State scorecard
Kentucky in the US Political Rank
Every place Kentucky holds across our state rankings, in one scorecard. Economy, taxes, education, crime, healthcare, and more, each measured the same way for all 50 states and each linked to the full cited ranking.
#7
of 50 on States Ranked by Violent Crime Rate
#46
of 20 on States Ranked by Fiscal Health: Reserves, Pensions, and What They Owe
47.7%
Governor Andy Beshear performance score, rank 28 of 50
11
state rankings that score Kentucky
Governor
Kentucky's governor, Andy Beshear (Democrat), holds performance rank 28 of 50 at 47.7% this week in the Governor Performance Rankings, scored on 263 metrics and updated every Monday.
| Ranking | Kentucky's place | Score |
|---|---|---|
| States Ranked by Violent Crime Rate213.1 per 100,000, among the lowest reported rates in the South (FBI Crime Data Explorer, 2024). | #7 of 50 | 213.1 |
| States Ranked by Dependence on Federal MoneyConsistently among the most favorable per-capita balances of payments in the Rockefeller Institute's annual series, combining below-average federal tax payments with above-average transfer receipts (Rockefeller Institute, 2025). | #7 of 50 | 90.8 |
| States Ranked by Housing AffordabilityEntry prices among the country's lowest tier (Zillow data, 2026); the ratio stays healthy despite below-average incomes. | #13 of 25 | 85.4 |
| States Ranked by Infrastructure ConditionRanks well in the Reason Foundation's cost-effectiveness measures, delivering average-or-better conditions on below-average budgets (Reason Foundation, Annual Highway Report). | #13 of 25 | 87.1 |
| The Top 20 Energy-Producing StatesStill a top coal-producing state even after the industry's national decline cut U.S. coal output by more than half from its 2008 peak (EIA). | #15 of 20 | 5.5 |
| Voting With Their Feet: States Ranked by Migration and Population GrowthAmong the states posting positive net domestic migration in the Vintage 2025 estimates, aided by low housing costs and an income tax cut effective January 1, 2026 (Census Bureau, 2025; Tax Foundation, 2026). | #18 of 50 | 71.7 |
| States Ranked by K-12 Education OutcomesNear the national average on the 2024 assessments, a stronger showing than several of its regional neighbors (NCES, NAEP 2024). | #22 of 50 | 81.6 |
| States Ranked by Total Tax BurdenOne of eight states that cut individual income tax rates on January 1, 2026 (Tax Foundation, 2026 State Tax Changes), with a flat structure and a below-average total load. | #23 of 50 | 73.5 |
| Ranking the 50 State Economies of 2026One of eight states that cut individual income tax rates on January 1, 2026 (Tax Foundation, 2026), with unemployment roughly in line with the national rate (BLS LAUS, 2026). | #34 of 50 | 66.4 |
| States Ranked by Health Care OutcomesLife expectancy among the nation's lowest despite above-average insurance coverage from its Medicaid expansion, a gap between coverage and outcomes that the data cannot hide (CDC NCHS; Census ACS, 2023). | #43 of 50 | 56.9 |
| States Ranked by Fiscal Health: Reserves, Pensions, and What They OweThe split personality of state finance: 110.7 days of rainy day reserves, fifth best in the nation (Pew, FY2025), sitting on top of a pension system funded at just 54 percent, third worst (Equable, 2025). The cushion is real. So is the hole. | #46 of 20 | 38.4 |
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