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GN
California•In office since 2019•Party: D

Gavin Newsom

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

Overall GradeF
22.7 / 100
Ranked #50 of 50 nationally
At a glanceComputed from the data below — no opinions.
  • An overall grade of F places this governor in the bottom of the pack nationally — ranked #50 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 6 of 20 tracked metrics, lagged on 7, and moved with the country on 7.
  • Strongest area: Infrastructure (B-). Weakest: Economy (F).
Category

Economy

001
0.9 / 100F
Unemployment Rate
F
5.3%
National avg 3.9%
declining faster than US
Rank 49 of 503 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 4.3%
Category

Fiscal Health

211
48.0 / 100C
State Debt per Capita
D
$3,600
National avg $3,580
improving slower than US
Rank 36 of 5029 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom $3,850
Rainy Day Fund
B+
18.0%
National avg 14.0%
improving faster than US
Rank 14 of 5073 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 16.0%
State & Local Tax Burden
C
13.5%
National avg 11.2%
improving faster than US
Rank 46 of 508 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 13.7%
Credit Rating
D+
78
National avg 90
on pace with US
Rank 48 of 505 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 78
Category

Education

010
49.1 / 100C
High School Graduation Rate
C
86.7%
National avg 87.0%
improving with US
Rank 28 of 5046 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 85.0%
Category

Health

242
57.8 / 100B-
Age-Adjusted Mortality
B-
334 / 100k
National avg 407 / 100k
declining with US
Rank 9 of 5084 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 270 / 100k
Infant Mortality
B-
4.123
National avg 5.628
improving with US
Rank 5 of 5092 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 4.273
Adult Obesity
B-
28.3%
National avg 33.5%
declining with US
Rank 5 of 5092 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 23.6%
Adult Smoking
C-
9.9%
National avg 13.2%
improving slower than US
Rank 3 of 5096 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 11.3%
Suicide Rate
B
10 / 100k
National avg 14 / 100k
improving faster than US
Rank 7 of 5088 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 10 / 100k
Life Expectancy
B-
79.0 yrs
National avg 77.5 yrs
declining with US
Rank 8 of 5087 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 79.8 yrs
Uninsured Rate (Under 65)
B
7.4%
National avg 8.6%
improving faster than US
Rank 21 of 5060 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 9.5%
Drug Overdose Death Rate
C-
29 / 100k
National avg 34 / 100k
declining faster than US
Rank 16 of 5069 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 15 / 100k
Category

Infrastructure

100
58.5 / 100B-
Bridges in Poor Condition
B-
5.2%
National avg 6.6%
improving faster than US
Rank 23 of 5056 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 5.6%
Category

Opportunity

111
53.2 / 100C+
Food Insecurity
C-
12.6%
National avg 13.5%
declining faster than US
Rank 21 of 5059 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 11.0%
Poverty Rate
C-
12.0%
National avg 11.5%
improving with US
Rank 28 of 5046 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 12.8%
Median Household Income
B+
$91,905
National avg $74,580
improving faster than US
Rank 5 of 5092 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom $75,235
Category

Public Safety

001
20.1 / 100F
Violent Crime Rate
F
499 / 100k
National avg 380 / 100k
declining faster than US
Rank 44 of 5012 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 442 / 100k
Category

Environment

001
22.8 / 100F
Drinking Water Violations
F
63.8%
National avg 44.9%
declining faster than US
Rank 35 of 4929 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 56.9%

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 →