Homes for Sale in Providence, RI

Rhode Island's capital and largest city, 25 named neighborhoods between Narragansett Bay and the Blackstone Valley

Providence is the third-largest city in New England and the capital of Rhode Island, organized around the rivers and hills where the city was founded in 1636. Twenty-five named neighborhoods stretch from the East Side waterfront across downtown to the West End and the Olneyville mill villages.

About Providence

Providence is the capital of Rhode Island and the third-largest city in New England, with 190,934 residents recorded in the 2020 Census. The city was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams as a refuge for religious dissenters from the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and its street grid still follows the contours of the seven hills where it was built. The Providence and Woonasquatucket Rivers meet downtown at Waterplace Park, the centerpiece of the WaterFire installations that draw visitors on summer Saturday nights.

Twenty-five named neighborhoods span the city, from the dense, historic East Side, where Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design anchor College Hill, to the Italian-American restaurant district of Federal Hill, the downtown core around Kennedy Plaza, and the formerly industrial mill villages along the Woonasquatucket River in Olneyville, Manton, and Valley. The south side stretches from Roger Williams Park through Washington Park, Elmwood, and South Elmwood toward the Cranston border. WalkScore rates the city as a whole at 76 (Very Walkable), with the East Side and downtown scoring in the high 80s and 90s.

Public transit is provided by the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority, with most bus routes converging at Kennedy Plaza in downtown. MBTA commuter rail and Amtrak Northeast Corridor service connect Providence Station to Boston, New York, and Washington. T.F. Green International Airport sits eight miles south in Warwick. Public education is delivered by the Providence Public School District, with Classical High School as the city's selective-admission college-preparatory option, and a dense cluster of higher education institutions including Brown, RISD, Providence College, and Johnson & Wales.

Demographics

Population
190,934(2020)
Median age
30(2020)
Median household income
$57,855(2020)
Walk Score
76 (Very Walkable)(2026)
Transit Score
51(2026)

Schools in Providence

Colleges & Universities

Brown University

Undergraduate + graduate

Ivy League research university founded in 1764, on College Hill.

Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)

Undergraduate + graduate

Nonprofit art and design college and museum founded 1877, at the foot of College Hill.

Providence College

Undergraduate + graduate

Catholic liberal arts college on the city's north side, in Elmhurst.

Johnson & Wales University

Undergraduate + graduate

Private university with downtown and Harborside campuses, known for culinary, hospitality, and business programs.

Public Schools

Providence Public School District

K–12

City-wide public school district serving roughly 22,000 students across all neighborhoods.

Classical High School

9–12

Selective-admission public high school with a college-preparatory curriculum.

Common Questions About Providence

What are the neighborhoods of Providence?

Providence has 25 named neighborhoods, including College Hill, Fox Point, Wayland, Blackstone, Hope, and Mount Hope on the East Side; Federal Hill, the West End, Elmwood, and South Elmwood on the west; Downtown, Smith Hill, and Wanskuck in the city core; and Olneyville, Manton, Hartford, Silver Lake, Reservoir, Mount Pleasant, Elmhurst, Valley, Charles, Washington Park, Lower South Providence, and Upper South Providence around the periphery.

Source: Providence Department of Planning

What's the population of Providence?

190,934 residents as of the 2020 Census, making Providence the third-largest city in New England after Boston and Worcester.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census

Is Providence walkable?

Yes. The city as a whole scores 76 on WalkScore (Very Walkable), with downtown, the East Side, and Federal Hill scoring in the high 80s and 90s.

Source: WalkScore — Providence

How do I get from Providence to Boston?

MBTA commuter rail (Providence/Stoughton Line) runs from Providence Station to Boston South Station in roughly one hour. Amtrak Northeast Corridor service is faster but costs more.

Source: MBTA

What public school district serves Providence?

Providence Public School District, with roughly 22,000 students across the city. Classical High School is the district's selective-admission college-preparatory option.

Source: Providence Public Schools

Your Providence expert

Buying or selling in Providence? Dave knows the area. Rhode Islander since age five, working these streets every week.

Interested in Providence?

Buying or selling, Dave is in your corner. Send a note. He'll be back to you within 2 to 4 hours.

Free consultation. Dave replies within 2 to 4 hours. No marketing list, no spam, no sharing your info with third parties.

Or call directly:

(401) 440-8659