Rhode Island has 1,114,521 residents, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau population figures. The number is the official estimate for July 1, 2025, published in 2026. The next annual estimate is expected in December 2026 and will include revisions to earlier figures.
The smallest state is still gaining residents, but almost all its recent growth is concentrated around Providence. Newport County is losing population, coastal communities are getting older, and immigration is helping Rhode Island replace residents moving elsewhere in the country.
Rhode Island recorded 1,097,379 people in the 2020 Census, compared with 1,052,567 in the 2010 Census. That is an increase of 61,954 people, or 5.9%, over 15 years.
| Year | Rhode Island Population |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 1,052,567 |
| 2020 | 1,097,379 |
| 2024 | 1,110,415 |
| 2025 | 1,114,521 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 and 2020 decennial censuses and Vintage 2025 population estimates. The latest estimates show an annual gain of 4,106 residents, or 0.37%, from July 2024 to July 2025.
Rhode Island Is Small, but It Is Anything but Empty
Rhode Island squeezes more than 1.1 million residents into just 1,033.89 square miles of land. Dividing the latest population estimate by that area gives 1,078 people per square mile.
It ranks second among the 50 states for population density, behind New Jersey. Rhode Island’s official state facts confirm the land area, while the Census Bureau’s geographic statistics provide the 2020 density baseline of 1,061.4 residents per square mile.
Montana offers an interesting comparison. Its population is slightly larger, but it covers more than 145,000 square miles. A Rhode Island resident is therefore far more likely to live close to another town or city than someone in Montana.
Density is highest around Providence, Pawtucket and Cranston. Southern communities such as Richmond and Hopkinton have more open land and fewer homes per square mile.
Rhode Island also ranks among the least populated states in 2026. Only Wyoming, Vermont, Alaska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Delaware have fewer residents.
Providence Is Growing Faster Than the Rest of Rhode Island
Video: A look at living in Providence, including its neighborhoods and residential areas.
Providence remains Rhode Island’s largest city, with 195,310 residents in July 2025. Its population has grown by 4,376 since the 2020 Census.
The Vintage 2025 city and town estimates place Providence well ahead of Cranston and Warwick, which have 84,647 and 84,187 residents.
The three cities together contain 364,144 people, calculated from the individual Providence, Cranston and Warwick population estimates.
Providence is also considerably younger than Rhode Island overall. Only 11.6% of city residents are at least 65 years old, while 20.1% are under 18, according to the Census age figures for Providence.
Brown University, the Rhode Island School of Design, hospitals and government offices bring students and workers into the capital. Its younger population fits its role as a college and employment center, particularly when compared with Rhode Island’s older coastal communities.
The Biggest Population Gains Are Happening Around Providence
Providence County has 678,179 residents, representing 60.8% of the entire state. It gained 17,438 people between the 2020 Census and July 2025.
That county gain is larger than Rhode Island’s total population increase. Growth around Providence has been substantial enough to offset losses elsewhere in the state.
The county figures also reveal how uneven the change has been.
County Population Change Since 2020
| County | Population Change | Growth or Decline |
|---|---|---|
| Providence |
|
+2.6% |
| Kent |
|
+1.8% |
| Washington |
|
0.0% |
| Newport |
|
-3.0% |
| Bristol |
|
-1.6% |
Green indicates growth and red indicates decline. Only Providence and Kent counties gained population. Bar lengths show the absolute size of each percentage change.
| County | 2025 Population | Change Since 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Providence | 678,179 | +2.6% |
| Kent | 173,495 | +1.8% |
| Washington | 129,795 | 0.0% |
| Newport | 83,051 | -3.0% |
| Bristol | 50,001 | -1.6% |
Source for the chart and county table: 2025 Census county population estimates, published by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Changes are measured against the adjusted April 2020 estimates base.
Providence County includes Pawtucket, Woonsocket, East Providence, Cranston and several suburban communities. A growing county population therefore extends well outside the capital itself.
Newport Is Famous for Tourism, but Its County Is Losing Residents
Video: A look at Newport and its visitor attractions.
Newport attracts visitors for its waterfront, historic mansions and sailing events. Yet Newport County has lost 2,592 year-round residents since the 2020 Census, falling from 85,643 to 83,051.
Housing is one of Newport’s biggest local challenges. The city’s 2024 housing planning document estimates that 19% of housing units were used for seasonal or short-term occupancy.
The document also explains that tourism creates large seasonal swings in demand for housing and public services. Homes used primarily during summer are unavailable to families seeking permanent accommodation.
Seasonal housing is therefore a documented pressure on Newport’s residential market. It is a credible contributor to the difficulty of keeping year-round housing available, although it does not explain the entire county population decline.
Newport County also has a relatively old population. Its Census demographic figures show that 27.2% of residents are aged 65 or older.
