Washington County, Rhode Island Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Washington 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.
-
A
Health Above average
-
B
Income Around average
-
A
Education Above average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Washington County | Rhode Island Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 130,338 | 1,100,398 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 231.5 | 712.0 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.32% | 0.50% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 45.8 | 41.0 | 37.3 |
| Households | 52,547 | 441,025 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Washington County declined by 1.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 130,338 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Washington County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 23.3% of residents. That is 1.7 points above Rhode Island as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 30,364 23.3% +1.7 pts
- Millennials 29–44 21,833 16.8% -4.8 pts
- Gen X 45–60 28,939 22.2% +1.3 pts
- Boomers 61–79 28,408 21.8% +3.9 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 51.3% of the people living in Washington County and men 48.7%.
- Women 51.3% Rhode Island 51.2%
- Men 48.7% Rhode Island 48.8%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Washington County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Washington County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Washington County | Rhode Island Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $108,800 | $88,093 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.87% | 5.24% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Washington County is about 24% higher than in Rhode Island.
Housing
| Metric | Washington County | Rhode Island Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $480,679 | $360,248 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,327 | $1,341 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 77.5% | 63.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Washington County is about 30.2 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,327 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Washington County spend about 46 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 190 hours, about 7.9 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Washington County | Rhode Island Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 22.8 | 21.9 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 45.7 | 43.9 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 190 | 183 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,901 | $5,668 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 15.3% | 13.0% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 9,844 | 11,274 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,431 | 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 Washington County is 23 minutes, longer 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
Washington County has a education index of A, which means it is very educated.
| Metric | Washington County | Rhode Island Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.3% | 33.5% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.30 | 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
Washington County has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | Washington County | Rhode Island Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 80.6 | 79.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 10.5% | 11.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 13.6% | 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).
Washington County, RI Compared With Nearby Counties
Washington County, RI is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 130,338 residents against a local median of 171,061. Washington County, RI's median home price, at $480,679, runs 60% above the $301,192 typical of the counties around it.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $108,800 against a local median of $94,069, 16% above it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is median household income, and at 16% above the local median it puts Washington County, RI at the better end of the local range. The counties themselves spread $181,970 on median home price, so Washington County, RI sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Washington County, RI has the highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County, RI | 130,338 | $108,800 #2/6 | $480,679 #1/6 | 22.8 min #5/6 |
| Kent County, RI | 171,061 | $94,069 | $327,059 | 22.5 min |
| Newport County, RI | 84,657 | $103,981 | $456,969 | 17.9 min |
| Bristol County, RI | 50,443 | $112,759 | $275,000 | 23.2 min |
| Providence County, RI | 663,899 | $78,766 | $301,192 | 21.8 min |
| Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT | 252,265 | $86,956 | $291,357 | 20.6 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Washington County, Rhode Island.
How big is Washington County, Rhode Island by population?
About 130,338 people live in Washington County, Rhode Island, in 52,547 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 45.8, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 8 years.
Is Washington County, Rhode Island urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Washington County, Rhode Island has 232 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 2.7 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Washington County, Rhode Island?
The median home costs 4.4 times the median household income ($480,679 against $108,800), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,327 a month takes about 15% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
What share of adults in Washington County, Rhode Island have a college degree?
43.3% of adults in Washington County, Rhode Island hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 2), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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