Rhode Island Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Rhode Island Population Density Map and Area Scores
State Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
-
A
Health Above averageAmong the top 5 healthiest states in the US
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B
Income Around average
-
B
Education Around averageBetter educated than 73% of states in the US
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Rhode Island | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,100,398 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 712.0 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.50% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 41.0 | 37.3 |
| Households | 441,025 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Rhode Island grew by 3.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 1,100,398 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Rhode Island is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 21.6% of residents. That is 0.1 points above the US as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 237,200 21.6% +0.1 pts
- Millennials 29–44 236,620 21.5% -0.7 pts
- Gen X 45–60 229,797 20.9% +1.0 pts
- Boomers 61–79 197,408 17.9% +1.1 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below the US, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 51.2% of the people living in Rhode Island and men 48.8%.
- Women 51.2% the US 50.5%
- Men 48.8% the US 49.5%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Rhode Island
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Rhode Island has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Rhode Island | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $88,093 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.24% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Rhode Island is about 9% higher than in US.
Housing
| Metric | Rhode Island | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $360,248 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,341 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 63.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Rhode Island is about 22.4 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,341 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Rhode Island spend about 44 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 183 hours, about 7.6 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Rhode Island | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 21.9 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 43.9 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 183 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,668 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 13.0% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 11,274 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,085 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Rhode Island:
Newport County (17.9 min), Providence County (21.8 min), Kent County (22.5 min).
Slowest:
Bristol County (23.2 min), Washington County (22.8 min), Kent County (22.5 min).
The average commute time in Rhode Island is about the same as in US.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Rhode Island has a education index of B, which means it is quite educated.
| Metric | Rhode Island | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.5% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.38 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Rhode Island:
Bristol County (0.4), Newport County (0.4), Washington County (0.4).
Lowest:
Providence County (0.3), Kent County (0.3), Washington County (0.4).
Health
Rhode Island has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | Rhode Island | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 11.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 14.8% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Rhode Island:
Bristol County (0.8), Washington County (0.8), Newport County (0.8).
Lowest:
Providence County (0.8), Kent County (0.8), Newport County (0.8).
Rhode Island Compared With Nearby States
Rhode Island is the 5th largest of the 6 states compared here, 1,100,398 residents against a local median of 3,347,044. Where Rhode Island breaks from the states next to it is median home price, sitting 20% above the local median of $300,691 at $360,248.
The states themselves spread $286,732 on median home price, so Rhode Island sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Rhode Island has the 2nd highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | 1,100,398 | $88,093 #5/6 | $360,248 #2/6 | 21.9 min #2/6 |
| Massachusetts | 7,031,620 | $104,336 | $494,523 | 25.6 min |
| Connecticut | 3,347,044 | $97,098 | $281,244 | 22.1 min |
| New Hampshire | 1,394,471 | $99,079 | $300,691 | 22.5 min |
| Vermont | 646,793 | $81,508 | $207,791 | 20.5 min |
| New Jersey | 9,334,304 | $103,817 | $352,792 | 26.2 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Rhode Island.
How many people live in Rhode Island?
About 1,100,398 people live in Rhode Island, in 441,025 households of 2.4 people on average. The median age is 41.0, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 4 years.
Is Rhode Island mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Rhode Island has 712 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 8.2 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Rhode Island?
The median home costs 4.1 times the median household income ($360,248 against $88,093), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,341 a month takes about 18% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
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