Kansas•In office since 2019•Party: D

Laura Kelly

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

Overall GradeB-

61.4 / 100

Ranked #26 of 50 nationally

Economy

68.0 / 100B+

Unemployment RateA-

3.0%

National avg 3.9%

Rank 12 of 5078 pct

Trend since took officefrom 3.4%

Median Household IncomeB

$71,259

National avg $74,580

Rank 31 of 5039 pct

Trend since took officefrom $57,422

Job GrowthB+

4.0%

National avg 5.5%

Rank 27 of 5047 pct

Trend since took officefrom 1.5%

Real GDP GrowthB

6.0%

National avg 8.0%

Rank 28 of 5045 pct

Trend since took officefrom 2.0%

Real Wage GrowthB

2.8%

National avg 3.0%

Rank 29 of 5044 pct

Trend since took officefrom 1.0%

Fiscal Health

60.4 / 100B-

State Debt per CapitaA-

$1,500

National avg $3,580

Rank 10 of 5083 pct

Trend since took officefrom $1,650

Rainy Day FundB

15.0%

National avg 14.0%

Rank 29 of 5044 pct

Trend since took officefrom 8.0%

State & Local Tax BurdenC-

11.2%

National avg 11.2%

Rank 33 of 5036 pct

Trend since took officefrom 11.5%

Credit RatingC+

National avg 90

Rank 27 of 5047 pct

Trend since took officefrom 85

Quality of Life

50.0 / 100C

Poverty RateB-

11.0%

National avg 11.5%

Rank 20 of 5061 pct

Trend since took officefrom 11.2%

High School Graduation RateB-

88.4%

National avg 87.0%

Rank 18 of 5065 pct

Trend since took officefrom 86.8%

Life ExpectancyC

77.0 yrs

National avg 77.5 yrs

Rank 28 of 5046 pct

Trend since took officefrom 77.4 yrs

Violent Crime RateC-

395 / 100k

National avg 380 / 100k

Rank 30 of 5042 pct

Trend since took officefrom 387 / 100k

Bridges in Poor ConditionD+

7.7%

National avg 6.6%

Rank 37 of 5027 pct

Trend since took officefrom 8.2%

How this grade is built

Each metric gets two scores: how the state ranks among all 50 states (60%) and how much it changed under this governor (40%). These combine into a 0–100 score per metric, averaged within three pillars — Economy, Fiscal Health, Quality of Life — then curved across the cohort so grades spread A–F.

Full methodology →