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Providence County, Rhode Island facts for kids

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Providence County
County
Providence County Courthouse
Providence County Courthouse
Country  United States
State  Rhode Island
Region New England
Metro area Providence
Formed June 22, 1703; 321 years ago (1703-06-22)
Named for Providence, Rhode Island
County town Providence
Largest city Providence
Incorporated municipalities
16 (total)
6 cities, 10 towns
Area
 • Total 436 sq mi (1,130 km2)
 • Land 410 sq mi (1,100 km2)
 • Water 26 sq mi (70 km2)  6%%
Highest elevation
812 ft (247 m)
Lowest elevation
0 ft (0 m)
Population
 • Total 660,741 Increase
 • Density 1,611/sq mi (622/km2)
GDP
 • Total $42.588 billion (2022)
Time zone UTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Code format
028xx, 029xx
Area code 401
FIPS code 44-007
GNIS feature ID 1219781
Congressional district 1st, 2nd

Providence County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 660,741, or 60.2% of the state's population. Providence County contains the city of Providence, the state capital of Rhode Island and the county's (and state's) most populous city, with an estimated 190,934 residents in 2020. Providence County is included in the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which in turn constitutes a portion of the greater Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT Combined Statistical Area. As of 2010, the center of population in Rhode Island is located in Providence County, in the city of Cranston.

History

Providence County was constituted on June 22, 1703, as the County of Providence Plantations. It consisted of five towns, namely Providence, Warwick, Westerly, Kingstown, and Greenwich and encompassed territory in present-day Kent and Washington counties. Washington County was split off as King's County in 1729, while Kent County was split off in 1750. The town of Cumberland was acquired from Massachusetts and added to Providence County in 1746–47, and the towns of East Providence and Pawtucket were made part of Providence County when the final border with Massachusetts was settled in 1862.

County government in Rhode Island was abolished in 1842. Providence County, like other counties in Rhode Island, has no governmental functions (other than as court administrative and sheriff corrections boundaries which are part of state government).

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 436 square miles (1,130 km2), of which 410 square miles (1,100 km2) is land and 26 square miles (67 km2) (6.0%) is water. It is the largest of Rhode Island's five counties by land area, but it's the smallest county in the United States that is a state's largest county. The county is drained by the Blackstone River, which runs partly along the east border, the Woonasquatucket River in the central part of the county, joining with the smaller Moshassuck River in downtown Providence, and the Pawtuxet, which forms a portion of the southeastern boundary of the county. The Pawtuxet is dammed in the western part of the county to form the Scituate Reservoir, which supplies drinking water for Providence and surrounding communities.

The highest natural point in the county and the state of Rhode Island is Jerimoth Hill at 812 feet (247 m). Sea level is the lowest point.

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Major highways

  • I-95
  • I-195
  • I-295
  • US 1
  • US 1A
  • US 6
  • US 6A
  • US 44
  • Route 2
  • Route 5
  • Route 7
  • Route 10
  • Route 12
  • Route 14
  • Route 15
  • Route 33
  • Route 37
  • Route 51
  • Route 94
  • Route 96
  • Route 98
  • Route 99
  • Route 100
  • Route 102
  • Route 103
  • Route 103A
  • Route 104
  • Route 107
  • Route 108
  • Route 114
  • Route 114A
  • Route 115
  • Route 116
  • Route 117
  • Route 120
  • Route 121
  • Route 122
  • Route 123
  • Route 126
  • Route 128
  • Route 146
  • Route 146A
  • Route 152

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1790 24,376 —
1800 25,854 6.1%
1810 30,869 19.4%
1820 35,736 15.8%
1830 47,018 31.6%
1840 58,073 23.5%
1850 87,526 50.7%
1860 107,799 23.2%
1870 149,190 38.4%
1880 197,874 32.6%
1890 255,123 28.9%
1900 328,683 28.8%
1910 424,353 29.1%
1920 475,190 12.0%
1930 540,016 13.6%
1940 550,298 1.9%
1950 574,973 4.5%
1960 568,778 −1.1%
1970 580,261 2.0%
1980 571,349 −1.5%
1990 596,270 4.4%
2000 621,602 4.2%
2010 626,667 0.8%
2020 660,741 5.4%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010-2019

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 626,667 people, 241,717 households, and 149,691 families living in the county. The population density was 1,530.3 inhabitants per square mile (590.9/km2). There were 264,835 housing units at an average density of 646.7 per square mile (249.7/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 73.4% white, 8.5% black or African American, 3.7% Asian, 0.7% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 9.6% from other races, and 4.2% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 18.8% of the population. The largest ancestry groups were:

  • Italy 18.5% Italian
  • Republic of Ireland 15.8% Irish
  • France 12.3% French
  • England 9.4% English
  • Portugal 8.6% Portuguese
  • Quebec 5.4% French Canadian
  • Dominican Republic 5.4% Dominican
  • Puerto Rico 4.9% Puerto Rican
  • Cape Verde 4.3% Cape Verdean
  • Germany 4.2% German
  • Poland 3.8% Polish
  • Guatemala 2.9% Guatemalan
  • Scotland 1.7% Scottish
  • United States 1.6% American
  • Sweden 1.2% Swedish
  • Colombia 1.2% Colombian
  • Mexico 1.1% Mexican
  • Northern Ireland 1.0% Scotch-Irish
  • Arab League 1.0% Arab

Of the 241,717 households, 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.8% were married couples living together, 15.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 38.1% were non-families, and 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.11. The median age was 37.0 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $48,500 and the median income for a family was $61,265. Males had a median income of $44,964 versus $36,447 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,169. About 11.6% of families and 15.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.1% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Map of Providence County Rhode Island With Municipal Labels
Map of Providence County, Rhode Island showing cities, towns, and CDPs

Cities

Towns

Census-designated places

Other villages

Education

School districts include

K-12:

  • Burrillville School District
  • Central Falls School District
  • Cranston School District
  • Cumberland School District
  • East Providence School District
  • Johnston School District
  • Lincoln School District
  • North Providence School District
  • North Smithfield School District
  • Pawtucket School District
  • Providence School District
  • Scituate School District
  • Smithfield School District
  • Woonsocket School District

Secondary:

  • Foster-Glocester Regional School District

Elementary:

  • Foster Elementary School District
  • Glocester Elementary School District

There is a state-operated school: Rhode Island School for the Deaf.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Providence para niños

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