The county’s median owner-occupied home value reached $609,700 during the 2020-2024 survey period, according to the Census housing figures.
Newport’s combination of expensive homes, seasonal occupancy and an older resident population leaves younger households facing a very different housing market from the Providence area.
There Are More Seniors Than Children
Rhode Island has reached a notable demographic point. Residents aged 65 and older now outnumber children under 18.
Seniors make up 20.9% of the population, while children represent 17.7%, according to the Census Bureau’s Rhode Island age statistics.
Washington County is even older, with 27.7% of residents aged 65 or above. The Washington County demographic figures show how far its age balance has moved toward retirement-age residents.
The figures come from Census QuickFacts, which combines population estimates and American Community Survey statistics. They are not individual counts taken on a single survey day.
For local communities, an aging population affects demand for healthcare, accessible housing and public transportation. In areas with fewer children, future school enrollment can also become a concern.
Providence looks very different from Newport or Washington County. Its senior share is less than half the Newport County percentage, making the capital considerably younger than the coastal communities.
Rhode Island Is Becoming More Ethnically Diverse
Rhode Island’s immigrant history includes Irish, Italian and Portuguese communities, alongside more recent arrivals from Latin America, Africa and Asia.
Today, 19.7% of residents identify as Hispanic or Latino, and 66.5% are White and not Hispanic or Latino, according to the Census Bureau’s race and ethnicity figures.
Providence has a much larger Hispanic population share, reaching 47.2% in the city ethnicity statistics.
Across Rhode Island, 15.3% of residents were born outside the United States, based on the 2020-2024 foreign-born population estimates.
Another 23.1% of residents aged five and older speak a language other than English at home, as recorded in the Census household language figures.
The numbers help explain why multilingual public services are particularly relevant in Providence, where Spanish is widely spoken in homes, schools and businesses.
Housing Costs Are Taking a Large Share of Renter Incomes
Video: Rhode Island housing market conditions and the challenges facing buyers and sellers.
Rhode Island has limited space for new construction, and housing costs have become a serious obstacle for many families.
The median value of an owner-occupied home was $404,200 during the 2020-2024 American Community Survey period, according to the Census housing value statistics.
Median gross rent was $1,342 per month, while median monthly housing costs for homeowners with a mortgage reached $2,234. Both figures come from the Census housing cost estimates for the same survey period.
Statewide median household income was $87,796, measured in 2024 dollars, according to the Census income statistics.
For renters, the pressure is much clearer when actual household housing burdens are examined. In 2024, 51.1% of Rhode Island renter households spent at least 30% of their income on housing, according to USAFacts analysis of Census data.
The Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 rental burden table also separates renter households by the proportion of income spent on gross rent, including those spending 30%, 40% and 50% or more.
Rhode Island has set a goal of permitting 15,000 new homes by 2030 under its Housing 2030 plan. The state approved the plan in December 2025 as part of its long-term housing strategy.
More housing around Providence could support future population growth. In Newport, the additional challenge is making more homes available to year-round residents rather than seasonal visitors.
Rhode Island Is Growing at a Slower Pace Than Many Other States
Rhode Island gained 4,106 residents between July 2024 and July 2025. The increase looks modest, but the migration figures reveal something more interesting.
More residents left Rhode Island for other U.S. states than arrived from them. At the same time, international migration added enough residents to offset those losses.
How Rhode Island’s Population Changed From July 2024 to July 2025
International migration
+5,923
Domestic migration
-1,551
Natural change
-304
Net population change
+4,106
Source: U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 state population components. International migration added 5,923 people, net domestic migration was -1,551, and natural change was -304. The components sum to 4,068, leaving a residual adjustment of 38 people relative to the published population increase.
Without the contribution from international migration, Rhode Island would have recorded a population decline during the latest annual period.
The national picture is changing, too. The Census Bureau population growth report found that international migration into the United States declined substantially during the latest annual period.
Rhode Island’s continued growth is therefore closely tied to immigration. If international arrivals fall and domestic migration remains negative, future population increases could be much smaller.
Our article on population decline across U.S. states examines how migration and natural population change affect states losing residents.
Future of Rhode Island Depends on Housing and Migration
Rhode Island is developing two population stories. Providence County continues gaining residents, while Newport and Bristol counties are getting smaller. Coastal communities also have much older populations than the capital.
Housing adds pressure to both trends. Providence needs room for additional residents, and Newport needs more year-round homes in a market heavily influenced by seasonal demand.
The biggest immediate question is immigration. Rhode Island recorded domestic migration losses and more deaths than births during the latest annual period. International migration kept the population growing.
If that source of growth weakens, Rhode Island faces the prospect of slower growth or a renewed population decline. More housing and improved opportunities to retain residents could help change that direction, but the latest Census figures show how dependent the state has become on people arriving from overseas.
