Providence County, Rhode Island Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Providence County, 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 averageLeast healthy county in Rhode Island
-
C
Income Below averageLeast wealthy county in Rhode Island
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C
Education Below averageLeast educated county in Rhode Island
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Providence County | Rhode Island Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 663,899 | 1,100,398 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 1523.3 | 712.0 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.62% | 0.50% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 36.0 | 41.0 | 37.3 |
| Households | 258,850 | 441,025 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Providence County grew by 5.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 663,899 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Providence County is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 22.7% of residents. That is 1.2 points above Rhode Island as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 149,679 22.5% +1.0 pts
- Millennials 29–44 150,847 22.7% +1.2 pts
- Gen X 45–60 131,699 19.8% -1.0 pts
- Boomers 61–79 106,015 16.0% -2.0 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 51.1% of the people living in Providence County and men 48.9%.
- Women 51.1% Rhode Island 51.2%
- Men 48.9% Rhode Island 48.8%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Providence County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Providence County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Providence County | Rhode Island Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $78,766 | $88,093 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.66% | 5.24% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.5% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Providence County is about 11% lower than in Rhode Island.
Housing
| Metric | Providence County | Rhode Island Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $301,192 | $360,248 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,311 | $1,341 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 57.0% | 63.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Providence County is about 19.1 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,311 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Providence County spend about 44 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 182 hours, about 7.6 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Providence County | Rhode Island Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 21.8 | 21.9 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 43.7 | 43.9 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 182 | 183 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,641 | $5,668 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 12.3% | 13.0% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 11,065 | 11,274 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,308 | 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 Providence County is about the same as 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 County has a education index of C, which means it is somewhat educated.
| Metric | Providence County | Rhode Island Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.8% | 33.5% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.46 | 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
Providence County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Providence County | Rhode Island Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.5 | 79.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 14.4% | 11.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 16.1% | 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).
Providence County, RI Compared With Nearby Counties
Providence County, RI is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 663,899 residents against a local median of 84,657. Where Providence County, RI breaks from the counties next to it is median household income, sitting 24% below the local median of $103,981 at $78,766. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread $20,092 on median household income, so Providence County, RI sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Providence County, RI has the 6th highest median household income of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Providence County, RI | 663,899 | $78,766 #6/6 | $301,192 #4/6 | 21.8 min #2/6 |
| Kent County, RI | 171,061 | $94,069 | $327,059 | 22.5 min |
| Bristol County, RI | 50,443 | $112,759 | $275,000 | 23.2 min |
| Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT | 78,384 | $92,667 | $198,249 | 26.0 min |
| Newport County, RI | 84,657 | $103,981 | $456,969 | 17.9 min |
| Washington County, RI | 130,338 | $108,800 | $480,679 | 22.8 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Providence County, Rhode Island.
How many people live in Providence County, Rhode Island?
About 663,899 people live in Providence County, Rhode Island, in 258,850 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 36.0, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Providence County, Rhode Island urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Providence County, Rhode Island has 1,523 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 18 times the U.S. average of 86.
Is Providence County, Rhode Island an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 3.8 times the median household income ($301,192 against $78,766), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,311 a month takes about 20% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in Providence County, Rhode Island?
Unemployment in Providence County, Rhode Island is 6.5%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
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