Serving as Governor of North Dakota since 2016. Evaluation based on verified public data.

Overall GradeB+
74.9 / 100
Ranked #12 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 #12 of 50.
  • In office 9 years — current results are fully attributable to this administration.
  • Since taking office, this governor has outpaced the national trend on 7 of 20 tracked metrics, lagged on 6, and moved with the country on 7.
  • Strongest area: Economy (A). Weakest: Public Safety (C-).
Category

Economy

100
83.9 / 100A
Unemployment Rate
A
2.0%
National avg 3.9%
improving faster than US
Rank 2 of 5099 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 2.6%
Category

Fiscal Health

301
65.6 / 100B
State Debt per Capita
C-
$2,200
National avg $3,580
improving slower than US
Rank 22 of 5058 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom $2,400
Rainy Day Fund
C+
12.0%
National avg 14.0%
improving faster than US
Rank 41 of 5018 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 10.0%
State & Local Tax Burden
B+
8.8%
National avg 11.2%
improving faster than US
Rank 6 of 5090 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 9.0%
Credit Rating
A+
100
National avg 90
on pace with US
Rank 12 of 5079 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 100
Category

Education

010
58.7 / 100B-
High School Graduation Rate
B-
89.8%
National avg 87.0%
improving with US
Rank 12 of 5078 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 88.0%
Category

Health

341
56.9 / 100C+
Age-Adjusted Mortality
C+
381 / 100k
National avg 407 / 100k
declining with US
Rank 20 of 5061 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 317 / 100k
Infant Mortality
B+
5.264
National avg 5.628
improving faster than US
Rank 16 of 5069 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 6.155
Adult Obesity
C
36.2%
National avg 33.5%
declining slower than US
Rank 33 of 5035 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 32.2%
Adult Smoking
C-
15.8%
National avg 13.2%
improving with US
Rank 33 of 5035 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 19.8%
Suicide Rate
D
20 / 100k
National avg 14 / 100k
declining faster than US
Rank 40 of 5020 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 19 / 100k
Life Expectancy
C
77.3 yrs
National avg 77.5 yrs
declining with US
Rank 25 of 5052 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 77.7 yrs
Uninsured Rate (Under 65)
C+
7.4%
National avg 8.6%
improving with US
Rank 21 of 5060 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 8.8%
Drug Overdose Death Rate
A+
13 / 100k
National avg 34 / 100k
declining slower than US
Rank 3 of 5096 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 10 / 100k
Category

Infrastructure

010
56.1 / 100C+
Bridges in Poor Condition
C+
4.8%
National avg 6.6%
improving with US
Rank 20 of 5062 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 5.0%
Category

Opportunity

012
52.3 / 100C+
Food Insecurity
B-
8.5%
National avg 13.5%
declining faster than US
Rank 1 of 50100 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 7.4%
Poverty Rate
C
10.5%
National avg 11.5%
improving slower than US
Rank 15 of 5071 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 10.7%
Median Household Income
C
$73,959
National avg $74,580
improving with US
Rank 21 of 5059 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom $60,557
Category

Public Safety

001
43.0 / 100C-
Violent Crime Rate
C-
283 / 100k
National avg 380 / 100k
declining faster than US
Rank 17 of 5068 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 242 / 100k
Category

Environment

001
57.2 / 100B-
Drinking Water Violations
B-
9.4%
National avg 44.9%
declining faster than US
Rank 1 of 49100 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 5.7%

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 →