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KR
Iowa•In office since 2017•Party: R

Kim Reynolds

Serving as Governor of Iowa since 2017. Evaluation based on verified public data.

Overall GradeA
83.2 / 100
Ranked #5 of 50 nationally
At a glanceComputed from the data below — no opinions.
  • An overall grade of A places this governor in the top of the pack nationally — ranked #5 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 9 of 20 tracked metrics, lagged on 7, and moved with the country on 4.
  • Strongest area: Environment (A). Weakest: Health (C).
Category

Economy

001
49.4 / 100C
Unemployment Rate
C
3.2%
National avg 3.9%
declining faster than US
Rank 18 of 5066 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 3.1%
Category

Fiscal Health

301
71.3 / 100B+
State Debt per Capita
C-
$1,800
National avg $3,580
improving slower than US
Rank 15 of 5071 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom $1,900
Rainy Day Fund
A+
30.0%
National avg 14.0%
improving faster than US
Rank 5 of 5092 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 25.0%
State & Local Tax Burden
C
11.2%
National avg 11.2%
declining slower than US
Rank 33 of 5036 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 11.1%
Credit Rating
A+
100
National avg 90
on pace with US
Rank 12 of 5079 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 100
Category

Education

010
65.1 / 100B
High School Graduation Rate
B
93.0%
National avg 87.0%
improving with US
Rank 1 of 50100 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 91.4%
Category

Health

224
49.0 / 100C
Age-Adjusted Mortality
B-
373 / 100k
National avg 407 / 100k
declining slower than US
Rank 18 of 5065 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 317 / 100k
Infant Mortality
C
5.032
National avg 5.628
declining faster than US
Rank 12 of 5078 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 4.968
Adult Obesity
D+
37.8%
National avg 33.5%
declining with US
Rank 38 of 5024 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 32.2%
Adult Smoking
F
15.5%
National avg 13.2%
improving slower than US
Rank 31 of 5040 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 16.7%
Suicide Rate
F
17 / 100k
National avg 14 / 100k
declining faster than US
Rank 30 of 5041 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 14 / 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
5.4%
National avg 8.6%
improving slower than US
Rank 7 of 5089 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 6.0%
Drug Overdose Death Rate
A+
15 / 100k
National avg 34 / 100k
declining slower than US
Rank 5 of 5092 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 10 / 100k
Category

Infrastructure

100
63.4 / 100B
Bridges in Poor Condition
B
3.6%
National avg 6.6%
improving faster than US
Rank 11 of 5080 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 3.9%
Category

Opportunity

111
55.2 / 100C+
Food Insecurity
A-
10.8%
National avg 13.5%
improving faster than US
Rank 7 of 5088 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 11.5%
Poverty Rate
C-
10.8%
National avg 11.5%
improving slower than US
Rank 19 of 5063 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 11.0%
Median Household Income
C-
$70,571
National avg $74,580
improving with US
Rank 32 of 5037 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom $56,247
Category

Public Safety

100
65.9 / 100B
Violent Crime Rate
B
283 / 100k
National avg 380 / 100k
improving faster than US
Rank 17 of 5068 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 303 / 100k
Category

Environment

100
80.4 / 100A
Drinking Water Violations
A
13.1%
National avg 44.9%
improving faster than US
Rank 4 of 4994 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 17.2%

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 →