Kingston Inn
Kingston’s story
200 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers.
- 1826Kingston is settled
KingstonRI
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0
Population
7,332
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$553K
Census ACS
Household income
$107K
median
Median age
19.5
years
Jobs based here
1,033
Balanced
Is Kingston a good place to live?
3.6% of residents are 65 or older in Kingston, against 21% in Rhode Island’s towns and 18% across U.S. towns. No town among the 39 in Rhode Island we compare has a lower share of children under 18 than Kingston. Kingston’s trail network density is 1.4 miles per square mile, above both the Rhode Island town median (0.8) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). The biggest park or preserve is Potter Wood, at 23 acres. We don’t grade Kingston yet; the figures below are still real.
What makes Kingston stand out
Where Kingston beats most towns.
A growing town
Kingston has grown 12% from 2010 to 2020
6,974 counted in 2010 and 7,825 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
Nearby attractions
All 147 attractions →The Breakers and 83 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Kingston. Close and well known come first.
Big draw12 mi MuseumThe Breakers
13 mi Ancient siteHMS Endeavour
11 mi MuseumMarble House
25 mi MuseumUSS Massachusetts
11 mi MuseumThe Elms
11 mi MuseumRosecliffSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
The Breakers: UpstateNYer, CC BY-SA 3.0 · HMS Endeavour: Samuel Atkins (c.1760-1810), Public domain · Marble House: [email protected], Public domain · USS Massachusetts: USN, Public domain · The Elms: The original uploader was Daderot at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0 · Rosecliff: n ole, CC BY 2.0
Getting set up
Moving to Kingston: who provides what
Kingston is unincorporated, so Washington County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerRhode Island Energy29.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterUniversity of Rhode Island water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesWashington CountyWashington County provides services here
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.govWho runs elections hereSouth Kingstown Board of CanvassersTown of South Kingstown; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP codes02881, 0287902881 91% · 02879 9%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Kingston.
Natural hazards
Kingston faces a very low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
FEMA puts 69% of Kingston’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 14% to hurricanes. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 86% of U.S. communities.
14risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Outdoors
Kingston has set aside 16.4% of its land for conservation
Count the trails in 1 park or preserve and they come to 2.2 miles.
16.4%conserved
16.4%
conserved · 163 of 995 acres
2.2 mi
of trails · 1.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Potter Wood | 0.6 mi | 23 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers: that is Kingston’s year
The July high for Kingston comes to 82°F.
35″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter24–41°
Spring38–57°
Summer60–79°
Fall44–64°
Oct 8
typical first frost
May 3
typical last frost
+2.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
The average trip to work in Kingston is shorter than in most of Rhode Island or the rest of the country
The top destinations are South Kingstown (17%), Providence (12%) and Cranston (5%). The share of residents in Kingston who live below the poverty line: 1.8%. Jobs here fell by 2,657 from 2013 to 2023, to 1,033. For Kingston, the middle household income is $107,000.
2%work in town
| Kingston | Rhode Island towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 1.8% | 6.8% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.1% | 12% | 8% |
| Median household income | $107,000 | $104,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Kingston2%
South Kingstown17%
Providence12%
Cranston5%
Warwick4%
24 mi
median commute distance
1,033
jobs based in Kingston
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
More of Kingston’s adults binge drink than in the typical Rhode Island or U.S. town
Among 39 Rhode Island towns, just one has a lower share of adults who say their health is fair or poor than Kingston. In Kingston, 6.9% of adults smoke cigarettes. On the CDC’s 32 measures, Kingston is ahead of Rhode Island on 14 and behind on 8.
| Kingston | Rhode Island towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 2.5% | 10% | 12% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 16% | 17% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 17% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 34% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Rhode Island
14 better10 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Kingston | RI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 2.5% | 11.1% |
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 1.7% | 6.3% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 11.8% | 7.9% |
South County Hospital
3.2 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Housing
Homes in Kingston sell for about $470K
For households in Kingston, the share who own their home is 82%.
$470Kmedian sale price
3
homes sold in March
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Kingston
17pages on Kingston
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Kingston
University of Rhode IslandUniversity or college · Public · Kingston0.8 mi$16,942 in-state tuitionSalve Regina UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Newport11.5 mi$50,100 tuitionNew England Institute of TechnologyUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · East Greenwich13.1 mi$37,275 tuition
College town 76 of every 100 Kingston residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across Rhode Island.
Famous people from Kingston
4 notable people were born in Kingston.
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About Kingston
Census-designated place in Rhode Island, United States
Kingston is a village and a census-designated place within the town of South Kingstown, Rhode Island, United States, and the site of the main campus of the University of Rhode Island. The population was 7,825 at the 2020 census. Much of the village center is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Kingston Village Historic District. It was originally known as Little Rest.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 246 ft
- ZIP code
- 02881
Kingston’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Kingston.
Wakefield-Peace DaleKingston
How the neighbors grade
| Town | RI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingston | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Wakefield-Peace Dale | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Kingston and Wakefield-Peace Dale aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Kingston with a neighbor →
Questions about Kingston
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Kingston, RI a good place to live?
We don’t grade Kingston yet; the figures below are still real.
What is Kingston, RI known for?
4 notable people were born here, including Martha Fierro and Elisha R. Potter.