Rhode Island
Among the top 1% of US states for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 16% of US states
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 45% of US states
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade A, better than 90% of US states
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A+, better than 100% of US states
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 50% of US states
- top 2% for walkability
- top 2% for airport distance
- bottom 6% for sunny days
Rhode Island is a U.S. state with about 1,094,000 residents. It grades A+ for getting around and D for affordability. Standout strengths include walkability, airport distance, and violent crime. It rates lower on monthly owner costs and sunny days.
Official websiteri.gov (opens in new tab)
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$81k71st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$52kbetter than 48% of US states
Home Value$346k73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 41% of US states
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 20% of US states
Property Tax Rate1.41%better than 24% of US states
Income Tax6.30%better than 34% of US states
Sales Tax7.00%better than 47% of US states
Estimated total tax burden14.57%better than 22% of US states
Unemployment5.9%better than 27% of US states
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)30°F39th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)73°F31st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation50.0 in80th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall38.9 inbetter than 31% of US states
Sunny Days185 daysbetter than 6% of US states
Summer Humidity63°Fbetter than 55% of US states
Comfortable Days99 daysbetter than 88% of US states
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk78.5better than 61% of US states
Air Quality44 AQIbetter than 66% of US states
School Quality88.9better than 86% of US states
Violent Crime817/100kbetter than 90% of US states
Property Crime1294/100kbetter than 80% of US states
Community
Population1,094,25016th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age40.480th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4149th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9624th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+2114th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)69.8%55th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)5.3%39th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)16.7%76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)3.4%63rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.7%61st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time25 minbetter than 51% of US states
Walkability12.2/20better than 98% of US states
Airport Distance13 mibetter than 98% of US states
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access89.1%better than 71% of US states
Amenities Nearby3.67better than 51% of US states
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 45% of US states
Frequently asked questions
- Is Rhode Island an affordable place to live?
- Rhode Island is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $52k, better than 48% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Rhode Island?
- The median home value in Rhode Island is $346k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Rhode Island?
- Median household income in Rhode Island is $81k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Rhode Island?
- Median gross rent in Rhode Island is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Rhode Island safe?
- Rhode Island is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 817/100k (better than 90%). Property crime is 1294/100k.
- What is the weather like in Rhode Island?
- Rhode Island averages 73°F in July and 30°F in January, with 50.0 in of annual precipitation and about 185 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Rhode Island?
- Public-school quality in Rhode Island is above average, scoring better than 86% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Rhode Island?
- The average one-way commute in Rhode Island is 25 min.
Best places to live in Rhode Island
Top cities in Rhode Island
Counties in Rhode Island
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)