U.S. Presidents Ranked: Best To Worst (Updated)

04 May, 2025

How do we truly measure the weight of a presidency? The American presidency, a position of immense power and responsibility, has been held by forty-six individuals, each leaving an indelible mark on the nation's history. Ranking these leaders, from the most impactful to those whose tenures are viewed with less favor, is a complex and often contentious endeavor, but one that offers valuable insights into the nature of leadership and the challenges of governing.

The task of evaluating American presidents is far from straightforward. Historians, political scientists, and the public at large employ a variety of metrics, subjective and objective, to assess their performance. These range from the tangible, such as economic growth and legislative achievements, to the more abstract, like their vision, moral leadership, and ability to unite a divided nation. The absence of a single, universally accepted methodology means that rankings inevitably vary, reflecting the biases, priorities, and historical contexts of those doing the evaluating.

One of the most persistent names at the top of these lists is Abraham Lincoln, consistently lauded for his leadership during the Civil War and his unwavering commitment to abolishing slavery. At the other end of the spectrum, James Buchanan often finds himself cited as one of the worst presidents, his actions or inaction during the lead-up to the Civil War earning him significant criticism.

Modern surveys and studies provide a fascinating look at how recent presidents are perceived. Consider President Joe Biden, who, in a recent poll released on Presidents' Day weekend, was ranked as the 14th greatest president in American history. This result places him ahead of such figures as Woodrow Wilson, Ronald Reagan, and Ulysses S. Grant, and shows a level of esteem that is significant. The data suggests that the more recently a president has left office, the less established their historical "score" is, and the more susceptible they are to a variety of changes in historical narrative.

Evaluating a president's performance involves a multitude of factors and criteria. In a comprehensive assessment, historians and other experts often consider the following key areas of leadership, each carrying its own weight in shaping the overall perception of a president's effectiveness:

Vision and Setting an Agenda: The ability to articulate a clear vision for the nation and establish a comprehensive agenda that addresses the pressing issues of the time. This includes identifying national priorities, proposing innovative policies, and effectively communicating goals to the public and to Congress.

Pursued Equal Justice for All: The commitment to upholding the principles of equality and fairness under the law. Presidents are assessed on their efforts to protect the rights and liberties of all citizens, regardless of their background, and on their actions to combat discrimination and promote social justice.

Crisis Management: The capacity to effectively respond to and navigate national and international crises, such as economic downturns, wars, or natural disasters. This involves demonstrating decisive leadership, making informed decisions, and mobilizing resources to mitigate the impact of these events.

Economic Management: The success of a president in managing the nation's economy. This involves evaluating their economic policies, their impact on job creation, inflation, and economic growth, and their ability to foster a stable and prosperous economic environment.

Foreign Policy and Diplomacy: The effectiveness of a president in conducting foreign relations, negotiating treaties, and managing international conflicts. This includes assessing their diplomatic skills, their ability to build alliances, and their impact on America's standing in the world.

Relationship with Congress: The ability to work effectively with Congress to pass legislation and implement their agenda. This involves building consensus, negotiating compromises, and navigating the complexities of the legislative process.

Communication Skills: The skill of a president in communicating their message to the American people and the world. Presidents are assessed on their ability to articulate their vision, inspire confidence, and effectively use various communication channels to connect with different audiences.

Leadership Style: The general way a president approaches their job and leads their team. This involves analyzing their management style, their ability to motivate staff, and their capacity to make difficult decisions.

Integrity and Character: The moral and ethical standards that guide a president's actions. This includes evaluating their honesty, their adherence to ethical principles, and their ability to uphold the public trust.

Accomplishments and Achievements: The overall impact of a president's tenure, as measured by their legislative successes, their impact on key issues, and their long-term legacy.

These ten qualities, when considered together, can offer a more complete picture of a president's performance and impact. However, the relative importance of each area and the weighting given to various factors remain subjects of debate. This is what makes the study of the American presidency so compelling and perpetually relevant.

