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South Dakota•In office since 2019•Party: R

Kristi Noem

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

Overall GradeB+
73.6 / 100
Ranked #14 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 #14 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 10 of 20 tracked metrics, lagged on 6, and moved with the country on 4.
  • Strongest area: Economy (A+). Weakest: Public Safety (F).
Category

Economy

100
98.1 / 100A+
Unemployment Rate
A+
2.0%
National avg 3.9%
improving faster than US
Rank 2 of 5099 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 3.0%
Category

Fiscal Health

301
69.2 / 100B+
State Debt per Capita
C+
$1,200
National avg $3,580
improving slower than US
Rank 4 of 5094 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom $1,400
Rainy Day Fund
B-
13.0%
National avg 14.0%
improving faster than US
Rank 35 of 5031 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 11.0%
State & Local Tax Burden
B+
8.4%
National avg 11.2%
improving faster than US
Rank 4 of 5094 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 8.5%
Credit Rating
A+
100
National avg 90
on pace with US
Rank 12 of 5079 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 100
Category

Education

010
38.7 / 100D+
High School Graduation Rate
D+
84.0%
National avg 87.0%
declining with US
Rank 39 of 5023 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 84.5%
Category

Health

323
53.2 / 100C+
Age-Adjusted Mortality
C
401 / 100k
National avg 407 / 100k
declining with US
Rank 25 of 5051 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 333 / 100k
Infant Mortality
D+
6.644
National avg 5.628
improving slower than US
Rank 38 of 5024 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 6.695
Adult Obesity
D+
37.2%
National avg 33.5%
declining faster than US
Rank 36 of 5029 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 31.8%
Adult Smoking
C+
14.6%
National avg 13.2%
improving faster than US
Rank 25 of 5051 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 19.3%
Suicide Rate
D-
21 / 100k
National avg 14 / 100k
declining faster than US
Rank 42 of 5016 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 20 / 100k
Life Expectancy
C+
77.7 yrs
National avg 77.5 yrs
declining with US
Rank 17 of 5067 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 78.1 yrs
Uninsured Rate (Under 65)
C+
9.6%
National avg 8.6%
improving faster than US
Rank 33 of 5035 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 11.7%
Drug Overdose Death Rate
A+
11 / 100k
National avg 34 / 100k
declining slower than US
Rank 1 of 50100 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 9 / 100k
Category

Infrastructure

100
44.9 / 100C-
Bridges in Poor Condition
C-
15.5%
National avg 6.6%
improving faster than US
Rank 48 of 504 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 16.0%
Category

Opportunity

111
49.7 / 100C
Food Insecurity
B
11.7%
National avg 13.5%
declining slower than US
Rank 14 of 5073 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 11.4%
Poverty Rate
C-
11.7%
National avg 11.5%
improving slower than US
Rank 24 of 5053 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 12.0%
Median Household Income
D+
$69,457
National avg $74,580
improving with US
Rank 34 of 5033 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom $56,274
Category

Public Safety

001
24.8 / 100F
Violent Crime Rate
F
470 / 100k
National avg 380 / 100k
declining faster than US
Rank 40 of 5020 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 419 / 100k
Category

Environment

100
91.0 / 100A+
Drinking Water Violations
A+
16.7%
National avg 44.9%
improving faster than US
Rank 6 of 4990 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 25.8%

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 →