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SC
Utah•In office since 2021•Party: R

Spencer Cox

Serving as Governor of Utah since 2021. Evaluation based on verified public data.

Overall GradeC+
53.7 / 100
Ranked #32 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 #32 of 50.
  • In office 5 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 5, and moved with the country on 6.
  • Strongest area: Fiscal Health (B+). Weakest: Environment (F).
Category

Economy

001
35.4 / 100D
Unemployment Rate
D
3.4%
National avg 3.9%
declining faster than US
Rank 23 of 5055 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 3.0%
Category

Fiscal Health

301
69.1 / 100B+
State Debt per Capita
C
$1,700
National avg $3,580
improving slower than US
Rank 13 of 5076 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom $1,900
Rainy Day Fund
A+
17.0%
National avg 14.0%
improving faster than US
Rank 21 of 5059 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 12.0%
State & Local Tax Burden
C
12.1%
National avg 11.2%
declining slower than US
Rank 39 of 5023 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 12.0%
Credit Rating
A+
100
National avg 90
on pace with US
Rank 12 of 5079 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 100
Category

Education

010
52.8 / 100C+
High School Graduation Rate
C+
88.2%
National avg 87.0%
improving with US
Rank 19 of 5063 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 87.4%
Category

Health

431
58.8 / 100B-
Age-Adjusted Mortality
B+
317 / 100k
National avg 407 / 100k
declining slower than US
Rank 4 of 5094 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 291 / 100k
Infant Mortality
C
5.319
National avg 5.628
declining with US
Rank 17 of 5067 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 5.22
Adult Obesity
C+
31.8%
National avg 33.5%
declining with US
Rank 15 of 5071 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 29.9%
Adult Smoking
C-
6.9%
National avg 13.2%
improving slower than US
Rank 1 of 50100 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 7.9%
Suicide Rate
C-
21 / 100k
National avg 14 / 100k
improving faster than US
Rank 44 of 5012 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 22 / 100k
Life Expectancy
B-
78.6 yrs
National avg 77.5 yrs
declining with US
Rank 12 of 5078 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 79.1 yrs
Uninsured Rate (Under 65)
C
9.5%
National avg 8.6%
improving faster than US
Rank 32 of 5038 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 11.1%
Drug Overdose Death Rate
A+
22 / 100k
National avg 34 / 100k
declining slower than US
Rank 10 of 5082 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 21 / 100k
Category

Infrastructure

010
64.4 / 100B
Bridges in Poor Condition
B
1.7%
National avg 6.6%
improving with US
Rank 6 of 5090 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 1.9%
Category

Opportunity

201
65.7 / 100B
Food Insecurity
B+
12.3%
National avg 13.5%
declining slower than US
Rank 20 of 5061 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 11.1%
Poverty Rate
B-
8.6%
National avg 11.5%
improving slower than US
Rank 2 of 5098 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 9.0%
Median Household Income
B+
$86,833
National avg $74,580
improving faster than US
Rank 10 of 5082 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom $68,374
Category

Public Safety

010
58.6 / 100B-
Violent Crime Rate
B-
242 / 100k
National avg 380 / 100k
declining with US
Rank 10 of 5082 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 232 / 100k
Category

Environment

001
2.5 / 100F
Drinking Water Violations
F
72.4%
National avg 44.9%
declining faster than US
Rank 45 of 498 pct
Pace vs national trendfrom 34.5%

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 →