Over the years, numerous attempts have been made to rank the presidents, employing diverse methodologies and criteria. Some of the most influential surveys have utilized a scale, such as the one from 1 to 10, representing the least effective to the most effective, in specific areas of presidential performance. These evaluations often involve expert panels of historians, political scientists, and other observers of the presidency.

The presidential greatness project has been conducted over the years, and has gathered and provided data and information. Such polls are not just academic exercises; they provide a snapshot of the evolving historical perspective on the presidents. The ratings can shift over time, reflecting the changes in public opinion, the unveiling of new information, and the reinterpretation of historical events. For example, the 2024 Presidential Greatness Project Expert Survey again placed Abraham Lincoln at the top. These repeated top rankings, and those of other leaders in the higher echelons of such polls, have provided a measure of consistency in the evaluation of presidential performance.

The rankings are not just about the raw numbers, but about the narratives that surround them. The best presidents, are often those who navigated difficult and unpredictable circumstances. Understanding these circumstances is critical to any fair assessment. These leaders were often working in the face of obstacles and limitations that they could not control.

The impact of a president's actions extends far beyond their time in office. Their decisions shape domestic and foreign policy, influence economic trends, and leave a lasting legacy on the nation and the world. Understanding the factors that contribute to presidential greatness, and the ways that historians and scholars evaluate these factors, is an ongoing and ever-relevant pursuit.

One particularly interesting aspect of presidential rankings is the way they can shift and evolve over time. Modern presidents, in particular, are subject to ongoing evaluation. For instance, President Biden's inclusion in the Presidential Greatness Project's rankings finds him in the top third of presidents, at #14. As well as the shifts in ranking of those who have recently left office, there can be major shifts in the rankings that occur over many decades.

The value of these surveys lies in their ability to stimulate debate, to promote a deeper understanding of American history, and to remind us of the immense responsibility that comes with the presidency.

President	Key Achievements and Challenges	Historical Ranking (Approximate)	Areas of Strength	Areas of Weakness	Reference
Abraham Lincoln	Led the Union through the Civil War; Emancipation Proclamation; preserved the Union; assassinated near the end of the war.	Consistently ranked #1	Moral leadership, crisis management, vision	Limited experience before presidency	White House
George Washington	Led the Continental Army to victory in the Revolutionary War; First President of the United States; established precedents for the office.	Consistently ranked in the Top 5	Leadership, vision, integrity, establishing the presidency.	Challenges in foreign policy, dealing with early economic issues.	White House
Franklin D. Roosevelt	Led the United States through the Great Depression and World War II; New Deal programs; re-elected four times.	Consistently ranked in the Top 5	Crisis management, economic management, communication.	Expanded presidential power, some New Deal programs were criticized.	White House
Dwight D. Eisenhower	Ended the Korean War; oversaw economic prosperity; established the Interstate Highway System.	Often ranked in the Top 10	Leadership, foreign policy, economic management.	Relatively quiet on civil rights, some critics say he delegated too much.	White House
Thomas Jefferson	Wrote the Declaration of Independence; Louisiana Purchase; champion of democratic ideals.	Frequently ranked in the Top 10	Vision, setting an agenda, intellectual leadership.	Contradictory views on slavery and racial equality, economic problems.	White House
Barack Obama	Affordable Care Act; ended the Iraq War; killed Osama bin Laden.	Generally ranked in the Top 15	Communication, vision, leadership	Difficulties with Congress, economic challenges.	White House
Ronald Reagan	Ended the Cold War; strong economic growth; tax cuts.	Ranked in the top 20	Communication, party leadership	Economic policies criticized for increasing inequality.	White House
Harry S. Truman	Ended World War II; Marshall Plan; Korean War.	Generally Ranked in the Top 10-20	Crisis management, decisive leadership	Controversial decisions about the Korean War, domestic policy challenges.	White House
James Buchanan	Did little to stop the secession of Southern states before the Civil War.	Often ranked as one of the worst	None	Ineffective leadership during a crisis, indecisiveness.	White House
Donald Trump	Tax cuts, appointed conservative judges, challenges to democratic norms.	Ranked lower, varies significantly in different polls.	Strong supporter base, disruptive force.	Divisive, criticized for undermining institutions and norms.	White House

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