Most Underrated U.S. Presidents In History

The Top Ten

Bill Clinton

William Jefferson Clinton (born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Before that, he was Governor of Arkansas. As a Democrat aligned with the "New Democrat" centrist movement, he enacted policies reflecting a "Third Way" governance... read more

People only remember him from his Impeachment attempt. He left the presidency with a surplus, did so much for the country, and while this may not seem amazing, he was the 2nd president to open an olympics.

Brilliant, relatable and left us with a surplus! Great president. I was proud of our country with him at the helm.

Amazing president who did so much good for the country and had innumerable achievements...even with a republican, obstructive, congress!
George H. W. Bush

George Herbert Walker Bush (June 12, 1924 - November 30, 2018) was an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States from 1989 to 1993. Before becoming president, he served as the 43rd Vice President under Ronald Reagan from 1981 to 1989. He also held several other major roles... read more

George Bush Sr. is way underrated as a president. Think of all the things that was on his watch in four short years: the aftermath of the fall of the Soviet Union, Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, German reunification, tensions with China (Tiananmen Square), the cleanup of the saving and loans crisis, the first Gulf War, and the overthrow of Manuel Noriega. Most presidents didn’t have this many important circumstances in the course of eight years, where he dealt with all of this in four. He handled them all very well. With almost all presidents you can look back on their presidency and find things that would have been better if they would have handled a particular situation differently; not so much for Bush Sr. He is usually ranked about 20th, this is way too low for how well he handled these significant events.
Jimmy Carter

James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician and author who served as the 39th President of the United States from 1977 to 1981. In 2002, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work with the Carter Center. He is the longest-lived president in U.S. history.

He created the Department of Energy.
He appointed Volcker to the Fed.
He had a relatively peaceful presidency.
He didn't cause the horrible economy of the 70s. He inherited it. Not only that, but he tried to fix it twice, but the American people wouldn't let him. He suggested transitioning to nuclear energy, but he couldn't get that through. Then, he suggested that people cut down on unneccisary consumption, but people got angry about that. It wasn't until Volcker, the person Carter appointed to the Fed, hiked up interest rates that the economy began to improved.
Reagan didn't end the stagflation, Carter did.

Admittingly not a good president but better than you think. He got Egypt and Israel, two very different countries, to get along with each other. He also appointed Paul Volcker who was the best Federal reserve chairman or close to the top. He also decided to help the hostages in Iran without bombing and allowed more hostages to come out alive and not dead. Basically all the effects his successor Ronald Reagan gets credit for was an effect of Jimmy Carter.
Barack Obama

Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) served as the 44th President of the United States from 2009 to 2017, becoming the first African-American to hold the office. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a U.S. Senator from Illinois (2005 to 2008) and as an Illinois state senator... read more

This President has faced more opposition as President than all the others, yet God always brings h out of it smelling like a rose. If God is for you, who can stand against you. When God opens or closes a door no one can close it or open it. Let's remember if God ordained it, it is so and our arms are to short to box with Him. His will be done.

Well, I don't underrate him but when you see him as number one on worst presidents, that's not really under rating, it's more like jealousy or racism. Really, you may disagree with his policies but the things this man was able to accomplish with no help from Congress are amazing.
Lyndon B. Johnson

Lyndon Baines Johnson, often referred to as LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th President of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He assumed the presidency following the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Johnson is known for his Great Society domestic programs and signing the Civil... read more

Crooked as a country back road. Responsible for thousands of dead people voting, but really the Gulf of Tonkin Incident alone makes him possibly the worst ever, given how Viet Nam has resonated in our history since then.

Possibly the most corrupt president in US history, but most of it was not uncovered until after his death, so he seems to get a pass.

The best and most accomplished domestic President ever. Vietnam stands out but he was great
Chester Alan Arthur

Chester Alan Arthur was an American attorney and politician. He served as the 21st President of the United States, assuming office after the assassination of James A. Garfield in 1881. During his presidency, Arthur supported civil service reform and signed the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act into... read more

Chester Arthur took over for James Garfield after he was assassinated. And did a pretty good job!
James Monroe

James Monroe was an American statesman and Founding Father who served as the fifth President of the United States from 1817 to 1825. He is best known for the Monroe Doctrine, a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy. Monroe also served as a diplomat and governor of Virginia.

