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PM
New Jersey•In office since 2018•Party: D

Phil Murphy

Serving as Governor of New Jersey since 2018. Evaluation based on verified public data.

Overall GradeC+
54.2 / 100
Ranked #31 of 50 nationally
At a glanceComputed from the data below — no opinions.
  • An overall grade of C+ places this governor in the middle of the pack nationally — ranked #31 of 50.
  • In office 8 years — current results are fully attributable to this administration.
  • Since taking office, this governor has outpaced the national trend on 11 of 20 tracked metrics, lagged on 3, and moved with the country on 6.
  • Strongest area: Health (B). Weakest: Environment (F).
Category

Economy

010
36.4 / 100D
Unemployment Rate
D
4.6%
National avg 3.9%
on pace with US
Rank 45 of 5011 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 4.6%
Category

Fiscal Health

310
51.8 / 100C
State Debt per Capita
C
$4,500
National avg $3,580
improving faster than US
Rank 41 of 5019 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom $5,200
Rainy Day Fund
B+
9.0%
National avg 14.0%
improving faster than US
Rank 47 of 506 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 5.0%
State & Local Tax Burden
C-
13.2%
National avg 11.2%
declining slower than US
Rank 45 of 5010 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 13.1%
Credit Rating
C-
85
National avg 90
on pace with US
Rank 39 of 5023 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 85
Category

Education

010
60.2 / 100B-
High School Graduation Rate
B-
91.0%
National avg 87.0%
on pace with US
Rank 5 of 5092 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 90.9%
Category

Health

521
66.7 / 100B
Age-Adjusted Mortality
B+
334 / 100k
National avg 407 / 100k
declining slower than US
Rank 8 of 5086 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 287 / 100k
Infant Mortality
B+
3.976
National avg 5.628
improving faster than US
Rank 3 of 5096 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 4.516
Adult Obesity
B+
29.0%
National avg 33.5%
declining slower than US
Rank 6 of 5090 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 26.2%
Adult Smoking
C+
10.7%
National avg 13.2%
improving slower than US
Rank 8 of 5087 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 14.0%
Suicide Rate
B+
8 / 100k
National avg 14 / 100k
improving faster than US
Rank 1 of 50100 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 8 / 100k
Life Expectancy
B-
79.0 yrs
National avg 77.5 yrs
declining with US
Rank 8 of 5087 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 80.1 yrs
Uninsured Rate (Under 65)
C
7.7%
National avg 8.6%
improving with US
Rank 24 of 5054 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 9.0%
Drug Overdose Death Rate
A+
34 / 100k
National avg 34 / 100k
declining slower than US
Rank 25 of 5051 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 33 / 100k
Category

Infrastructure

100
63.7 / 100B
Bridges in Poor Condition
B
4.0%
National avg 6.6%
improving faster than US
Rank 14 of 5073 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 4.4%
Category

Opportunity

111
59.8 / 100B-
Food Insecurity
B
10.7%
National avg 13.5%
declining with US
Rank 6 of 5090 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 10.3%
Poverty Rate
C-
10.2%
National avg 11.5%
declining faster than US
Rank 11 of 5080 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 10.0%
Median Household Income
B+
$97,126
National avg $74,580
improving faster than US
Rank 2 of 5098 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom $80,088
Category

Public Safety

100
66.6 / 100B
Violent Crime Rate
B
202 / 100k
National avg 380 / 100k
improving faster than US
Rank 5 of 5092 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 205 / 100k
Category

Environment

001
3.8 / 100F
Drinking Water Violations
F
71.4%
National avg 44.9%
declining faster than US
Rank 43 of 4913 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 57.1%

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 →