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LK
Kansas•In office since 2019•Party: D

Laura Kelly

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

Overall GradeB
63.2 / 100
Ranked #23 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 #23 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 4, and moved with the country on 7.
  • Strongest area: Economy (B+). Weakest: Health (C-).
Category

Economy

100
70.4 / 100B+
Unemployment Rate
B+
3.0%
National avg 3.9%
improving faster than US
Rank 12 of 5078 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 3.4%
Category

Fiscal Health

301
62.3 / 100B
State Debt per Capita
C
$1,500
National avg $3,580
improving slower than US
Rank 10 of 5083 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom $1,650
Rainy Day Fund
A
15.0%
National avg 14.0%
improving faster than US
Rank 29 of 5044 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 8.0%
State & Local Tax Burden
C+
11.2%
National avg 11.2%
improving faster than US
Rank 33 of 5036 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 11.5%
Credit Rating
B-
92
National avg 90
improving faster than US
Rank 27 of 5047 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 85
Category

Education

010
54.7 / 100C+
High School Graduation Rate
C+
88.4%
National avg 87.0%
improving with US
Rank 18 of 5065 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 86.8%
Category

Health

242
47.0 / 100C-
Age-Adjusted Mortality
C-
424 / 100k
National avg 407 / 100k
declining with US
Rank 30 of 5041 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 351 / 100k
Infant Mortality
C-
6.083
National avg 5.628
improving with US
Rank 33 of 5035 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 6.143
Adult Obesity
C
36.5%
National avg 33.5%
declining slower than US
Rank 34 of 5033 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 33.2%
Adult Smoking
D
15.1%
National avg 13.2%
improving slower than US
Rank 29 of 5043 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 17.4%
Suicide Rate
D-
19 / 100k
National avg 14 / 100k
declining faster than US
Rank 37 of 5027 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 18 / 100k
Life Expectancy
C
77.0 yrs
National avg 77.5 yrs
declining with US
Rank 28 of 5046 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 77.4 yrs
Uninsured Rate (Under 65)
C
9.5%
National avg 8.6%
improving with US
Rank 32 of 5038 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 11.0%
Drug Overdose Death Rate
B+
22 / 100k
National avg 34 / 100k
declining slower than US
Rank 9 of 5084 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 13 / 100k
Category

Infrastructure

100
51.7 / 100C
Bridges in Poor Condition
C
7.7%
National avg 6.6%
improving faster than US
Rank 37 of 5027 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 8.2%
Category

Opportunity

111
48.1 / 100C
Food Insecurity
C+
13.1%
National avg 13.5%
declining slower than US
Rank 28 of 5045 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 12.7%
Poverty Rate
C-
11.0%
National avg 11.5%
improving slower than US
Rank 20 of 5061 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 11.2%
Median Household Income
C-
$71,259
National avg $74,580
improving with US
Rank 31 of 5039 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom $57,422
Category

Public Safety

010
47.4 / 100C
Violent Crime Rate
C
395 / 100k
National avg 380 / 100k
declining with US
Rank 30 of 5042 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 387 / 100k
Category

Environment

100
55.5 / 100C+
Drinking Water Violations
C+
37.1%
National avg 44.9%
improving faster than US
Rank 22 of 4956 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 38.1%

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 →