Moving to
Providence.

All Providence data Compare Providence

191,767people live here $68,119median household income▼ 16% below US $1,408median rent per monthNear US average $362,200median home valueNear US average

What it's like to live in Providence

Providence is a mid-size city in Rhode Island with several well-rated hospitals and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.

The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Providence deals with unemployment above the national average, household incomes below the national average, a poverty rate above the national average, and cold winters.

The good

Several well-rated hospitals
Low student-teacher ratio

The not so good

Above-average unemployment
Below-average household incomes
High poverty rate
Cold winters
Snowy winters — 37" per year

How Providence compares

Median household income

Providence$68,119

Rhode Island avg$87,796

US$80,734

Median rent (per month)

Providence$1,408

Rhode Island avg$1,342

US$1,413

Median home value

Providence$362,200

Rhode Island avg$404,200

US$332,700

What it takes to move to Providence

Based on Providence's median rent, home value and household income

To rent

$2,816

up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit

Income to keep rent under 30%: $56,320 a year
46% of Providence renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent

To buy

$72,440

a 20% down payment on the median home

With 10% down: $36,220
Homes cost 5.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)

Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.

The details

Cost of livingNear US average

$1,408/mo median rent

Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,408 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices run above average, with a median around $362,200. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.

Median home value $362,200 · 46% of renters cost-burdened

Job market▲ 28% above US

5.5% unemployment

Unemployment here is 5.5%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.

City-level (BLS)

Safety▼ 13% below US

287 violent crimes per 100k

Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.

Property crime 1575/100k · Providence Police Department · 2025 data

Getting aroundNear US average

25 min average commute

Commutes run about average, at 25 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 14% work from home.

How workers get to work

Drive alone

61%

Work from home

14%

Carpool

10%

Walk

7.3%

Public transit

4.1%

Other

3.8%

Climate

Summers are warm, with highs around 81°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 24°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)

30-year averages, 1991–2020

Healthcare

6 hospitals

There are 6 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 3.8 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.

Medicare-certified hospitals

Education & workforceNear US average

35% bachelor's degree or higher

Education levels run about average, with 35% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.

Schools

61 public schools inside the boundary

There are 61 public schools inside the boundary and 22 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.

Parks & recreation

The nearest national park or historic site is Roger Williams National Memorial (1 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.

Bottom line

Providence's strongest point is several well-rated hospitals; the main tradeoffs are unemployment above the national average and household incomes below the national average. A year of median rent ($1,408/mo) equals 25% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It may be a harder fit for anyone moving without a job lined up.

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