Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Few places in the country grade higher. North Kingstown earns an A, 7th among Rhode Island's 38 graded towns. CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 96% of the country, the median household earns $126K, and its public schools beat 83% of Rhode Island towns on state tests and graduation. The exception is cost of living: the typical home is worth about $675K, 7.8 years of the Providence metro’s $87K median household income. Its National Register listings include Gilbert Stuart Birthplace and Old Narragansett Church. 18% of the land in North Kingstown is conserved, above both Rhode Island’s towns (11%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). Cocumcussoc Park, at 415 acres with 2.5 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
Where North Kingstown beats most towns.
Gilbert Stuart Birthplace is a National Historic Landmark, the National Register’s top tier.
Census counts: 2,907 in 1790, 27,732 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1798 and 6 maps from 1890 on.
29 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Rhode Island), ordered by how far North Kingstown is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around North Kingstown. Close and well known come first.
Big draw11 mi MuseumThe Breakers
6 mi Ancient siteHMS Endeavour
Big draw37 mi Stadium & arenaGillette Stadium
Big draw38 mi LakeLake Chaubunagungamaug
18 mi MuseumUSS Massachusetts
11 mi MuseumMarble HouseThe Breakers: UpstateNYer, CC BY-SA 3.0 · HMS Endeavour: Samuel Atkins (c.1760-1810), Public domain · Gillette Stadium: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Lake Chaubunagungamaug: Bree from Worcester, MA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · USS Massachusetts: USN, Public domain · Marble House: [email protected], Public domain
Who provides power, water and the rest in North Kingstown, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in North Kingstown.
North Kingstown is among the three healthiest towns in Rhode Island and draws workers from Warwick and beyond, but it has a long record of flood insurance claims.
It ranks #2 of the 38 Rhode Island towns we grade on the CDC estimates behind the Health Grade. Its widest gap with Rhode Island is tooth loss: 6.8% of those 65+ have lost all their teeth, against 14.2% statewide.
North Kingstown: nearly one in ten adults smoke cigarettes, where Rhode Island’s towns sit at 11% and U.S. towns at 14%. Only 3 of the 38 Rhode Island towns we compare have a lower share of adults who say their health is fair or poor than North Kingstown. 28% of North Kingstown adults feel lonely. On the CDC’s 32 measures, North Kingstown is ahead of Rhode Island on 17 and behind on 1.
| North Kingstown | Rhode Island towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 34% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 17% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 86% | 85% | 79% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 22% | 25% |
| What stands out | North Kingstown | RI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 6.8% | 14.2% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7.5% | 15.1% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.5% | 8.4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
That grade comes with a C− for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $675K.
The public schools here belong to the North Kingstown school district. Below: Three of its 10 schools, each with why it was picked. 5 public schools serve North Kingstown, with 1,654 students in all.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davisville Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 477 | B+ |
| North Kingstown Sr. HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,278 | A+ |
| Hamilton SchoolTop results in townGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 447 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within RI on state tests and graduation
20,540 jobs are based in North Kingstown, 1.6 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. Jobs based here grew from 14,777 in 2013 to 20,540.
For most workers, North Kingstown is a place to come home to: only 19% work in town. Jobs based in North Kingstown grew to 20,540 in 2023, 5,763 more than in 2013. Also worth knowing: the share of workers in North Kingstown who work from home: 17%. The top destinations are Providence (12%), Warwick (11%) and South Kingstown (6%).
| North Kingstown | Rhode Island towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $126,000 | $103,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 19% | 12% | 8% |
| Work from home | 17% | 13% | 11% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.1% | 7% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
There are 61 miles of trail across 6 parks and preserves. North Kingstown’s density of trails comes in at 1.1 miles per square mile. Parks and preserves in the town: 6, covering 439 acres.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cocumcussoc Park | 2.5 mi | 415 |
| 2. Bush Hill | 0.3 mi | 7 |
| 3. Signal Rock Park | — | 8 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Violent crime is rare: 15 reported in 2025, 0.5 per 1,000 residents.
Rhode Island has less reported crime than most states, so among its own towns North Kingstown sits closer to the middle. The town’s violent offense rate stands at 0.5 per 1,000 residents.
| North Kingstown | Rhode Island towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.5 per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 5.7 per 1,000 residents | 4.9 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
177 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 14 properties have flooded more than once.
Of the losses FEMA expects in North Kingstown, 70% come from inland flooding and 12% from hurricanes. FEMA expects less storm and flood damage locally than in four fifths of U.S. communities. Since 1978, North Kingstown has seen 177 flood insurance claims paid out.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Over the 12 months to September 2026, the typical home gained 6.8% in value. A home in North Kingstown typically sold within 40 days of listing. 30% of the homes sold in North Kingstown went for more than their asking price.
| North Kingstown | Rhode Island towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,268 a month | $1,371 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 75% | 76% | 73% |
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
In North Kingstown, the July high is 81°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
6 within 15 miles of the center of North Kingstown
About 6 of every 100 North Kingstown residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across Rhode Island.
Where North Kingstown’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
29 places in North Kingstown on the National Register of Historic Places.
7 notable people were born in North Kingstown.
Town in Rhode Island, United States
North Kingstown is a town in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States, and is part of the Providence metropolitan area. Its population was 27,732 in the 2020 census. North Kingstown is the birthplace of American portraitist Gilbert Stuart, who was born in the village of Saunderstown. Within the town is Quonset Point, location of the former Naval Air Station Quonset Point, known for the invention of the Quonset hut, as well as the historic village of Wickford.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
7 towns share a border with North Kingstown.
| Town | RI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Kingstown | #7 | A | C− | A− | A− | A+ |
| Warwick | #29 | B− | C− | B | C+ | B+ |
| East Greenwich | #1 | A+ | C | A− | A | A |
| Jamestown | #2 | A+ | D | A | A+ | A+ |
| Exeter | #18 | A− | D | — | A− | A |
| Portsmouth | #5 | A+ | D | A | A | A |
| South Kingstown | #13 | A | D | A | B+ | A |
| Narragansett | #8 | A | D− | A | A | A |
Exeter reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare North Kingstown with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Yes, by almost any measure. North Kingstown grades A overall, better than 94% of U.S. towns and #7 of 38 in Rhode Island. It grades A+ for health, A− for safety and A− for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a C−.
Yes, by national standards. Rhode Island has less crime than most states, so among its own towns North Kingstown sits nearer the middle.
7 notable people were born here, including Gary Albright and Christiana Carteaux Bannister.
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