Kent County, RI

County

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2023 Population

170,658

0.288% 1-year growth

US Senator

Jack Reed

Democratic Party

US Senator

Sheldon Whitehouse

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

43.6

0% 1-year change

2023 Poverty Rate

7.39%

1.5% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$91,278

6.47% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$333,900

9.12% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

90,888

0.747% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Kent County, RI had a population of 171k people with a median age of 43.6 and a median household income of $91,278. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Kent County, RI grew from 170,168 to 170,658, a 0.288% increase and its median household income grew from $85,732 to $91,278, a 6.47% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Kent County, RI are White (Non-Hispanic) (84.7%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (2.93%), Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) (2.53%), Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) (2.15%), and White (Hispanic) (1.9%).

None of the households in Kent County, RI reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

97.2% of the residents in Kent County, RI are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Kent County, RI are Community College of Rhode Island (2,048 degrees awarded in 2023) and New England Institute of Technology (813 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Kent County, RI was $333,900, and the homeownership rate was 72.1%.

Most people in Kent County, RI drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 25.2 minutes. The average car ownership in Kent County, RI was 2 cars per household.

Kent County, RI borders New London County, CT, Windham County, CT, Bristol County, RI, Newport County, RI, Providence County, RI, and Washington County, RI.

United States Rhode Island Providence-Warwick, RI-MA

Population & Diversity

Kent County, RI is home to a population of 171k people, from which 97.2% are citizens. As of 2023, 6.93% of Kent County, RI residents were born outside of the country (11.8k people).

In 2023, there were 28.9 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (145k people) in Kent County, RI than any other race or ethnicity. There were 5k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 4.32k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.2%

2023 Citizenship

97.3%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 97.2% of Kent County, RI residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Kent County, RI was 97.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Kent County, RI compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Kent County, RI

White (Non-Hispanic)
145k ± 607
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
5k ± 361
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
4.32k ± 538

6.43%

Hispanic Population

11k people

6.43% of the people in Kent County, RI are hispanic (11k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Kent County, RI as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Rhode Island.

Most Common Origin

Dominican Republic
36,183 ± 4,592 people
Guatemala
17,080 ± 3,184 people
Portugal
12,213 ± 2,698 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Rhode Island was Dominican Republic, the natal country of 36,183 Rhode Island residents, followed by Guatemala with 17,080 and Portugal with 12,213.

Foreign-Born Population

6.93%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

11.8k people

6.84%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

11.6k people

As of 2023, 6.93% of Kent County, RI residents (11.8k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Kent County, RI was 6.84%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Kent County, RI compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
3,432 ± 417
Gulf War (2001-)
2,181 ± 458
Gulf War (1990s)
1,166 ± 283

Kent County, RI has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.57 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Kent County, RI employs 90.9k people. In 2023, the largest industries in Kent County, RI were Health Care & Social Assistance (14,599 people), Retail Trade (11,738 people), and Manufacturing (10,373 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($96,336), Public Administration ($88,841), and Management of Companies & Enterprises ($83,382).

Employment

Occupations

90.9k

2023 Value

± 2,664

0.747%

1 Year growth

± 4.03%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Kent County, RI grew at a rate of 0.747%, from 90.2k employees to 90.9k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Kent County, RI, are Management Occupations (10,374 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (10,121 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (9,683 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Kent County, RI.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Rhode Island.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Rhode Island (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

90.9k

2023 Value

± 2,664

0.747%

1 Year growth

± 4.03%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Kent County, RI grew at a rate of 0.747%, from 90.2k employees to 90.9k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Kent County, RI, are Health Care & Social Assistance (14,599 people), Retail Trade (11,738 people), and Manufacturing (10,373 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Kent County, RI, though some of these residents may live in Kent County, RI and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$62,337

Median earning men ± $2,646

$49,999

Median earning women ± $1,313

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Public Administration ($92,619), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($82,585), and Wholesale Trade ($72,500).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Public Administration ($77,321), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($67,472), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($64,250).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Rhode Island.

Y-Axis

1.31%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 488k people employed in Rhode Island. This represents a 1.31% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 20.6%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Rhode Island.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

391
Construction
356
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
308
Other Services (except Public Administration)

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$791k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$465k
Retail Trade
$391k
Manufacturing

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Education

In 2023, universities in Kent County, RI awarded 2,861 degrees. The student population of Kent County, RI in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 5,731 male students and 8,637 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Kent County, RI are White (1,717 and 60.2%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (473 and 16.6%), Black or African American (224 and 7.86%), and Unknown (181 and 6.35%).

The largest universities in Kent County, RI by number of degrees awarded are Community College of Rhode Island (2,048 and 71.6%) and New England Institute of Technology (813 and 28.4%).

