Best places to live in Rhode Island (2026)

All 7 ranked places in Rhode Island, by all-round score.

Ranked by an all-round score: the average of all 14 quality scores (housing costs, taxes, jobs, healthcare, education, family life, safety, natural disasters, climate and more), weighted equally. Places missing from the FBI crime table are left out, since their safety is unknown. Scores are out of 100.

1. 1Newport, RIBeach town · 3-bed $1.01M · safe69
2. 2Warwick, RISuburb · 3-bed $434k · very safe65
3. 3East Providence, RISuburb · 3-bed $454k · very safe63
4. 4Cranston, RISuburb · 3-bed $466k · very safe63
5. 5Providence, RIMid-size city · 3-bed $417k · moderate crime60
6. 6Pawtucket, RISuburb · 3-bed $406k · safe58
7. 7Woonsocket, RISuburb · 3-bed $406k · moderate crime58

Cheapest places to live in Rhode Island

Ranked by the typical value of a 3-bedroom home (Zillow), lowest first.

1. 1Woonsocket, RISuburb · rent $2,090/mo · cost of living 102$406k
2. 2Pawtucket, RISuburb · rent $2,090/mo · cost of living 102$406k
3. 3Providence, RIMid-size city · rent $2,090/mo · cost of living 102$417k
4. 4Warwick, RISuburb · rent $2,090/mo · cost of living 102$434k
5. 5East Providence, RISuburb · rent $2,090/mo · cost of living 102$454k

Safest places to live in Rhode Island

Ranked by violent crimes per resident in FBI 2019 data, lowest first. Places missing from the FBI table are left out.

1. 1Warwick, RISuburb · violent crime 0.2× the US rate94 per 100k
2. 2East Providence, RISuburb · violent crime 0.3× the US rate130 per 100k
3. 3Cranston, RISuburb · violent crime 0.4× the US rate156 per 100k
4. 4Newport, RIBeach town · violent crime 0.7× the US rate277 per 100k
5. 5Pawtucket, RISuburb · violent crime 1.1× the US rate407 per 100k

Safest places from natural disasters in Rhode Island

Ranked by our natural disaster score: FEMA's expected deaths, injuries and home damage from 18 hazards, plus federally declared disasters in the county since 2000.

1. 1Newport, RI8 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, hurricanes90
2. 2East Providence, RI8 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, hurricanes88
3. 3Warwick, RI8 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, hurricanes87
4. 4Pawtucket, RI8 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding86
5. 5Providence, RI8 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding85

Best places to live for families in Rhode Island

Ranked by a family score: the average of our Kids & family, Safety, Education and Affordable housing scores. Places missing from the FBI crime table are left out.

1. 1Warwick, RISuburb · kids average · safety excellent · 3-bed $434k67
2. 2Cranston, RISuburb · kids average · safety excellent · 3-bed $466k65
3. 3East Providence, RISuburb · kids below average · safety excellent · 3-bed $454k62
4. 4Newport, RIBeach town · kids average · safety good · 3-bed $1.01M57
5. 5Providence, RIMid-size city · kids below average · safety average · 3-bed $417k53

Best places to live · Cheapest places to live · Safest places to live · Safest places from natural disasters · Best places to live for families

Data: US Census, Zillow, HUD, BEA, FBI 2019, FEMA, NOAA, NASA, CMS, NCES and others. How scores work.