Providence grades D overall, 36th of 38 graded towns in Rhode Island, mostly because of schools. Its schools rank behind 88% of the state's. What it does well: few places in the country are easier to get around without a car. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 100% of U.S. towns, with 170 places on the National Register. 36% of working residents work locally in Providence, where Rhode Island’s towns sit at 12% and U.S. towns at 8%. On safety, just 1 of Rhode Island’s 36 towns do worse. Its National Register listings include First Baptist Meetinghouse and John Brown House.

StrongestA⁺History A⁺Walkability A⁻OutdoorsWeakestDSchools DCost of living CSafety

What makes Providence stand out

Where Providence beats most towns.

First Baptist Meetinghouse

HistoryA⁺

Settled in 1636

A history going back 390 years.

Biggest of 6

College	Students
Brown University	11,009
Rhode Island College	5,586
Providence College	4,576

Colleges in town

6 colleges

28,221 students on campus

Students are 14% of residents.

WalkabilityA⁺

More walkable than 99% of U.S. towns

12.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transit

EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.

First Baptist Meetinghouse · National Register of Historic Places

Providence’s story

390 years in pictures

First Baptist Meetinghouse is one of 12 National Historic Landmarks here, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1636, comes before those of 94% of the Rhode Island towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 6,380 in 1790, 190,934 in 2020. The archive holds 244 old photos and papers going back to 1787 and 6 maps from 1894 on.

170 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1636Providence is settled

Explore the history →

How Providence grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Rhode Island), ordered by how far Providence is from typical.

How grading works

WalkabilityEPA walkability 15.6 of 20; 17.1% of households have no carA⁺Open →SchoolsDOpen →Cost of livingDOpen →SafetyMore crime per resident than 70% of U.S. townsCOpen →Jobs & income$68K median household income; 105,253 jobs based hereCOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 37% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listBOpen →HealthRhode Island Hospital 0 miles awayC⁺Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors8% conserved landA⁻Open →History39 notable people born hereA⁺Open →Civic life4.8 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC⁺Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

Climate–Open →Housing market34 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 32.8; 35% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

Gillette Stadium and 135 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Providence. Close and well known come first.

All 269 attractions →

Big draw20 mi Stadium & arenaGillette Stadium

Big draw25 mi MuseumThe Breakers

Big draw40 mi Stadium & arenaFenway Park

Big draw27 mi LakeLake Chaubunagungamaug

15 mi MuseumUSS Massachusetts

16 mi Ancient siteHMS Endeavour

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

Gillette Stadium: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0 · The Breakers: UpstateNYer, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fenway Park: Gatorfan252525, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Lake Chaubunagungamaug: Bree from Worcester, MA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · USS Massachusetts: USN, Public domain · HMS Endeavour: Samuel Atkins (c.1760-1810), Public domain

Getting set up

Moving to Providence: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Providence, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerRhode Island Energy29.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterProvidence-City of water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet4 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpBy addressDay by addressTown site

SchoolsProvidence School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES

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.gov

Who runs elections hereProvidence Board of CanvassersThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Oct 2026

ZIP codes02909, 02908, 02907, 0290602909 24% · 02908 20% · 02907 16% · 02906 13%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 Providence.

Providence draws workers from Cranston and beyond and is safe by national standards but not by Rhode Island’s; it also has poverty well above the Rhode Island rate.

OutdoorsA⁻

Conserved land covers 8.2% of Providence

28 miles of trail in 77 parks and preserves. Providence’s trail density is 1.4 miles per square mile. The biggest place to walk is Roger Williams Park, 418 acres with 9.4 miles of trail.

#7for trails in RI

	Providence	Rhode Island towns	U.S. towns
Miles of trail per square mile	1.4 miles per square mile	0.8	0.4
Conserved land	8.2%	14%	4.3%

8.2%

conserved · 1,080 of 13,095 acres

28 mi

of trails · 1.4 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Roger Williams Park	9.4 mi	418
2. Neutaconkanut Hill Park	2.6 mi	77
3. Blackstone Park	2.2 mi	46

Full pageProvidence’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map28 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk9.4 miles of trail · Roger Williams Park Conserved land8.2% conserved · 1,080 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Providence?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

SchoolsD

Providence’s grade for schools is a D

Its public schools are run by the Providence school district. Two of its 85 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.

