State scorecard
Rhode Island in the US Political Rank
Every place Rhode Island 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.
#4
of 50 on States Ranked by Health Care Outcomes
#48
of 25 on States Ranked by Infrastructure Condition
36.1%
Governor Dan McKee performance score, rank 43 of 50
10
state rankings that score Rhode Island
Governor
Rhode Island's governor, Dan McKee (Democrat), holds performance rank 43 of 50 at 36.1% this week in the Governor Performance Rankings, scored on 263 metrics and updated every Monday.
| Ranking | Rhode Island's place | Score |
|---|---|---|
| States Ranked by Health Care OutcomesFourth among states in the 2025 Commonwealth Fund rankings, part of a top tier dominated by New England (Commonwealth Fund, 2025). | #4 of 50 | 95.6 |
| States Ranked by Violent Crime Rate153.6 per 100,000, completing a four-state northeastern sweep of the safest tier (FBI, 2024). | #4 of 50 | 153.6 |
| States Ranked by K-12 Education OutcomesNear the national average, below its New England neighbors on the 2024 assessments (NCES, NAEP 2024). | #27 of 50 | 78.0 |
| States Ranked by Dependence on Federal MoneyA Medicaid-heavy budget keeps the federal share of state revenue above average despite relatively high incomes (Pew, 2025). | #29 of 50 | 65.3 |
| Voting With Their Feet: States Ranked by Migration and Population GrowthA modest net domestic loser within the broadly out-migrating Northeast in the Vintage 2025 estimates (Census Bureau, 2025), pressured by high costs of doing business (CNBC, 2025). | #36 of 50 | 45.7 |
| States Ranked by Total Tax BurdenAn upper-middle total burden with high property and income taxes (Tax Foundation, 2022), part of what makes it one of the more expensive states to do business (CNBC, 2025). | #39 of 50 | 60.7 |
| Ranking the 50 State Economies of 2026CNBC ranked Rhode Island 46th for business in 2025, citing high costs (CNBC, 2025). A small economy with unemployment around the national average (BLS LAUS, 2026). | #40 of 50 | 62.0 |
| States Ranked by Housing AffordabilityNew England price levels against modest incomes, with one of the lowest permitting rates in the country (Census Bureau BPS, 2025). Little new supply means little relief. | #41 of 25 | 43.1 |
| States Ranked by Business Climate: What the Major Raters Agree On46th with CNBC, which scores it the fifth-most-expensive state to do business in and 46th for business friendliness (CNBC, 2025). | #45 of 25 | 40.6 |
| States Ranked by Infrastructure Condition14.0 percent of its bridges rated structurally deficient in the 2025 ARTBA analysis, more than double the national rate, and it ranked among the worst nationally for poor bridges (ARTBA, 2025; Boston Globe, 2026). | #48 of 25 | 51.6 |
Compare nearby states
The Daily Rank
The paid daily briefing: what moved, who ranks where, and the receipts. Or start with the free weekly digest.
Double opt-in. Unsubscribe any time. We never sell your address.