City profile · Rhode Island · Census ACS 2023

Providence, RI

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Providence - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

190,214
Residents
$66,772
Median income
$322,800
Median home
$1,729
Median rent (state)

Providence - the verdict

Nationally, Providence sits in the 45th percentile for household income and the 34th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

45th
percentile, household income
68th
percentile, home value
70th
percentile, median rent
34th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Providence, RI

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 190,214 residents in Providence, a mid-sized U.S. city within Rhode Island. Providence households earn a median of $66,772 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 14.9%. Providence's housing stock carries a median value of $322,800, and the median resident age is 32.9 years. About 34.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 59.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 269 residential building permits were authorized in Providence (Rapid Growth), up 37% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 1934.6 in FBI UCR data, near the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Rhode Island tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Rhode Island at 102.3 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,729 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $318 across Rhode Island, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 93.7 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

190,214 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Rhode Island

Median Household Income

$66,772 /yr

Poverty 14.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

102.3 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Rhode Island average

How does Providence compare to other US cities?

Where Providence sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 45% higher than other cities
Home value 68% pricier than other cities
Median rent 70% pricier than other cities
Safety 34% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Rhode Island and the picture shifts: Providence ranks #11 of 11 Rhode Island cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Providence's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Rhode Island, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

45thIncome percentile
34thSafety percentile

45th percentile nationally for median household income · 34th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Providence's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Providence's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 37 Avg. percentile National median
Providence's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Providence's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$322,800 32nd percentile more affordable than 32% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Providence $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Providence, RI Providence, RI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Providence, RI-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Providence, RI median $66,772/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Providence, RI's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Providence, RI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 34.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 14.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 59.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
190,214
Median Income
$66,772
Median Home Value
$322,800
Median Age
32.9
Poverty Rate
14.9%
Labor force participation
59.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
34.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1934.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
276.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1657.9
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
61
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
188,000 residents190,000 residents192,000 residents194,000 residents196,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 190,713 residents 195,310 residents ▲ +2.4%
Providence's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
269
housing units authorized
Single-Family
31
detached homes
Multifamily
238
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 197
2020 213
2021 54
2022 299
2023 5
2024 269

Permit volume increased 37% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
62.6%
Carpool
9.8%
Public Transit
4.2%
Walk
7.3%
Work from Home
12.7%
Other
3.4%

Based on 89,656 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Rhode Island - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$155
avg/month
Natural Gas
$105
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$58
avg/month
Total Utilities
$318
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Rhode Island state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Rhode Island state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Providence sits in

Cost of Living Index
102.3
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,729/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
93.7 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Rhode Island

Warwick
82,871 people
Cranston
82,632 people
Pawtucket
75,280 people
East Providence
46,970 people
Woonsocket
43,074 people
Newport
25,029 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Providence's 190,214 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Akron, OH
189,526 people
Glendale, CA
192,270 people
Brownsville, TX
188,023 people
Vancouver, WA
192,696 people
Knoxville, TN
193,721 people
Tempe, AZ
186,419 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Providence's $66,772 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Gilcrest, CO
$66,771 median income
Heritage Pines, FL
$66,771 median income
Wabasso, FL
$66,771 median income
Pillager, MN
$66,771 median income
Brookfield, MA
$66,774 median income
North Tonawanda, NY
$66,774 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Providence, RI Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Providence, RI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 40.7% 13.3% 20.4% 18.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 44.3% White 40.7% Black or African American 13.3% Asian 5.9% American Indian 1.0% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 20.4% Two or more races 18.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Providence compares to nearby Rhode Island cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Providence (this city) 190,214 $66,772
Warwick 82,871 $87,536
Cranston 82,632 $87,716
Pawtucket 75,280 $67,436
Census ACS 5-year FIPS RI FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Providence, RI?

What is the population of Providence, RI? +

190,214 people live in Providence, RI according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Providence, RI? +

Median annual household income in Providence runs $66,772, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Providence? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Providence; the closest available measure is the Rhode Island state average, a cost of living index of 102.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Rhode Island vary by metro area.

Is Providence, RI safe? +

Providence has a total crime rate of 1934.6 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Providence, RI? +

The median home value in Providence is $322,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.