Arkansas•In office since 2023•Party: R

Sarah Huckabee Sanders

Serving as Governor of Arkansas since 2023. Evaluation based on verified public data.

Overall GradeD

33.1 / 100

Ranked #47 of 50 nationally

Economy

46.9 / 100C-

Unemployment RateB

3.2%

National avg 3.9%

Rank 18 of 5066 pct

Trend since took officefrom 3.4%

Median Household IncomeD

$56,335

National avg $74,580

Rank 48 of 504 pct

Trend since took officefrom $49,475

Job GrowthC-

2.1%

National avg 5.5%

Rank 46 of 508 pct

Trend since took officefrom 1.0%

Real GDP GrowthC-

4.0%

National avg 8.0%

Rank 45 of 5011 pct

Trend since took officefrom 2.0%

Real Wage GrowthC-

2.0%

National avg 3.0%

Rank 46 of 508 pct

Trend since took officefrom 1.0%

Fiscal Health

55.1 / 100C+

State Debt per CapitaB-

$2,200

National avg $3,580

Rank 22 of 5058 pct

Trend since took officefrom $2,350

Rainy Day FundB+

17.0%

National avg 14.0%

Rank 21 of 5059 pct

Trend since took officefrom 14.0%

State & Local Tax BurdenC+

10.2%

National avg 11.2%

Rank 25 of 5052 pct

Trend since took officefrom 10.5%

Credit RatingD

National avg 90

Rank 39 of 5023 pct

Trend since took officefrom 85

Quality of Life

35.8 / 100D

Poverty RateF

15.7%

National avg 11.5%

Rank 45 of 5011 pct

Trend since took officefrom 16.2%

High School Graduation RateC+

87.6%

National avg 87.0%

Rank 23 of 5055 pct

Trend since took officefrom 88.2%

Life ExpectancyF

73.8 yrs

National avg 77.5 yrs

Rank 46 of 508 pct

Trend since took officefrom 74.5 yrs

Violent Crime RateF

671 / 100k

National avg 380 / 100k

Rank 47 of 506 pct

Trend since took officefrom 672 / 100k

Bridges in Poor ConditionC

5.9%

National avg 6.6%

Rank 29 of 5043 pct

Trend since took officefrom 6.2%

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 →