Providence County, RI

County

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2020 Population

636,161

0.0667% 1-year growth

US Senator

Jack Reed

Democratic Party

US Senator

Sheldon Whitehouse

Democratic Party

2020 Median Age

37.4

0% 1-year change

2020 Poverty Rate

14%

8.01% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$62,323

5.68% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$248,500

6.42% 1-year growth

2020 Employed Population

316,776

0.884% 1-year growth

About

In 2020, Providence County, RI had a population of 636k people with a median age of 37.4 and a median household income of $62,323. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Providence County, RI grew from 635,737 to 636,161, a 0.0667% increase and its median household income grew from $58,974 to $62,323, a 5.68% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Providence County, RI are White (Non-Hispanic) (60.2%), White (Hispanic) (10.8%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (8%), Other (Hispanic) (7.53%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (4.08%).

None of the households in Providence County, RI reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

91.5% of the residents in Providence County, RI are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Providence County, RI are Brown University (3,269 degrees awarded in 2020), Johnson & Wales University-Providence (2,097 degrees), and Rhode Island College (1,729 degrees).

In 2020, the median property value in Providence County, RI was $248,500, and the homeownership rate was 55.1%.

Most people in Providence County, RI drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 25.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Providence County, RI was 2 cars per household.

Providence County, RI borders Windham County, CT, Bristol County, MA, Norfolk County, MA, Worcester County, MA, Bristol County, RI, and Kent County, RI.

About the photo: WaterFire is simultaneously a free public art installation, a performance work, an urban festival, a civic ritual, and a spiritual communal ceremony, well known nationally and internationally as a community arts event.

Photo by Royston Kane

Population & Diversity

Providence County, RI is home to a population of 636k people, from which 91.5% are citizens. As of 2020, 19.3% of Providence County, RI residents were born outside of the country (123k people).

In 2020, there were 5.56 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (383k people) in Providence County, RI than any other race or ethnicity. There were 68.8k White (Hispanic) and 50.9k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

91.5%

2020 Citizenship

91.6%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 91.5% of Providence County, RI residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Providence County, RI was 91.6%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Providence County, RI compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Providence County, RI

White (Non-Hispanic)
383k ± 750
White (Hispanic)
68.8k ± 3.18k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
50.9k ± 1.47k

23.4%

Hispanic Population

149k people

23.4% of the people in Providence County, RI are hispanic (149k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Providence County, RI as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Rhode Island.

Most Common Origin

Dominican Republic
29,370 ± 4,149 people
Guatemala
14,363 ± 2,922 people
Portugal
12,959 ± 2,778 people

In 2020, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Rhode Island was Dominican Republic, the natal country of 29,370 Rhode Island residents, followed by Guatemala with 14,363 and Portugal with 12,959.

Foreign-Born Population

19.3%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

123k people

18.7%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

119k people

As of 2020, 19.3% of Providence County, RI residents (123k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.5%. In 2019, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Providence County, RI was 18.7%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Providence County, RI compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
8,301 ± 604
Gulf War (2001-)
4,179 ± 627
Korea
2,753 ± 389

Providence County, RI has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.99 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Providence County, RI employs 317k people. The largest industries in Providence County, RI are Health Care & Social Assistance (52,091 people), Retail Trade (38,651 people), and Manufacturing (35,533 people), and the highest paying industries are Public Administration ($68,407), Management of Companies & Enterprises ($66,345), and Utilities ($65,718).

Males in Rhode Island have an average income that is 1.28 times higher than the average income of females, which is $56,718. The income inequality in Rhode Island (measured using the Gini index) is 0.45, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

317k

2020 Value

± 5,025

0.884%

1 Year growth

± 2.07%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Providence County, RI grew at a rate of 0.884%, from 314k employees to 317k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Providence County, RI, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (38,074 people), Sales & Related Occupations (30,310 people), and Management Occupations (27,810 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Providence County, RI.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Rhode Island.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Rhode Island (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

317k

2020 Value

± 5,025

0.884%

1 Year growth

± 2.07%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Providence County, RI grew at a rate of 0.884%, from 314k employees to 317k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Providence County, RI, are Health Care & Social Assistance (52,091 people), Retail Trade (38,651 people), and Manufacturing (35,533 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Providence County, RI, though some of these residents may live in Providence County, RI and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$45,486

Median earning men ± $1,022

$35,311

Median earning women ± $674

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2020 are Public Administration ($75,606), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($63,177), and Information ($57,233).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2020 are Public Administration ($54,298), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($47,467), and Wholesale Trade ($40,534).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Rhode Island.