James Monroe. Who is he? He was the last Founding Father to be president (that's why he's in the shadow of the first four), he nearly got rid of sectionalism and political parties during the Era of Good Feelings. he was so popular he ran unopposed for a second term. He was prominent supporter of the colonization of Liberia (a slave free country) and the American Colonization Society (he even has the capital of Liberia named after him). He established the Monroe Doctrine so Europe wont make colonies in Latin America to stop the rebellion there. He fought in the America Revolution and took a bullet to the shoulder. He was the Secretary of State and Secretary of War during Madison's presidency and was more than prepared to take on the role of a president.
So yeah, he's really underrated as both president and Founding Father.
Harry S. Truman

Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884 - December 26, 1972) was the 33rd President of the United States and an American politician from the Democratic Party.
Richard Nixon

Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 until his resignation in 1974. He is the only U.S. president to have resigned from office. Nixon had previously served as the 36th Vice President from 1953 to 1961, and prior to that, as a U.S. Representative and Senator... read more

Nixon was a crook overall, he was underrated because of the things that made him the worst president in US history. Sure, he withdrawn troops from Vietnam, Opened relationships with Communist China as well as the USSR and Introducing an Environmental Protection Agency. But, the reality of Nixon was the Watergate Scandal, spying on political opponents which made him win the 1972 election proves to much of a corrupt president he was.

I disagree to an extent. I believe that, yes, Richard Nixon had some good policies, and some terrible ones, but what makes him awful is the fact that he tried to cover up a scandal that he wasn't even involved in! It was a dumb move caused by his paranoia that he feared getting kicked out of office. We gave him power, and look what he decided to do with it!
James K Polk

James Knox Polk was the 11th President of the United States, serving from 1845 to 1849. Prior to his presidency, he served as Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1835 to 1839 and as Governor of Tennessee from 1839 to 1841. He is noted for overseeing the expansion of the United States through... read more

I wouldn't say most underrated president but yes a very good president the didn't get enough credit.

The only president who actually did everything he said he would do

The most underrated president by far..

The Newcomers

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Joe Biden

Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who served as the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice president from 2009 to 2017 under President Barack Obama and represented Delaware in the... read more

Such a kind bright gentle soul who fortunately provided temporary relief from the asinine clown currently in the White House.

Great unifier. Tasked with cleaning up the country after we had the worst abomination in the White House

Had to clean up the current pigs mess and did it well. Now the pigs back to make a worse mess and blame it on wonderful Biden.
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James Buchanan

James Buchanan Jr. was the 15th President of the United States, serving from 1857 to 1861. He held office immediately before the outbreak of the American Civil War. Buchanan is often criticized for his inability to address the secession crisis effectively.

The Contenders

Grover Cleveland

Stephen Grover Cleveland was an American politician and lawyer who served as the 22nd and 24th President of the United States.
On January 20th, 2025, Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th President, joining Cleveland as the only presidents to serve non-consecutive terms.

The last honest Democrat to serve the oval office, comming from a conservative. I say that because there is no way in hell he would be a Democrat today.

One of the most honest presidents.
John Tyler

John Tyler was the tenth President of the United States. He was also briefly the tenth Vice President, elected to that office on the 1840 Whig ticket with William Henry Harrison. Tyler became president after Harrison's death, making him the first vice president to succeed to the presidency due to the... read more

I'm astonished John Tyler never criminalized infidelity, if he did I would consider him a president of virtue, many presidents never do/done enough during their rein.

What did he really do wrong, though?

No. He was one of history's worst.
Benjamin Harrison

Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States, serving from 1889 to 1893. He was the grandson of William Henry Harrison, the ninth President of the United States. During his presidency, he supported the McKinley Tariff and the Sherman Antitrust Act and oversaw the admission of six new... read more

Yes a tad underrated. But how do you beat someone and then four years later you lose to them? I don't understand that. But still a good president.
John Adams

John Adams was born on October 30, 1735, in Quincy, Massachusetts. He served as the second President of the United States from March 4, 1797, to March 4, 1801. He passed away on July 4, 1826, at the age of 90.

He prevented war with France. While not the best for signing the Alien and Sedition Acts, he did that because he thought it would hold the union together. He also helped build the economy. Definitely the most underrated founding founder (with James Madison).

The 2nd president of the United States of America! He did a great Job as president. A founding father. Amazing president.

Don't want to bring up all the old Canadian-American arguments, Alpha101, but... we won the War of 1812!
Zachary Taylor

Zachary Taylor was the 12th President of the United States, serving from March 1849 until his death in July 1850. Before his presidency, Taylor had a long military career as an officer in the United States Army. He rose to the rank of major general and gained national recognition for his leadership during... read more

I'm not saying that he was a good president. What I'm saying is that if he lived longer then we might have known him for being one of the best. People misjudge him because he was a slave owner.

He is my third to favorite president. Super underrated. Remove Grant and place Taylor and remove Jefferson for Madison

Only 16 months in office but in those 16 months he did a great job.
Andrew Johnson

Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States, serving from 1865 to 1869. He became president after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, having been vice president at the time. Johnson is known for his clashes with Congress during the Reconstruction era and was the first U.S. president... read more

How could someone think he is underrated?
Dwight D. Eisenhower

Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was an American politician and military leader who served as the 34th President of the United States from 1953 to 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army during World War II and served as Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in Europe.... read more

Yes underrated! First president of all 50 states! And created the highway system! Great president. And he did a lot with the war!

Most underrated in my opinion, I never heard anyone bring him up in the discussion for greatest presidents
Martin Van Buren

Martin Van Buren was an American statesman who served as the eighth President of the United States from 1837 to 1841. He was a key organizer of the Democratic Party and previously served as Vice President under Andrew Jackson. Van Buren also held positions as Secretary of State and Governor of New York... read more
William Howard Taft

William Howard Taft served as the 27th President of the United States and as the tenth Chief Justice of the United States, the only person to have held both offices. He served as President from 1909 to 1913 and was later appointed Chief Justice in 1921, serving until 1930. Taft is remembered for his... read more
James Madison

James Madison Jr. (March 16, 1751 - June 28, 1836) was an American politician, political theorist, Founding Father, and the fourth President of the United States from 1809 to 1817. He's known as the Father of the Constitution for his central role in drafting and promoting the U.S. Constitution and the... read more

James Madison is almost the forgotten founding father and an underrated president. Jefferson gets a lot of the attention, Hamilton is on the $10 bill, and Ben Franklin is on the $100. Where is James Madison’s due? Like the other person’s review in this article wrote, he is the Father of the Constitution for crying out loud. He usually ranks around 18th; I think he should be a little higher than that. My main gripe is he seems to take the back seat with the other founding fathers. In my view he is the most important founding father.

He was the Father of the Constitution for crying out loud!
Ulysses S. Grant

Ulysses S. Grant was an American soldier and statesman who served as Commanding General of the Army and as the 18th President of the United States. He led the Union Army to victory during the American Civil War. Grant served two presidential terms from 1869 to 1877 and played a major role in Reconstruction... read more

Held the country together after the Civil War. Created lasting positive relations with Great Britain after the Alabama affair. Brought diversity to the government and protected the rights of African Americans and Native Americans in an era of extreme racism while being aware of the need to also protect States Rights. His major downfall was he trusted too many dishonest men and was considered corrupt by association. This is just plain wrong and unjust for one of the most under rated men to ever hold the office of president
Gerald Ford

Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. was an American politician who served as the 38th President of the United States from August 9, 1974, to January 20, 1977. He assumed the presidency following Richard Nixon's resignation and is the only person to have served as both vice president and president without being elected... read more

A good, steady, underrated president.
Rutherford B. Hayes

Rutherford Birchard Hayes was the 19th President of the United States, serving from 1877 to 1881. He was also an American congressman and the governor of Ohio. Hayes was a lawyer and a staunch abolitionist who defended runaway slaves in court proceedings.
George W. Bush

George Walker Bush is an American politician and businessman born on July 6, 1946. He served as the 43rd President of the United States from 2001 to 2009 and previously as the 46th Governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000. He is the eldest son of former President George H. W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara... read more

"I Hate him. His dad, George Bush, Is Innocent but he is Terrible. George Bush was Teased by Both Political Parties for Being to Gentle, an he Thought the Republicans Treated him Better. So Poppy is and Underranted Republican. George W. Bush Didn't Listen to HIDS and Decided to do his own Thing, he Also Wanted Another Pressuring Settlement in Iraq, Making us Have war on Them to Make Them Learn Their Lesson but Another war Will Make it Worse! Dubya ("W") is so Underrated but to Some Scholars say he's Underrated, but They can Have Opinions."

Not underrated, just overhated. Sure he was terrible, but a lot of people think he is the absolute worst in US history, which only shows people don't know enough about the presidents. Buchanan was much worse, and unlike Bush, who, at least, has the PEPFAR, which has saved millions of lives, Buchanan did nothing good for the country during his presidency.
John Quincy Adams

John Quincy Adams (July 11, 1767 - February 23, 1848) was an American statesman who served as the sixth President of the United States from 1825 to 1829. He previously held several important roles, including diplomat, U.S. Senator, Secretary of State, and U.S. Representative from Massachusetts. As Secretary... read more