12%of RI districts it outscoresDSchool Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Governor Christopher DelSestoLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8	Grades 6–8	818	D⁻
Classical High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	1,116	A⁺

Full pageProvidence’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsProvidence Vs. the neighborsAhead of 1 of its 5 graded neighbors Every school85 schools · Alfred Lima Sr. El School Questions“Are Providence’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within RI on state tests and graduation

Work & commuteJobs & income grade C

A larger share of residents in Providence live below the poverty line than in the typical Rhode Island or U.S. town

105,253 jobs are based in Providence, 1.5 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.

21% of Providence residents live below the poverty line. Among 38 Rhode Island towns, just 2 have a lower median household income than Providence. About one in 3 of Providence’s working residents works in town.

36%work in town

	Providence	Rhode Island towns	U.S. towns
Below the poverty line	21%	6.5%	9.6%
Median household income	$68,000	$105,000	$80,000
Work from home	14%	13%	11%

Where working residents work

In Providence36%

Warwick7%

Cranston7%

East Providence4%

Pawtucket4%

5 mi

median commute distance

105,253

jobs based in Providence

A job hub

jobs vs. working residents

A+

Walkability grade: among the most walkable U.S. towns

Full pageProvidence’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here105,253 jobs based here · A job hub Where people work36% work in Providence Commute times25 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 5 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

SafetyC

Providence stands out in Rhode Island and nationally: property crime there is higher

At 28.7 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 97% of Rhode Island’s graded towns. Each of the 4 graded towns on its borders reports less crime per resident, from Pawtucket (C+) to North Providence (B+).

Of the 35 Rhode Island towns we compare, none has a higher property crime rate than Providence. The violent crime rate in Providence is 2.9 per 1,000 residents. Providence reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 70% report less.

30%of U.S. towns report more crimeCSafety Grade

	Providence	Rhode Island towns	U.S. towns
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	15.7 per 1,000 residents	4.9	9.9
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	2.9 per 1,000 residents	0.6	1.6

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Providence2.9

Rhode Island1.5

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Providence15.7

Rhode Island9.2

U.S.15.5

30th

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

561

violent crimes reported in 2025

3,060

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageProvidence’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type2.9 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsDown since 2023 Vs. the neighborsBehind its 4 graded neighbors Questions“Is Providence, RI safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

Who lives here

More young adults than Rhode Island overall

20.7% of residents live below the poverty line, against 11.2% across Rhode Island, which weighs on its C for jobs and income. Only 41.4% of households own their home, against 63.6% across Rhode Island.

Adults 18 to 34 are 34% of residents (24% statewide); people 65 and older are 12% of residents (19% statewide). Among 38 Rhode Island towns, just 1 have a lower median age than Providence. Providence has grown 2.3% since 2020, to 195,310 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.

32.8median age · RI 40.6

	Providence	Rhode Island towns	U.S. towns
Median age	32.8 years	44 years	40.5 years
Under 18	20%	18%	22%
Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+	35%	40%	29%

ProvidenceRhode IslandUnited States

RIU.S.

Ages · share of residents

17%

Education · adults 25 and older

No diploma18%

High school28%

Some college15%

Associate’s5%

Bachelor’s18%

Graduate17%

Women and men · all residents

50.9% women, 49.1% men

About 97 men for every 100 women. Across Rhode Island, 50.9% of residents are women. Median age: women 33.5, men 32.0.

Ages and education in Providence
	Providence	RI	U.S.
Under 10	10.6%	10%	11.6%
10 to 17	9.5%	8.8%	10.3%
18 to 24	16.6%	10%	9.1%
25 to 34	17.4%	13.8%	13.7%
35 to 44	12.7%	12.7%	13.2%
45 to 54	11.7%	11.9%	12.2%
55 to 64	9.9%	13.9%	12.7%
65 to 74	6.7%	11%	10.2%
75 and older	4.9%	7.8%	7%
No diploma	17.9%	10.3%	10.4%
High school	27.8%	26.6%	26%
Some college	14.8%	17.4%	19.1%
Associate’s	4.9%	8%	8.8%
Bachelor’s	18%	22.4%	21.6%
Graduate	16.6%	15.4%	14.1%

Full pageProvidence by the numbersOpen the page

Ages32.8 median age · 12% are 65 or older Schooling35% have a four-year degree Homes41% own their home · Homeowners Income$68K a year · Median household income

Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates

Climate

Providence has four seasons and pleasant summers

Providence has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 22° and about 37 inches of snow falls in a winter.

37″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter24–40°

Spring39–58°

Summer62–80°

Fall46–63°

Oct 30

typical first frost

Apr 11

typical last frost

+2.0°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageProvidence’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 83°, January lows 22°Rain & snow37″ of snow a winter · 49 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+2.0° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B

Inland flooding leads a low hazard risk in Providence

289 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 26 properties have flooded more than once.

Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 63% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 289 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Providence.

37risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingHeat wavesHurricanes

289

paid flood claims since 1978

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageProvidence’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesLow risk Flood claims289 paid flood claims · Since 1978 Past disasters10 federal disasters · Paid out in Providence Get ready3 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

HousingCost of living grade D

Providence’s typical home value is about $432K

The typical Providence home is worth about $432,000, up 2.3% in a year, 15% below the Rhode Island typical home. 41% of households own their home in Providence.

$432KZillow home value

	Providence	Rhode Island towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	41%	76%	73%
Median rent	$1,408 a month	$1,366 a month	$1,185 a month

Typical home value

Providence$432K

Rhode Island$509K

Market temperature

days on market

100.6%

sale-to-list price

+2.3%

value change, 1 year

113

homes sold in May

Full pageProvidence’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsUp 2.3% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 6.3 years of income Rents$1,408 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsBehind its 5 graded neighbors

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

HealthC⁺

On CDC estimates, Providence is less healthy than 57% of U.S. towns

Providence beats the Rhode Island average on 7 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 16. No town among the 38 in Rhode Island we compare has a lower share of adults who have high blood pressure than Providence.

43%healthier than U.S. townsC⁺Health Grade

	Providence	Rhode Island towns	U.S. towns
Feel lonely (CDC PLACES)	41%	33%	33%
Food insecurity (CDC PLACES)	27%	10%	14%
No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES)	15%	5.4%	8.1%
Get no exercise (CDC PLACES)	32%	22%	25%

32 measures vs. Rhode Island

7 better9 too close to call16 worse

What stands out	Providence	RI
Fewer adults who have had cancer	4.8%	8.4%
Fewer adults with arthritis	18.8%	25.4%
More adults facing food insecurity	27.4%	15.1%

Rhode Island Hospital

In Providence · emergency room

1 of 3

care shortages: mental health

8th

percentile among RI towns

Full pageProvidence’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore adults who get no exercise Hospitals & doctors nearbyRhode Island Hospital How adults are doingMore adults in fair or poor health Every CDC estimateBetter than RI on 7 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Providence

20pages on Providence

The big questions

SchoolsDBehind 88% of RI districts · 85 schools SafetyC2.9 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthC⁺Better than RI on 7 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingD$432K typical home · up 2.3% in a year Work & commuteC$68K median household income · 105,253 jobs here Natural hazardsBFEMA risk higher than 37% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

OutdoorsA⁻28 mi of trails · 8% conserved land PlacesAttractions269 nearby · Amica Mutual Pavilion under 1 mi LibraryC⁺Providence Public Library CollegesCollege Unbound, in town

The story

HistoryA⁺Settled 1636 · 170 on the National Register Famous people39 born in Providence Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 99 residents Climate83° summer highs · 37″ of snow

Day to day

News19 recent stories about Providence WeatherHandbookZIP code 02901, 02902, 02903 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

11 within 15 miles of the center of Providence

Rhode Island CollegeUniversity or college · Public · ProvidenceIn town$11,300 in-state tuition College UnboundUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · ProvidenceIn town$11,016 tuition Community College of Rhode IslandCommunity college · Public · Warwick8.3 mi$5,550 in-state tuition

About 14 of every 100 Providence residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across Rhode Island.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

College town

14% of Providence is in college

6 colleges in town.

