Rhode Island is a small state in the New England region of the United States, with about 1.3 million people. It’s known for its history, culture, and natural beauty, and has diverse communities. However, some counties in Rhode Island aren’t doing well.
In fact, a few of them are losing people quickly, and this can cause big problems for the state’s economy, society, and environment.
This article will look at the five Rhode Island counties that had the most people leaving between 2019 and 2020: Providence County, Kent County, Washington County, Newport County, and Bristol County.
Rhode Island has five counties: Providence, Kent, Washington, Newport, and Bristol. Each of these counties has its own population trends and characteristics.
| County | Population (2023) | Population Growth Rate (2010-2023) | Annual Population Decline (2019-2020) |
| Providence | 670,962 | 7.07% | -1.56% |
| Kent | 171,623 | 3.29% | -0.01% |
| Washington | 130,697 | 2.93% | -0.02% |
| Newport | 86,471 | 4.32% | -0.01% |
| Bristol | 51,069 | -1.56% | -0.01% |
Providence County
Providence County in Rhode Island is the biggest and most crowded county, with 670,962 people in 2023. This makes up 60.16% of the entire state’s population. It has also seen the highest growth since 2010, with a 7.07% increase.
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Kent County
Kent County is the second-biggest county in Rhode Island, with about 171,623 people in 2023. This makes up around 9.76% of the entire state’s population. Since 2010, it has had the second-highest rate of population growth, going up by 3.29%.
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Washington County
Washington County in Rhode Island is the third biggest county, and in 2023, it has 130,697 people, making up 8.64% of the whole state’s population. It’s had the third-highest growth rate in population since 2010, going up by 2.93%.
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Newport County
Newport County in Rhode Island is the fourth biggest county in the state, with 86,471 people in 2023. This makes up about 5.83% of the total population of Rhode Island. Since 2010, it has had the fourth-highest growth in population, going up by 4.32%.
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Bristol County
Bristol County in Rhode Island is the smallest and has the fewest people, with 51,069 residents in 2023. This county makes up only 3.77% of the entire state’s population. Additionally, it experienced the biggest drop in population from 2019 to 2020, with a decrease of 1.56%.
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These counties have different reasons for their rapid or slow population changes. Some factors that may affect their populations are:
- Economic opportunities and challenges
- Education and health care quality
- Housing affordability and availability
- Transportation and infrastructure
- Climate change and natural disasters
- Immigration and emigration policies
How Does Rhode Island Compare to Other States in Terms of Population Change?
- Rhode Island had more people in 8 out of the 12 years from 2010 to 2022. The biggest increase, 3.6%, happened between 2019 and 2020. However, the population dropped by 0.3% between 2021 and 2022. On average, Rhode Island grew by 0.3% each year from 2010 to 2022.
- Compared to the whole country, Rhode Island didn’t grow as much from the 1960s to the 2010s. Yet, there were some years, like the late 1990s and early 2000s, when it grew more than the national average.
- Rhode Island is more diverse in terms of race and ethnicity than the rest of the country. In 2020, around one-fifth of Rhode Islanders identified as two or more races, while it was only about one-tenth for all Americans. The diversity index for Rhode Island was higher than the national average in both 2010 and 2020.
- The people in Rhode Island are getting older faster than the national average. In 2020, about one-third of Rhode Islanders were 65 or older, compared to about one-quarter of Americans. The median age for Rhode Islanders was also higher than the national median age in both years.
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Final Words
These five areas in Rhode Island had a fast drop in people from 2019 to 2020: Providence County, Kent County, Washington County, Newport County, and Bristol County.
These places deal with different issues and chances related to how many people live there, like money matters, community problems, the environment, and rules.
But, a drop in population isn’t always bad. It can lead to new ideas, more variety, and being strong in tough times. Still, it needs careful thinking and organizing to make sure people and the environment stay well.
