Providence, RI

Census place 4459000 · pop 191,767

D−38/ 100
🫤 Rough
D−
in RI
📍 Rhode Island ranks #40 of 50 states →
🏆 Bad air0 days · top 15%
🚽 Own41.4% · bottom 5%
💡 Did you know?

Rhode Island's capital, home to Brown University and RISD and the WaterFire installation on its rivers.

Source ↗
Taxes
1.22% property · US 0.99%7.00% sales · US 7.00%up to 5.99% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Homeownership41.4%5

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

41.4% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Income inequality0.5010

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.50 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Poor mental health19.6%15

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

19.6% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Poverty rate20.7%16

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

20.7% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Physical inactivity31.8%18

U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities

31.8% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Uninsured adults14.6%19

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

14.6% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Unemployment rateCounty-level4.5%21

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

4.5% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Rent$2,263/mo24

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$2,263/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Broadband access89.7%36

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

89.7% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Housing cost$362,20036

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$362,200 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Property-tax burden1.22%38

U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities

1.22% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Median household income$68,11941

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$68,119 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Commute time25 min42

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

25 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level90/10048

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

90/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Adult obesity34.4%53

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

34.4% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Bachelor's degree or higher34.6%59

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

34.6% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Adult smoking12.1%62

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

12.1% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Population growth (5yr)+6.8%71

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+6.8% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Air quality (AQI)County-level38 AQI77

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

38 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Not measured for Providence: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Providence, RI a good place to live?
By the numbers, Providence scores 38/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is unhealthy air days and its weakest is homeownership. Rhode Island overall ranks #40 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
Is Providence, RI expensive to live in?
Providence has a median home value of $362,200 and typical rent around $2,263/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Providence, RI?
Its weakest measured area is homeownership (41.4%) — 5/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Providence, RI best at?
Its strongest measured area is unhealthy air days (0 days) — 85/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: Rhode Island's capital, home to Brown University and RISD and the WaterFire installation on its rivers.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.