Photo: SusImposter49 · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, South Kingstown is healthier than 95% of U.S. towns
South Kingstown differs from Rhode Island on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 17 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 02879, 02892, 02881, 02874. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in South Kingstown
South Kingstown is an active town
Only 17.3% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 25.4% across Rhode Island. The town has 50 miles of trails across 17 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
South Kingstown keeps up with checkups
It beats Rhode Island on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (76.3% vs 71.2%) and cholesterol checks (90.7% vs 89.1%). Checkups ↓
South Kingstown adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (27.9% vs 35%), frequent mental distress (13.8% vs 16.7%) and lack of emotional support (17.1% vs 22%) all run below Rhode Island. Mind & connection ↓
South Kingstown has a top-rated hospital
South County Hospital is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Rhode Island figure falls outside South Kingstown’s likely range; South Kingstown’s figures come from ZIP codes 02879, 02892, 02881, 02874, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind South Kingstown’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, South Kingstown is healthier than 95% of U.S. towns, #5 of 38 in Rhode Island. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is fair or poor health (fewer adults who rate their health fair or poor than 93% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 88%.
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). South Kingstown’s median household income is $108,960; among the 7,294 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($82K–$136K), it’s healthier than 96%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Rhode Island
Share of adults, with the Rhode Island figure marked.
50 miles of trails across 17 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of South Kingstown adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Rhode Island.
How South Kingstown adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, South Kingstown does better than Rhode Island.
3 in 10 South Kingstown adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Care in and near South Kingstown
1 hospital and 1 community health center in South Kingstown, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of South Kingstown; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Out of every 100 South Kingstown adults…
South Kingstown runs below RI on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7.5% of South Kingstown adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.2% across Rhode Island.
South Kingstown and the towns around it
South Kingstown’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 6 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Kingstown | A | 27.2% | 9.1% | 9.1% | ZIP codes |
| Richmond | A+ | 27.7% | 8.3% | 9.9% | ZIP codes |
| Charlestown | A | 28.9% | 10.5% | 11% | ZIP 02813 |
| Narragansett | A | 27.6% | 10.2% | 9.3% | ZIP codes |
| Narragansett Pier | — | — | — | — | |
| Wakefield-Peace Dale | — | — | — | — | |
| North Kingstown | A+ | 27.4% | 8.8% | 9.2% | ZIP codes |
| Exeter | A | 29.2% | 9.8% | 11.8% | ZIP codes |
Narragansett Pier and Wakefield-Peace Dale: Census-designated places inside larger towns, graded as part of them. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of South Kingstown adults live with a disability (Rhode Island 27.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for South Kingstown
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, South Kingstown is better than Rhode Island on 17 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Rhode Island figure falls inside South Kingstown’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | South Kingstown | RI | U.S. | vs RI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13%11.1–14.9 | 17.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.3%9.8–12.7 | 13.2% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.8%12.1–15.6 | 16.7% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.2%22.1–32 | 31.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.1%7.8–10.4 | 11.1% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 33.8%30.2–37 | 33.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35%31.3–38.3 | 34.2% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.7%24.7–30.4 | 25.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.6–12.1 | 11.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.7%9.7–11.6 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.4%5.7–7.1 | 6.3% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.2%5.3–7.1 | 6.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.7–3.4 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.3%6.7–10.1 | 14.2% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.1%7.5–10.7 | 11.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 17.3%14.3–20.4 | 25.4% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.8%14.2–19.3 | 16.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.3%26.7–36.3 | 35% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.5%3.7–5.6 | 8.2% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 86.2%83.5–88.3 | 84.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 76.3%73.4–79.2 | 71.2% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.7%89.2–92 | 89.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.1%75–80.6 | 77.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 78.1%74.5–81.4 | 73.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 83.9%78.9–88.1 | 82.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.8%18.6–24.8 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 27.9%24.4–31.5 | 35% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 17.1%14.7–19.7 | 22% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.2%6.7–9.9 | 15.1% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7%5.8–8.2 | 13.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.9%4.1–5.7 | 8% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.2%4.5–6.1 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.5%6–9.1 | 13.2% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.4%20.2–26.5 | 27.9% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.2%8.7–11.6 | 12.3% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.1%9.5–12.5 | 13.9% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.7%5.9–7.6 | 6.5% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.6%3.2–4.1 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.4%5.5–7.2 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.8%2.4–3.1 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Lower |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Rhode Island figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in South Kingstown
Is South Kingstown a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, South Kingstown is healthier than 95% of U.S. towns: A for health, #5 of 38 in Rhode Island. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 96%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in South Kingstown?
CDC estimates 27.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 22.1% and 32%, against 31.7% across Rhode Island and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to South Kingstown?
South County Hospital in Wakefield, 3.0 miles in a straight line from South Kingstown’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in South Kingstown have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.7–5.6%), against 8.2% across Rhode Island.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in South Kingstown more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in South Kingstown.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Rhode Island figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.