Providence RI skyline · Quintin Soloviev / CC BY 4.0Weybosset Street view, Providence, Rhode Island · Kenneth C. Zirkel / CC BY-SA 4.0Brown's University Hall in 2007 · Kenneth C. Zirkel / CC BY-SA 3.0Downtown Providence Rhode Island 2008 (cropped) · Kenneth C. Zirkel / CC BY-SA 4.0
Providence is a mid-sized city of 189,715 in Rhode Island, with a median household income of $61,365
and a 7.2% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 101 (US average = 100), which is
1% above the national average.
Strengths:
Providence stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Providence is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Providence city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 100.9
Providence's overall cost of living index is 100.9,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Providence costs roughly 1% more than the average American city.
Metric
Providence, RI
National Avg
Median Home Value
$293,000
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$1,214
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
39.9%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$61,365
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Providence's violent crime rate is 276.7 per 100,000 residents
— 27% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
276.7 /100k
Property Crime
1657.9 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Providence is served primarily by Providence.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.9:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Providence, RI
National Avg
School District
Providence
—
Elementary Schools
20
—
Middle Schools
6
—
High Schools
11
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.9:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
34.5%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
82.9%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Providence sees average highs of 38.3°F in January
and 83.6°F in July,
with 47.5 inches of annual precipitation
and 36.6 inches of snow per year.
Providence's cost of living index is 101, where 100 is the national average.
That puts Providence roughly 1% above the national average in cost.
The median home price is $293,000 and median rent is $1,214/month.
Providence's violent crime rate is 276.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1657.9 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Providence are operated by Providence.
The district has 20 elementary, 6 middle, and 11 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.9:1. 34.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Providence, RI has a population of 189,715, a median household income of $61,365, and an unemployment rate of 7.2%.
Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Providence averages 38.3°F in January and 83.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 47.5 inches
with about 36.6 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Providence, RI is covered by 11 ZIP codes: 02908, 02909, 02906, 02905, 02907, 02904, 02903, 02912, 02918, 02919, 02911.
The population of Providence, Rhode Island is 189,715 with a median age of 32.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Providence: cost of living index 101 (100 = US average), median home $293,000, median household income $61,365, crime index 75 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Providence side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
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