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in Rhode Island. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Rhode Island.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

7,177
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
3,871
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services
3,840
Manufacturing

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$11.5M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$5.42M
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
$5.04M
Manufacturing

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Rhode Island to other states, or from other states to Rhode Island.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Rhode Island product (by dollars) was Mixed freight with $12.6B, followed by Motorized vehicles ($10.2B) and Misc. mfg. prods. ($6.1B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Rhode Island products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Rhode Island.

$57.4B

2020 Value in Rhode Island

$99.7B

Projected 2050 Value in Rhode Island

73.8% growth

In 2020, total outbound Rhode Island trade was $57.4B. This is expected to increase 73.8% to $99.7B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Rhode Island trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Rhode Island to other states, or from other states to Rhode Island.

Most Common Trade Partners

Massachusetts
$12.4B
Connecticut
$4.56B
New York
$2.87B

In 2020, the top outbound Rhode Island domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Massachusetts with $12.4B, followed by Connecticut with $4.56B and New York and $2.87B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Rhode Island shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Providence County, RI went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 60.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (37.6%), followed by Other (1.03%).

Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse are the senators currently representing the state of Rhode Island. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Rhode Island is currently represented by 2 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (60.5%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (37.6%)
Republican Party
Other (1.03%)
Other Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Providence County, RI went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 60.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (37.6%), followed by Other (1.03%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Providence County, RI for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senators Elections

US Senators from Rhode Island

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Rhode Island.

Jack Reed

Senator from Rhode Island

Assumed office on January 3, 1997

Sheldon Whitehouse

Senator from Rhode Island

Assumed office on January 3, 2007

Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse are the senators currently representing Rhode Island.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Rhode Island over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representatives Elections

US Representatives from Rhode Island

Rhode Island is currently represented by 2 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Rhode Island have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2020, universities in Providence County, RI awarded 11,947 degrees. The student population of Providence County, RI in 2020 is skewed towards women, with 15,297 male students and 22,181 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Providence County, RI are White (6,536 and 61.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (1,422 and 13.3%), Black or African American (975 and 9.15%), and Asian (718 and 6.74%).

The largest universities in Providence County, RI by number of degrees awarded are Brown University (3,269 and 27.4%), Johnson & Wales University-Providence (2,097 and 17.6%), and Rhode Island College (1,729 and 14.5%).

The most popular majors in Providence County, RI are General Business Administration & Management (666 and 5.57%), Truck, Bus, & Commercial Vehicle Operator & Instructor (437 and 3.66%), and General Finance (436 and 3.65%).

The median tuition costs in Providence County, RI are $45,966 for private four year colleges, and $8,835 and $23,310 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2020 in Providence County, RI, the percentage of applicants admitted was 37.9%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 21.5%. The number of students enrolled in 2020 was 37,478 (40.8% men and 59.2% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2020 there were 37,478 students enrolled in Providence County, RI, 40.8% men and 59.2% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 19,862 records, of which 56.3% were women and 43.7% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
417 degree-majors awarded
General Finance
393 degree-majors awarded
General Marketing & Marketing Management
366 degree-majors awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Providence County, RI was General Business Administration & Management with 417 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Providence County, RI according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Brown University
3,269 degrees awarded
Johnson & Wales University-Providence
2,097 degrees awarded
Rhode Island College
1,729 degrees awarded

In 2020, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Brown University with 3,269 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2020, 5,104 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Providence County, RI, which is 0.746 times less than the 6,843 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 6,536 degrees mean that there were 4.6 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 1,422 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($45,966) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2020.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,425) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2020.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,632) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Rhode Island.

