Central Falls, Rhode Island Income Statistics
Central Falls Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of an area's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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F
Central Falls Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Central Falls | Rhode Island Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $49,176 | $88,093 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $38,585 | $66,452 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 7.0% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 2.1% | 14.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 1.7% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Central Falls is about 44% lower than in Rhode Island. Income has been growing faster in Central Falls (7.0%/yr) than in Rhode Island (5.2%/yr).
About 2% of adults in Central Falls earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Rhode Island average of 15%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Central Falls, Rhode Island grew by 47.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $49,176 in 2024. That's an average of about 7.0% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Central Falls
| Metric | Central Falls | Rhode Island Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.525 | 0.529 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $40,916 | $75,201 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $41,930 | $63,031 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | -2.5% | 16.2% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Central Falls, it is 0.525, about the same as Rhode Island's 0.529, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Women's income is about 2% more than men's income in Central Falls, Rhode Island. Over a 35-year career, a 2% wage gap accumulates to roughly $35,490 in unearned income for male workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Central Falls, Rhode Island has narrowed from about 30% to -2% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 33% in 2012, and in 2020 women out-earned men by 3%. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $10,871 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Central Falls | Rhode Island Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.9% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 5.2% | 13.0% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 26 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 859 people are unemployed in Central Falls, Rhode Island.
The average commute time in Central Falls is 26 minutes, longer than the 21 minutes in Rhode Island.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Central Falls, Rhode Island has fallen from 9.0% to 7.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 13.6% in 2014 and fell as low as 6.8% in 2019.
Central Falls, RI Wealth Compared With Nearby Cities
Central Falls, RI is the smallest of the 4 cities compared here, 22,570 residents against a local median of 75,796. Central Falls, RI's median household income, at $49,176, runs 29% below the $69,228 typical of the cities around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 7.0%/yr against a local median of 5.8%/yr, 21% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while median household income runs behind it, so Central Falls, RI is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The cities themselves sit within $8,122 of each other on median household income, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Central Falls, RI, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Central Falls, RI has the 4th highest median household income of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Falls, RI | 22,570 | $49,176 #4/4 | 7.0%/yr #2/4 | 7.9% #3/4 | 0.525 #3/4 |
| Pawtucket, RI | 75,796 | $69,228 | 5.8%/yr | 7.3% | 0.497 |
| Providence, RI | 191,427 | $67,755 | 7.7%/yr | 8.2% | 0.581 |
| East Providence, RI | 47,128 | $75,877 | 4.8%/yr | 5.5% | 0.500 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Central Falls, Rhode Island has an overall wealth index grade of F, making it worse than Rhode Island, and worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Central Falls, Rhode Island.
How Rich Is Central Falls, Rhode Island?
Central Falls has a wealth index grade of F. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; an F grade means residents are well below the U.S. average. The median household income is $49,176, about 44% lower than the Rhode Island average of $88,093.
Are incomes growing in Central Falls, Rhode Island?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Central Falls, Rhode Island rose 47%, from $33,405 to $49,176. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Rhode Island as a whole: +47% against +57%.
What was the median household income in Central Falls in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Central Falls, Rhode Island was $45,952, up 8% from $42,592 in 2022. The Rhode Island median that year was $86,472.
What was the median household income in Central Falls in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Central Falls, Rhode Island was $34,747. By 2024 it had risen 42% to $49,176.
Is it hard to find a job in Central Falls, Rhode Island?
Unemployment in Central Falls, Rhode Island is 7.9%, well above the Rhode Island rate of 5.8%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Central Falls, Rhode Island?
The Gini coefficient in Central Falls is 0.525. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Central Falls, Rhode Island?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Central Falls, Rhode Island has narrowed from about 30% to -2% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 33% in 2012, and in 2020 women out-earned men by 3%. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $10,871 since 2009.
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