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The Albert S. Potter Octagon HousePhoto: Jennifer · CC BY-SA 4.0
The Carolina handbook

Living in Carolina, RI: what to set up and who to call

Carolina has no town government of its own, so Washington County runs its elections and most services, and its children attend Chariho Regional School District. Carolina has its own library, Clark Memorial Library, at 7 Pinehurst Drive.

Which school will my kid attend?How do I register to vote?ZIP codes
Carolina has no town government. It’s a census-designated place in Washington County, so the county and regional agencies provide most services. This page answers what we can; the same answers appear on Carolina’s town page under “Getting set up”.

I’m new in town

What to set up in Carolina, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.

PowerRhode Island Energyinvestor-owned utility · 29.4¢/kWhMore →Internet3 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsMore →Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Carolina’s trash rules yetMore →SchoolChariho Region School DistrictWhich school depends on grade and addressMore →Register to voteOnlineRules from vote.govMore →ZIP codes02812, 02813Where people live, not P.O. boxesMore →
Home services

Power, water and internet

Who to call to start service at a new address in Carolina.

Electricity

Power comes from Rhode Island Energy

Rhode Island Energy (The Narragansett Electric Co.), an investor-owned utility, serves all of Carolina. Its homes paid an average of 29.4¢ per kWh in 2025, about $166 a month (its average across Rhode Island, for customers on its standard service). Rhode Island lets you buy power from another supplier; 26% of Rhode Island Energy’s home customers do, and Rhode Island Energy still delivers it.

Start or move service: www1.nationalgridus.com · (401) 784-7000

Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.

Internet

3 home internet providers serve Carolina

99% of 401 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 94% can get fiber.

ProviderTechnologyAddressesFastest (Mbps)
VerizonFiber, Fixed wireless96%980/880
Cox CommunicationsCable92%2,000/35
T-MobileFixed wireless59%100/20

FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.

Trash & recycling

We don’t have Carolina’s trash rules yet

Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Carolina.

Trash, recycling and bulk pickupNot on fileCarolina has no town government of its own, so look for trash and recycling rules on the county’s site.
Schools

Where your child goes to school

Public school districts and the school path by grade.

Carolina kids go to
K–43 elementary schoolsDepends on your address
5–8Chariho Regional Middle Schoolin Wood River Junction
9–12Chariho High Schoolin Wood River Junction

Carolina is in Chariho Region School District.

Test scores and every school: see Schools →

U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.

Government & voting

No town hall: the county runs things

Carolina is unincorporated, so Washington County is the local government.

Local governmentWashington CountyCarolina is a census-designated place: no town hall of its ownCensus
Who runs elections hereRichmond Board of CanvassersElections here are run by Town of Richmond (town or city clerk). Most of Carolina (59%) votes here; the rest in Town of Charlestown (41%). 5 Richmond Townhouse Rd, Wyoming, RI 02898 · (401) 539-9000 x9 · [email protected]FVAP, Sep 2026
Register to voteOnlineIn Rhode Island you can register online until 30 days before Election Day, in person until 30 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govCheck your registration and polling placevote.sos.ri.govThe state’s voter lookup

Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Sep 2026; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.

ZIP codes & area codes

Carolina spans 2 ZIP codes

ZIP codes where Carolina residents live, with the share of the town in each.

ZIPPost office nameShare of CarolinaZIP’s residents in Carolina
02812Carolina, RI59%44%
02813Charlestown, RI41%5%

Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.

Everyday places

Getting around, the ER and the library

One line each; the subject pages have the rest.

Nearest emergency roomSouth County Hospital8.4 miles awayGet a library cardClark Memorial Library7 Pinehurst Drive · (401) 364-6100

ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.

Questions about living in Carolina

Who provides electricity in Carolina?

Rhode Island Energy (The Narragansett Electric Co.), an investor-owned utility. Its homes paid about 29.4¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).

What internet providers serve Carolina?

Verizon, Cox Communications, T-Mobile (FCC, as of December 2025).

What ZIP codes are in Carolina?

02812 (59%), 02813 (41%), by share of residents. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.

What school district is Carolina in?

Chariho Region School District.

How do I register to vote in Carolina?

In Rhode Island you can register online until 30 days before Election Day, in person until 30 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 30 days before). Elections here are run by the Richmond Board of Canvassers. Check your registration at vote.sos.ri.gov.

Sources & dates

Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.

  • Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
  • Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
  • ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
  • Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
  • Registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
  • Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
  • Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.