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CITY · 2020 ACS

Providence

Rhode Island · 190,934 residents · 18.4 sq mi
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The short version

With 190,934 people, Providence is a city in Rhode Island. Owners hold 33% of the housing stock. This skews young, with a median age of 30.9. 30% of residents were born outside the United States. The poverty rate is 23.0%, above the 12.8% national rate. That trails the Rhode Island median by roughly 30%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 30.9
US median: 38.8
Average education
32% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 47%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
190,934
+10%since 2000
from 173,618 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
30.9
+10%since 2000
from 28.1 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
18.4 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
158K167K176K186K195K19902000201020202024Providence
2024192K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55.6%(10,687)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.7%(10,886)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 146.1%(11,581)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 199.5%(18,204)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 2411.9%(22,750)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3417.6%(33,527)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4412.4%(23,751)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5410.4%(19,904)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 649.8%(18,703)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 746.6%(12,621)
US avg: 10%
75 to 843%(5,715)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.4%(2,605)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$49,065
+22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $26,867 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$28,733
+85%since 2000
from $15,525 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
32.5%
+9.3 ptssince 2009
from 23.1% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
23.0%
−6.2 ptssince 2000
from 29.1% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade11.2%
US avg: 10%
Information10.5%
US avg: 11.1%
Finance & insurance5%
US avg: 5.5%
Other services5%
US avg: 6.6%
Wholesale trade4.7%
US avg: 6.7%
Professional, scientific, technical4.6%
US avg: 4.7%
Public administration3.3%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing1.7%
US avg: 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food1.7%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.4%
US avg: 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.3%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction0.3%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$225,200
+47%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $101,700 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,015
+28%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $526 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
33.5%
−1.1 ptssince 2000
from 34.6% in 2000
66.5% rent
Persons per household
2.57 people
−4%since 2009
from 2.69 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
4.6
−31%since 2009
from 6.7 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic45.8%(79,451)
Black12.7%(22,103)
Hispanic / Latino30%(52,146)
Asian5.9%(10,303)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic32.4%(61,917)
Black11.7%(22,429)
Hispanic / Latino43.9%(83,815)
Asian5.9%(11,359)
Other3.8%(7,262)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Dominican20.1%(36,039)
Puerto Rican9%(16,120)
Central American8.2%(14,738)
Guatemalan7%(12,635)
South American2.7%(4,763)
Mexican1.7%(3,027)
Colombian1.3%(2,399)
Salvadoran0.7%(1,253)
Bolivian0.5%(929)
Ecuadorian0.4%(710)
Cuban0.4%(635)
Spaniard0.3%(511)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Panamanian0.1%(253)
Nicaraguan0.1%(247)
Honduran0.1%(236)
Peruvian0.1%(218)
Argentine0.1%(175)
Venezuelan0.1%(140)
Chilean0.1%(133)
Uruguayan0%(57)
Asian origin
Chinese1.2%(2,172)
Cambodian1.2%(2,122)
Asian Indian1.1%(1,982)
Korean0.4%(664)
Hmong0.3%(492)
Vietnamese0.2%(430)
Laotian0.1%(236)
Filipino0.1%(233)
Burmese0.1%(228)
Taiwanese0.1%(188)
Pakistani0.1%(161)
Thai0.1%(154)
+ 5 more asian origin groups with data
Bangladeshi0.1%(121)
Japanese0.1%(116)
Nepalese0%(70)
Bhutanese0%(61)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.1%(256)
Samoan0%(70)
Ancestry
Irish7.7%(13,763)
Italian7%(12,581)
English3.7%(6,679)
German3.4%(6,191)
French3%(5,365)
Portuguese2.7%(4,881)
American2.7%(4,785)
West Indian2.5%(4,570)
Haitian1.7%(3,123)
Polish1.7%(3,080)
Cape Verdean1.6%(2,957)
+ 47 more ancestry groups with data
French Canadian1.4%(2,556)
Nigerian1.1%(1,887)
Russian1%(1,820)
Scottish0.8%(1,470)