Brown University11,009 students on campus

Admission: 5%
Net price: $25,184
Graduate: 96%

Rhode Island College5,586 students on campus

Admission: 92%
Net price: $9,478
Graduate: 48%

Providence College4,576 students on campus

Admission: 51%
Net price: $48,523
Graduate: 86%

College Scorecard · IPEDS

Landmarks

170 places in Providence on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

First Baptist MeetinghouseNational Historic Landmark

University Hall, Brown UniversityNational Historic Landmark

John Brown HouseBuilt 1788 · National Historic Landmark

Gov. Stephen Hopkins HouseNational Historic Landmark

Famous people from Providence

39 notable people were born in Providence.

See all 39 →

H. P. LovecraftAmerican writer and editor · 1890–1937

Cormac McCarthyAmerican novelist, playwright, and screenwriter · 1933–2023

Damien ChazelleFrench-American filmmaker · born 1985

Aaron BeckAmerican psychiatrist, researcher, therapist · 1921–2021

John Bates ClarkAmerican neoclassical economist · 1847–1938

Jason MarsdenAmerican actor · born 1975

About Providence

Capital city of Rhode Island, US

Official town website ↗

Providence ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It is the third-most populous city in New England, with a population of 190,934 at the 2020 census. The Providence metropolitan area extends into Massachusetts and has approximately 1.7 million residents, making it the 39th-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. It is the county seat of Providence County. Providence is one of the oldest cities in New England, founded in 1636 by Reformed Baptist theologian Roger Williams, a religious exile from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He named the area in honor of "God's merciful Providence" which he believed was responsible for revealing such a haven for him and his…

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established: 1636
Area: 21 sq mi
Elevation: 75 ft
ZIP code: 02901, 02902, 02903
Area code: 401

Providence’s neighbors

5 towns share a border with Providence.

Explore the map →

All 5 graded towns on its borders grade higher than its D; Pawtucket (D) is closest.

East ProvidenceJohnstonCranstonNorth ProvidencePawtucketProvidence

East Providence

SE · 4% of Providence workers commute here

Visit

Johnston

W · 3% of Providence workers commute here

Visit

Cranston

SW · 7% of Providence workers commute here

Visit

North Providence

Visit

Pawtucket

NE · 4% of Providence workers commute here

Visit

How the neighbors grade

Town	RI rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Providence	#36	D	D	C	D	C⁺
East Providence	#32	C⁺	C⁻	—	C⁺	B⁻
Johnston	#30	B⁻	C	B	B⁻	B
Cranston	#31	B⁻	D	B	B⁻	B⁺
North Providence	#28	B	C⁻	B⁺	B⁻	B
Pawtucket	#35	D	C	C⁺	D	C

East Providence reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Providence with a neighbor →

Questions about Providence

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Providence, RI a good place to live?

Providence grades D overall, better than 9% of U.S. towns and #36 of 38 in Rhode Island. It grades C+ for health, C for safety and D for schools. Schools is its weak spot, with a D.

Is Providence, RI safe?

Rhode Island has less crime than most states, so among its own towns Providence sits nearer the middle.

Is Providence, RI expensive?

Yes. That is 5 years of the area's median household income ($87,040 across the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.

What is Providence, RI known for?

39 notable people were born here, including H. P. Lovecraft and Cormac McCarthy.

Post to Providence

Check your email

ProvidenceRI

Is Providence a good place to live?

What makes Providence stand out

390 years in pictures

How Providence grades

Gillette Stadium and 135 more within 40 miles

Moving to Providence: who provides what

The data

Conserved land covers 8.2% of Providence

Providence’s grade for schools is a D

A larger share of residents in Providence live below the poverty line than in the typical Rhode Island or U.S. town

Where working residents work

Providence stands out in Rhode Island and nationally: property crime there is higher

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Property crime per 1,000 residents

More young adults than Rhode Island overall

Ages · share of residents

Education · adults 25 and older

Women and men · all residents

Providence has four seasons and pleasant summers

Typical low → high °F

Inland flooding leads a low hazard risk in Providence

Providence’s typical home value is about $432K

Typical home value

On CDC estimates, Providence is less healthy than 57% of U.S. towns

Everything we know about Providence

Colleges nearby

14% of Providence is in college

Landmarks

Famous people from Providence

About Providence

Providence’s neighbors

Questions about Providence