#1Cumberland
Providence County · 37,615 peopleOutdoors grade, better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #9 of 38 in RI
Cumberland, #1 on this list · Photo: Marcbela (Marc N Belanger) · Public domainRhode Island rankings · Outdoors
Best towns for the outdoors in Rhode Island
Cumberland ranks first on outdoors among Rhode Island’s 38 towns of 2,500+; 26 of the 38 grade A− or better on outdoors nationally.
The Outdoors grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the share of land conserved and the trail miles per square mile. How grades work
#1A+
#2Lincoln
Providence County · 23,713 peopleOutdoors grade, better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #25 of 38 in RI
#3Barrington
Bristol County · 16,961 peopleOutdoors grade, better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #3 of 38 in RI
All 38 towns
Outdoors grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank; the overall grade and state rank are beside each.
38 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.
#TownGradeOverall
4South KingstownWashington County · 32,009 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #13 of 38
11North KingstownWashington County · 27,885 peopleAbetter than 91% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #7 of 38
28North SmithfieldProvidence County · 12,990 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #19 of 38
32East ProvidenceProvidence County · 48,249 peopleBbetter than 64% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #32 of 38
33Central FallsProvidence County · 23,124 peopleBbetter than 61% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #38 of 38
36North ProvidenceProvidence County · 34,833 peopleB−better than 45% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #28 of 38
Quick answers
Questions people ask
Which Rhode Island town is best for the outdoors?
Cumberland (Providence County) ranks first on outdoors among 38 towns, with an A+; Lincoln and Barrington follow.
How are these towns ranked?
The Outdoors grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the share of land conserved and the trail miles per square mile. Towns are sorted on the grade’s score; the letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.
Why isn’t my town on this list?
The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with a outdoors grade (38 in Rhode Island). Smaller towns have the grade on their page but no rank. Every town is on the Rhode Island page.
Go deeper
All Rhode Island rankings →More Rhode Island lists
Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.
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