Town · Rhode Island
Middletown, Rhode Island
Middletown, town, in Newport County, Rhode Island. Middletown had 16,502 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 3.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 17,075 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 16,832 (±25). GEOID 4400545460.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
16,502
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 17,075 · ACS 2020-2024: 16,832 ±25
Median household income
$101,948
±$6,260 (90% margin)
Rhode Island: $87,796
Median home value
$563,300
±$45,579 (90% margin)
Rhode Island: $404,200
Median gross rent
$1,990
±$170 (90% margin)
Rhode Island: $1,342
Where is Middletown and what county is it in?
Middletown is a town in Newport County, Rhode Island. It covers 12.7 square miles of land, 1,344 residents per square mile in 2020.
One place lies inside Middletown: Newport East (CDP, 12,337 in 2020). Part of Melville (CDP) also lies in it.
Middletown is in the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 6 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Middletown, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 16,502 people lived in Middletown on July 1, 2025, down 3.4% since 2020, while Rhode Island grew 1.6%. The 2020 Census counted 17,075 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 16,832 (±25).
| Measure | Middletown | Newport County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 16,832±25 | 84,657 | +814 |
| Households | 7,226±342 | 36,868 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.28±0.11 | 2.19 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 8,225±352 | 43,663 | no clear change |
Middletown's population since 2000
From 17,334 in 2000 to 16,502 in 2025: down 4.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Middletown as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Middletown?
The median resident of Middletown is 43.8 years old; 19.0% are under 18 and 22.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 74.9%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 9.3%. 10.1% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Middletown | Newport County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.8±2.0 | 46.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 19.0%±2.4 pts | 16.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 22.3%±2.2 pts | 25.5% | – |
| Male | 53.1%±2.0 pts | 49.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 9.3%±2.4 pts | 6.7% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 74.9%±3.7 pts | 82.4% | −4.9 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 5.1%±1.6 pts | 3.2% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.1%±0.9 pts | 1.7% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1%±0.2 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.1%±0.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 6.6%±2.5 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.7%±1.1 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 10.1%±2.3 pts | 7.0% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 13.1%±2.7 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.6%±2.0 pts | 8.4% | – |
| With a disability | 11.1%±2.1 pts | 12.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.2%±1.5 pts | 3.9% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 95.1%±1.3 pts | 95.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 47.4%±3.4 pts | 54.1% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 19.8%±3.2 pts | 22.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 88.7%±2.6 pts | 87.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 5.8%±1.8 pts | 6.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Middletown earn?
Half of Middletown's 7,226 households earn less than $101,948 a year (±$6,260), against $103,514 in Newport County and $87,796 in Rhode Island. In 2015-2019 the median was $90,590 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $11,358 after inflation. 8.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Middletown | Newport County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $101,948±$6,260 | $103,514 | +$11,358 |
| Mean household income | $135,975±$13,464 | $138,641 | – |
| Per capita income | $59,109±$5,986 | $61,596 | +$7,820 |
| People below the poverty line | 8.5%±2.1 pts | 8.5% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 8.2%±5.6 pts | 11.9% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 10.0%±2.9 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.3%±1.9 pts | 96.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 94.5%±1.8 pts | 94.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Middletown?
Owners occupy 57.9% of Middletown's occupied homes and renters 42.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $563,300 by its owner (±$45,579). The median renter pays $1,990 a month including utilities, and 36.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Middletown | Newport County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $563,300±$45,579 | $609,700 | +$96,744 |
| Median gross rent | $1,990±$170 | $1,713 | +$301 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 36.3%±6.7 pts | 39.4% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,638±$186 | $2,622 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 57.9%±4.1 pts | 67.9% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 42.1%±4.1 pts | 32.1% | – |
| Housing units | 8,225±352 | 43,663 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.5%±0.8 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 8.6%±4.2 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 56.5%±4.1 pts | 62.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.6%±1.8 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.7%±0.7 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.4%±2.2 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 16.9%±4.6 pts | 30.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.2%±2.0 pts | 7.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Middletown building?
Builders took permits for 29 new housing units in Middletown in 2025 (22 in single-family houses), 1.8 per 1,000 residents against 1.6 across Rhode Island.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Middletown work and get to work?
74.7% of Middletown's workers drive alone and 10.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 19.9 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 6.0%.
| Measure | Middletown | Newport County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 64.7%±2.9 pts | 64.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.0%±2.1 pts | 5.8% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 74.7%±4.5 pts | 69.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.3%±2.8 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.9%±1.0 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Walked | 3.7%±2.5 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 10.9%±2.5 pts | 15.7% | +7.3 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 19.9 min±1.9 | 22.8 min | +2.4 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Middletown?
5 census tracts lie mostly in Middletown (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $76,793 (Tract 403.03) to $131,853 (Tract 404).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 404Newport County | 6,483 | $131,853 |
| Tract 403.04Newport County | 3,167 | $86,760 |
| Tract 403.03Newport County | 2,999 | $76,793 |
| Tract 403.02Newport County | 2,537 | $76,845 |
| Tract 402Newport County | 1,646 | $106,818 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Middletown) · Census block assignment files
How does Middletown compare with other places in Rhode Island?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Middletown is the 752nd-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 15th-most populous of 31 in Rhode Island.
Middletown ranks 31st of 57 places in Rhode Island with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 15th | 31 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 38th | 39 |
| Residents per square mile | 23rd | 57 |
| Median household income | 31st | 57 |
| Per capita income | 11th | 57 |
| Median home value | 11th | 56 |
| Median gross rent | 3rd | 51 |
| Poverty rate | 17th | 45 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19th | 57 |
| Median age | 30th | 57 |
| Owner-occupied share | 49th | 56 |
| Work from home | 41st | 49 |
| Travel time to work | 53rd | 57 |
Middletown's figures with every place in Rhode Island (CSV)
Every place in Rhode Island, sortable · Compare Middletown with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Middletown?
7 of the 57 figures for Middletown on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Middletown are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.