Measure

In 2020, 1.01% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 1.07% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Rhode Island.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2020 were High School or Equivalent (243k), Some college (181k), and Bachelors Degree (168k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Providence County, RI was $248,500 in 2020, which is 1.08 times larger than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $233,500 to $248,500, a 6.42% increase. The homeownership rate in Providence County, RI is 55.1%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.4%.

People in Providence County, RI have an average commute time of 25.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Providence County, RI is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Providence County, RI is $62,323. In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Providence County, RI was Census Tract 34 with a value of $165,897, followed by Census Tract 36.02 and Census Tract 145.01, with respective values of $145,189 and $128,750.

In 2021, 19.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Providence County, RI. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 2.43%.

Housing

Property

$248,500

Median Property Value 2020

±$2,772

$132,794

Median Property Taxes

±$2,844

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Providence County, RI the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Providence County, RI compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

55.1%

Homeownership

2020

63.3%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2020

In 2020, 55.1% of the housing units in Providence County, RI were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 54.2%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Providence County, RI compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 34
Census Tract 36.02
Census Tract 145.01

In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Providence County, RI was Census Tract 34 with a value of $165,897, followed by Census Tract 36.02 and Census Tract 145.01, with respective values of $145,189 and $128,750.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Providence County, RI colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$62,323

Median Household Income

± $1,270

241k

Number of Households

± 4,032

In 2020, the median household income of the 241k households in Providence County, RI grew to $62,323 from the previous year's value of $58,974.

The following chart displays the households in Providence County, RI distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Providence County, RI is from Rhode Island.

0.45

2020 Wage GINI in Rhode Island

0.453

2019 Wage GINI in Rhode Island

In 2020, the income inequality in Rhode Island was 0.45 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.736% decline from 2019 to 2020, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Rhode Island was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Rhode Island in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Rhode Island across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2020

Drove Alone (78.2%)
Carpooled (9.2%)
Worked At Home (4.88%)

In 2020, 78.2% of workers in Providence County, RI drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.2%) and those who worked at home (4.88%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

25.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Providence County, RI have a shorter commute time (25.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 2.61% of the workforce in Providence County, RI have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Providence County, RI compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Providence County, RI distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Providence County, RI have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2021, 19.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Providence County, RI. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 2.43%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

14% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Providence County, RI (85.5k out of 610k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.8%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 45 - 54.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Providence County, RI is White, followed by Hispanic and Other.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2021, 20.3% of the children was living in poverty in Providence County, RI. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 5.9%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2021, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 312 in Providence County, RI. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 29.1 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

94.7% of the population of Providence County, RI has health coverage, with 48.5% on employee plans, 22.4% on Medicaid, 10.7% on Medicare, 12.2% on non-group plans, and 0.844% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in Rhode Island was $9,551 in 2014. This is a 4.27% increase from the previous year ($9,160).

Primary care physicians in Providence County, RI see 1021 patients per year on average, which represents a 3.04% decrease from the previous year (1053 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1651 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 202 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.9% were men and 52.1% were women.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for Rhode Island. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in Rhode Island, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,021 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Providence County, RI

Primary care physicians in Providence County, RI see an average of 1,021 patients per year. This represents a 3.04% decrease from the previous year (1,053 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Providence County, RI in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Community Mobility

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Rhode Island.

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of Rhode Island across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2020, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.4% under 18 years, 24.6% between 18 and 34 years, 38.2% between 35 and 64 years, and 14.8% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.9% were men and 52.1% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

5.25%

Uninsured

48.5%

Employer Coverage

22.4%

Medicaid

10.7%

Medicare

12.2%

Non-Group

0.844%

Military or VA

Between 2019 and 2020, the percent of uninsured citizens in Providence County, RI declined by 2.95% from 5.41% to 5.25%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Providence County, RI changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2021, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 48 in Providence County, RI.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Providence County, RI.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2021, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 29.5% in Providence County, RI.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Providence County, RI.

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