Providence, Rhode Island Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Providence, RI Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around average
-
D
Income Well below average
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C
Education Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Providence | Rhode Island Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 191,427 | 1,100,398 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 9299.4 | 712.0 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.85% | 0.50% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 30.2 | 41.0 | 37.3 |
| Households | 71,383 | 441,025 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Providence grew by 10.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 191,427 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Providence is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 30.0% of residents. That is 8.5 points above Rhode Island as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 57,493 30.0% +8.5 pts
- Millennials 29–44 43,777 22.9% +1.4 pts
- Gen X 45–60 34,112 17.8% -3.1 pts
- Boomers 61–79 21,272 11.1% -6.8 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 Rhode Island, 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 51.0% of the people living in Providence and men 49.0%.
- Women 51.0% Rhode Island 51.2%
- Men 49.0% Rhode Island 48.8%
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Economy
Providence has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Providence | Rhode Island Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $67,755 | $88,093 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 7.65% | 5.24% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 8.2% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Providence is about 23% lower than in Rhode Island.
Housing
| Metric | Providence | Rhode Island Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $426,648 | $360,248 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,407 | $1,341 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 41.4% | 63.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Providence is about 25.3 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,407 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Providence spend about 41 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 171 hours, about 7.1 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Providence | Rhode Island Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 20.5 | 21.9 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 41.0 | 43.9 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 171 | 183 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,300 | $5,668 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 14.3% | 13.0% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 16,253 | 11,274 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,465 | 2,085 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Providence is 21 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Rhode Island.
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
Providence has a education index of C, which means it is somewhat educated.
| Metric | Providence | Rhode Island Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.8% | 33.5% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.47 | 2.38 | 2.53 |
Health
Providence has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Providence | Rhode Island Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.9 | 79.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 16.3% | 11.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 16.1% | 14.8% | 19.0% |
Providence, RI Compared With Nearby Cities
Providence, RI is the largest of the 5 cities compared here, 191,427 residents against a local median of 61,462. Where Providence, RI breaks from the cities next to it is median home price, sitting 79% above the local median of $237,773 at $426,648.
The cities themselves spread $272,966 on median home price, so Providence, RI sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Providence, RI has the highest median home price of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Providence, RI | 191,427 | $67,755 #4/5 | $426,648 #1/5 | 20.5 min #2/5 |
| East Providence, RI | 47,128 | $75,877 | $306,958 | 20.2 min |
| Pawtucket, RI | 75,796 | $69,228 | $250,546 | 21.7 min |
| Central Falls, RI | 22,570 | $49,176 | $225,000 | 26.2 min |
| Cranston, RI | 83,232 | $90,177 | $33,992 | 20.9 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Providence, Rhode Island.
How many people live in Providence, Rhode Island?
About 191,427 people live in Providence, Rhode Island, in 71,383 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 30.2, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 7 years.
Is Providence, Rhode Island urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Providence, Rhode Island has 9,299 people per square mile, a density typical of a city. That is about 108 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Providence, Rhode Island?
The median home costs 6.3 times the median household income ($426,648 against $67,755), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,407 a month takes about 25% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Providence, Rhode Island?
Unemployment in Providence, Rhode Island is 8.2%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
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