Swedish0.6%(1,044)
Jamaican0.4%(762)
Lebanese0.4%(714)
Norwegian0.4%(679)
British0.3%(603)
Lithuanian0.3%(594)
Armenian0.3%(564)
Greek0.3%(555)
Scotch-Irish0.3%(541)
Dutch0.3%(467)
Ukrainian0.2%(386)
Welsh0.2%(303)
Austrian0.1%(262)
Brazilian0.1%(243)
Hungarian0.1%(243)
Canadian0.1%(235)
Danish0.1%(205)
Ethiopian0.1%(196)
Swiss0.1%(191)
Syrian0.1%(183)
Czech0.1%(179)
Romanian0.1%(148)
Slovak0.1%(141)
Guyanese0.1%(125)
Barbadian0.1%(124)
Belgian0.1%(123)
Turkish0.1%(113)
Arab0.1%(110)
Iranian0.1%(109)
Ghanaian0%(51)
Egyptian0%(46)
Finnish0%(44)
Kenyan0%(41)
Croatian0%(36)
Israeli0%(27)
Latvian0%(25)
Somali0%(21)
Moroccan0%(14)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
32.3%
+7.9 ptssince 2000
from 24.4% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
82.7%
+16.9 ptssince 2000
from 65.8% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
15.0%
+3.7 ptssince 2000
from 11.3% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
24.1 min
+79%since 2000
from 13.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
65.1%
+1.5 ptssince 2009
from 63.5% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
17.1%
−1.7 ptssince 2009
from 18.8% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
7.1%
−7.1 ptssince 2011
from 14.2% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
61.8%
−3.1 ptssince 2011
from 64.9% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
71.0%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
37.6%
+4.5 ptssince 2009
from 33.1% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
47.9%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 49.0% in 2009
Female
52.1%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 51.0% in 2009
Foreign born
30.2%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 29.1% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
7.3%
−13.1 ptssince 2013
from 20.4% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
88.0%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
82.8%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married54.8%(42,632)
Married37.2%(28,916)
Widowed2%(1,546)
Divorced6%(4,687)
Women 15+
Never married51.2%(42,060)
Married32.7%(26,885)
Widowed6.1%(4,996)
Divorced10.1%(8,264)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
7.3%
−13.1 ptssince 2013
from 20.4% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
43.7%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
12.8%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
13.4%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
38.3%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
1.0%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
54.7%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
46.1%
US average: 35.2%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)19.2%(656)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)21.6%(737)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era28.8%(983)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War10.9%(371)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II6.9%(234)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 3,415 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Explore

Neighborhoods in Providence

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Head to head

Compare Providence to nearby cities

PROVIDENCE VS
East Providence
Income$75,912+55%
Home value$365,500+62%
Population48,249−75%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PROVIDENCE VS
Pawtucket
Income$68,310+39%
Home value$325,500+45%
Population77,065−61%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PROVIDENCE VS
Central Falls
Income$49,285same
Home value$352,100+56%
Population23,124−88%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PROVIDENCE VS
Cranston
Income$90,206+84%
Home value$378,300+68%
Population84,647−57%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Providence, Rhode Island?

Providence, Rhode Island has about 190,934 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Providence, Rhode Island?

The typical household in Providence, Rhode Island earns about $49,065 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Providence, Rhode Island expensive?

In Providence, Rhode Island, the median home is worth about $225,200, and the typical rent is about $1,015 a month.

How educated are people in Providence, Rhode Island?

About 32.3% of adults age 25 and over in Providence, Rhode Island hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Providence, Rhode Island?

About 23.0% of people in Providence, Rhode Island live below the federal poverty line.

Has Providence, Rhode Island grown since 1990?

Yes, Providence, Rhode Island has grown since 1990. The population has added about 30,206 residents, a change of about 19 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →