HomeRhode IslandProvidence County
Providence County, Rhode Island: commercial real estate data.
Providence County, Rhode Island has a population of 664,854 across 410 square miles, up 2.3 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $46.73 bn in 2024, 16,414 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 768 7(a) approvals worth $251.2 m.
123 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Providence County
How many people live in Providence County
- Population664,854
- Households259,210
- Average household size2.56
- Median household income$78,787
- Median age38.0
- Median gross rent$1,312 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$373,600
- Home value to household income4.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income20.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher32.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree12.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over463,552
- Population under 18133,940
- Share under 1820.1 percent
- Population 65 and over108,512
- Share 65 and over16.3 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64422,402
- Civilian labor force358,122
- Unemployment rate6.6 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over67.5 percent
- Rank by population among Rhode Island counties1st of 5
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents104th
Providence County is the 1st largest of 5 Rhode Island counties by population. A median home costs 4.7 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 20.1 percent against 16.3 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Providence County
Is Providence County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.30 percent
- Census 2020 base population660,725
- Births, 20246,719
- Deaths, 20245,700
- Natural change, 20241,019
- Net domestic migration, 2024-562
- Net international migration, 20248,219
- Total net migration, 20247,657
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-10,491
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1074th
The county has grown 2.30 percent since the 2020 census base. Migration contributed more to 2024 change than births over deaths, so demand here follows people arriving rather than families forming.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Providence County
Where people moving to Providence County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving13,868
- People arriving, from those returns20,607
- Adjusted gross income arriving$943.7 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$68,047
- Largest single originProvidence County Non-migrants (264,914 households)
- Largest single destination (264,914 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providence County Non-migrants | 264,914 | 483,730 | $20.26 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 2,616 | 3,840 | $163.2 m |
| Kent County | 2,024 | 3,151 | $122.5 m |
| Bristol County | 1,437 | 2,193 | $89.7 m |
| Other flows - South | 1,099 | 1,693 | $69.7 m |
| Other flows - Northeast | 728 | 1,016 | $43.9 m |
| Norfolk County | 709 | 1,086 | $58.7 m |
| Suffolk County | 692 | 1,028 | $50.5 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Providence County Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Providence County
What the Providence County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$46.73 bn
- County GDP, 2023$44.72 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.5 percent
- GDP change over five years28.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among Rhode Island counties1st
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents126th
- GDP per resident$70,281
Output grew 4.5 percent in the latest year and 28.5 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Providence County
Who employs people in Providence County
- Covered employment, annual average288,107
- Establishments reporting24,426
- Average annual pay$68,852
- Average weekly wage$1,324
- Sector 62, employment55,723
- Sector 62, average annual pay$62,709
- Sector 72, employment26,883
- Sector 72, average annual pay$28,432
- Sector 44-45, employment24,066
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$40,022
- Sector 31-33, employment18,642
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$62,588
- Sector 56, employment17,977
- Sector 52, employment17,946
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 62 | 55,723 | 3,316 | $62,709 |
| Sector 72 | 26,883 | 1,792 | $28,432 |
| Sector 44-45 | 24,066 | 2,058 | $40,022 |
| Sector 31-33 | 18,642 | 850 | $62,588 |
| Sector 56 | 17,977 | 1,912 | $54,248 |
| Sector 52 | 17,946 | 1,107 | $116,479 |
| Sector 61 | 17,252 | 495 | $69,739 |
| Sector 54 | 16,298 | 4,333 | $104,688 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 55,723 jobs, 19.3 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Providence County
What businesses operate in Providence County
- Establishments, all industries16,414
- Employment at those establishments273,731
- Annual payroll$17.27 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents24.7
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Providence County
What is being built in Providence County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 2024782
- Declared construction value permitted$123.5 m
- Single family units authorised314
- Multifamily units authorised468
- Multifamily share of units59.8 percent
- Average declared value per unit$157,881
- Units authorised per 1,000 households3.0
Multifamily is 59.8 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Providence County
How much SBA lending happens in Providence County
- 7(a) approvals recorded768
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$251.2 m
- Average 7(a) approval$327,136
- Median 7(a) approval$125,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$749,400
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)6,883
- Jobs per approval9.0
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active73
- Distinct industries receiving approvals242
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer8.5 percent
- Loans on real estate terms65
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter682
- Franchise loans55
- Franchise share of approvals7.2 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (49)
- Most active lenderTD Bank, National Association (103)
- 504 approvals recorded377
- 504 gross approval dollars$181.1 m
- Average 504 approval$480,316
- Median 504 approval$297,000
- Distinct CDCs active6
- 504 jobs per approval6.7
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved14.0
- Most active CDCOcean State Business Development Authority (152)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals67.1 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$432.3 m
The average approval of $327,136 sits well above the median of $125,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 8.5 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Providence County
Do SBA loans in Providence County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded139
- Paid in full122
- Charged off17
- Charge off rate on resolved loans12.2 percent
- Status: Paid in full122
- Status: Exempt from disclosure483
- Status: Charged off17
- Status: Cancelled107
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed39
| NAICS | Industry | Resolved loans | Charged off | Charge off rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 722513 | Limited-Service Restaurants | 10 | 0 | 0.0% |
Of the 139 loans that have reached a final outcome, 12.2 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong. Among industries with at least ten resolved loans, Limited-Service Restaurants carries the highest charge off rate at 0.0 percent.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Providence County
Which parts of Providence County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending34
- PROVIDENCE, approvals211
- CRANSTON, approvals129
- Johnston, approvals66
- PAWTUCKET, approvals52
- EAST PROVIDENCE, approvals39
- CUMBERLAND, approvals38
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| PROVIDENCE | 211 | $67,830,200 |
| CRANSTON | 129 | $33,333,800 |
| Johnston | 66 | $15,705,300 |
| PAWTUCKET | 52 | $17,590,400 |
| EAST PROVIDENCE | 39 | $15,599,900 |
| CUMBERLAND | 38 | $16,556,300 |
| NORTH PROVIDENCE | 37 | $10,691,000 |
| WOONSOCKET | 29 | $7,706,500 |
PROVIDENCE accounts for 211 approvals against 129 in CRANSTON. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Providence County
How big is Providence County
- Land area410 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Rhode Island counties1st of 5
- Width, east to west24.8 mi
- Height, north to south20.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary2
- Residents per square mile of land1,622
- Establishments per square mile40.03
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- No NFIP communities are listed for this county in the FEMA Community Status Book.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Providence County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Providence County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population664,854
- Households259,210
- Average household size2.56
- Median household income$78,787
- Median age38.0
Common questions
Providence County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Providence County, Rhode Island?
664,854, in 259,210 households, ranking 1st of 5 Rhode Island counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Providence County growing?
The population has grown 2.30 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 6,719 births against 5,700 deaths, with net migration of 7,657. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Providence County?
$78,787. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $373,600, which is 4.7 times income, and median gross rent is $1,312 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Providence County?
16,414 establishments, employing 273,731 people with an annual payroll of $17.27 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Providence County?
Average annual pay is $68,852, or $1,324 a week, across 288,107 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Providence County?
768 7(a) approvals totalling $251.2 m since FY2020, across 73 lenders, with a median approval of $125,000, plus 377 504 approvals worth $181.1 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Providence County get paid back?
Of the 139 loans that have reached a final outcome, 122 were paid in full and 17 charged off, a charge off rate of 12.2 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Providence County?
782 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $123.5 m. Multifamily was 59.8 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Providence County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Providence County come from?
The largest single origin is Providence County Non-migrants, with 264,914 households. Arriving households report an average income of $68,047 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Providence County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Providence County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.