The most popular majors in Kent County, RI are General Studies (967 and 33.8%), Registered Nursing (405 and 14.2%), and General Business (102 and 3.57%).

The median tuition cost in Kent County, RI for private four year colleges is $33,225.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2023 in Kent County, RI, the percentage of applicants admitted was 72.7%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 26.8%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 14,368 (39.9% men and 60.1% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 14,368 students enrolled in Kent County, RI, 39.9% men and 60.1% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 6,728 records, of which 57.3% were women and 42.7% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Studies
967 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
363 degrees awarded
General Business
102 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Kent County, RI was General Studies with 967 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Kent County, RI according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Community College of Rhode Island
2,048 degrees awarded
New England Institute of Technology
813 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Community College of Rhode Island with 2,048 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 1,221 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Kent County, RI, which is 0.745 times less than the 1,640 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 1,717 degrees mean that there were 3.63 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 473 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($33,225) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($2,400) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($2,004) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Rhode Island.

Measure

In 2023, 1.42% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 1.3% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Rhode Island.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2023 were High School or Equivalent (244k), Bachelors Degree (187k), and Some college (180k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Kent County, RI was $333,900 in 2023, which is 1.1 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $306,000 to $333,900, a 9.12% increase. The homeownership rate in Kent County, RI is 72.1%, which is higher than the national average of 65%.

People in Kent County, RI have an average commute time of 25.2 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Kent County, RI is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Kent County, RI is $91,278. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Kent County, RI was Census Tract 209.03, Kent County, RI with a value of $199,189, followed by Census Tract 209.04, Kent County, RI and Census Tract 208, Kent County, RI, with respective values of $162,321 and $137,485.

In 2024, 14.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Kent County, RI. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 2.68%.

Housing

Property

$333,900

Median Property Value 2023

±$5,844

$52,483

Median Property Taxes

±$1,578

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Kent County, RI the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Kent County, RI compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

72.1%

Homeownership

2023

62.9%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 72.1% of the housing units in Kent County, RI were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 72.1%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Kent County, RI compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 209.03, Kent County, RI
Census Tract 209.04, Kent County, RI
Census Tract 208, Kent County, RI

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Kent County, RI was Census Tract 209.03, Kent County, RI with a value of $199,189, followed by Census Tract 209.04, Kent County, RI and Census Tract 208, Kent County, RI, with respective values of $162,321 and $137,485.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Kent County, RI colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$91,278

Median Household Income

± $2,325

72.7k

Number of Households

± 2,249

In 2023, the median household income of the 72.7k households in Kent County, RI grew to $91,278 from the previous year's value of $85,732.

The following chart displays the households in Kent County, RI distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Kent County, RI is from Rhode Island.

0.446

2023 Wage GINI in Rhode Island

0.447

2022 Wage GINI in Rhode Island

In 2023, the income inequality in Rhode Island was 0.446 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.292% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Rhode Island was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Rhode Island in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Rhode Island across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (79.4%)
Worked At Home (10.6%)
Carpooled (6.87%)

In 2023, 79.4% of workers in Kent County, RI drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (10.6%) and those who carpooled to work (6.87%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

25.2 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Kent County, RI have a shorter commute time (25.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 2.35% of the workforce in Kent County, RI have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Kent County, RI compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Kent County, RI distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Kent County, RI have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2024, 14.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Kent County, RI. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 2.68%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

7.39% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Kent County, RI (12.5k out of 169k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 55 - 64, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Females 45 - 54.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Kent County, RI is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2024, 9.2% of the children was living in poverty in Kent County, RI. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 2.4%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 112 in Kent County, RI. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 13.4 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

97% of the population of Kent County, RI has health coverage, with 55.7% on employee plans, 13.5% on Medicaid, 14.5% on Medicare, 12.2% on non-group plans, and 0.984% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Kent County, RI see 1,186 patients per year on average, which represents a 3.04% increase from the previous year (1,151 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1278 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 250 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.9% were men and 51.1% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,186 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Kent County, RI

Primary care physicians in Kent County, RI see an average of 1,186 patients per year. This represents a 3.04% increase from the previous year (1,151 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Kent County, RI in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 19.5% under 18 years, 19.4% between 18 and 34 years, 41.6% between 35 and 64 years, and 19.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.9% were men and 51.1% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

3.04%

Uninsured

55.7%

Employer Coverage

13.5%

Medicaid

14.5%

Medicare

12.2%

Non-Group

0.984%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Kent County, RI declined by 3.24% from 3.14% to 3.04%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Kent County, RI changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2024, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 29.7 in Kent County, RI.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Kent County, RI.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2024, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 29.6% in Kent County, RI.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Kent County, RI.