Living in Providence, RI
Mid-size city in Rhode Island
Providence is a mid-size city in Rhode Island, home to about 190,000 people, with 1.4 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, you can walk or take transit almost everywhere. Life moves at a fast pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
Is Providence a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Easy flying: PVD is 7 mi away
- Strong healthcare: 7 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Mild summers: highs around 81°F
- Low natural disaster risk: 8 federally declared disasters since 2000
👎 Cons
- Few dog parks: 9 within 9 mi
- Higher taxes: about $1,669 state income tax per resident, 1.36% property tax
- Cloudier than most places
- Fewer family amenities than most places
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Providence ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Providence: common questions
What is the cost of living in Providence?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $417k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,090 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are close to the US average (index 102, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Providence?
Rhode Island collects about $1,669 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.36% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Providence safe?
Violent crime is somewhat above the national rate (1.3× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Providence?
Providence has cold winters: winter days average around 41°F and summer days around 81°F, with roughly 37″ of snow a year.
Does Providence get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding: 8 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.21 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Providence?
The nearest major airport is PVD, about 7 mi away.
How Providence scores
Each bar compares Providence with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Nearby
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Is Providence right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.