2023 Best Places to Live in the Providence Area

• Suburb of Providence, RI

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  Rating 3.86 out of 5  78 reviews

Current Resident: Barrington was a great place to grow up and there are many things that I like about living here. It is a small town, so everywhere is relatively accessible and it is safe so, as a kid, I was able to bike around to different places. It is also a beautiful town because it is located on the water and has some eye-catching architecture, such as the public library and some houses. It also has an excellent public school system which set me up for success and is filled with many teachers who are passionate about their work. On the other hand, Barrington is not very diverse and is fairly wealthy so it can be somewhat insulated. It also does not have a lot of activities for older kids but once I was able to drive, it was easy to drive to Providence or to a train station to access other cities like Boston and New York.... Read 78 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 17,201

• Suburb of Providence, RI

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  Rating 4.12 out of 5  49 reviews

Current Resident: Personally I think the town is quite nice and fine the way that it is, I would label it as more of a quiet town, and since it is a quiet town it is also kind of boring. But, for me that is fine, this is because currently I am a college student living in a dorm and the only thing that matters to me right now is sitting down and focusing on my work. Granted there are people out there who would hate the life I live, so unless you're the quiet type that likes to work, live in a quiet neighborhood, then this place might be for you.... Read 49 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 13,970

• Suburb of Providence, RI

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  Rating 4.09 out of 5  11 reviews

Nearby Resident: It is a good area and I like being able to see it. All stores are close by and there are many things to do. It is very convenient that everything is close by.... Read 11 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A minus

• Population 6,496

• Suburb of Providence, RI

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  Rating 3.91 out of 5  70 reviews

Current Resident: South Kingstown is a very welcoming community. They have beautiful beaches, wonderful shops, and tantalizing cuisine. The town is a safe environment to raise a family and live peacefully. South Kingstown is home to two of South County's scenic beaches, tranquil farmlands, and historic landmarks. Downtown Wakefield is situated on the revitalized Saugatucket River, an architectural sight to behold. Unique shops and restaurants line Main St. featuring exquisite antiques, garden supplies, apparel, gifts, crafts, and more!... Read 70 reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• Population 31,576

• Neighborhood in Providence, RI

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  Rating 4 out of 5  3 reviews

Niche User: Good central location to Boston, New York, Connecticut and more. Beautiful, growing small historical city. Cons are high taxes and the public transit could absolutely extend/improve.... Read 3 reviews

• grade A

• grade C minus

• Population 9,324

• Suburb of Providence, RI

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  Rating 3.51 out of 5  45 reviews

Current Resident: Wonderful place to live. Great school, families and people. Location is great to. I moved here from Barrington and I am happy to move.... Read 45 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 8,925

• Neighborhood in Providence, RI

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  Rating 3.6 out of 5  25 reviews

Current Resident: The College Hill area is home to students from RISD and Brown University. There are many restaurants in the area, in particular on Wickenden Street, Thayer Street and South Main Street. There are also many bars and great spots for a drink. College Hill is close to Downcity Providence, which also has many restaurants and bars/clubs. As well as residential homes, College Hill has dorms and apartments that students rent. It is overall a safe area, although one should not walk alone at night. College Hill is, literally, a very big hill, so be prepared for a good workout!... Read 25 reviews

• grade A

• grade C minus

• Population 8,301

• Suburb of Providence, RI

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  Rating 4 out of 5  65 reviews

Current Resident: North Kingstown has been a great place to live and go to school. The town has 5 elementary schools, two middle/junior high schools and a senior high school. The senior high school is less than 15 years old and offers a lot of opportunities for students to excel in academics, the arts, and athletics. Academically, North Kingstown high school has prepared me well for college and life beyond college. They offer a very broad range of class subjects which was very helpful for me to discover what I wanted choose as a major in college. The teachers are very supportive and willing to help but they expect you to try hard and help yourself to the learning opportunities that are available. North Kingstown is a nice town. There is diversity among the residents. Most everyone is respectful of each other. There are some very large parks and recreation areas for kids to stretch their legs, run and play. There is also a town beach that gives residents access to the Narragansett Bay.... Read 65 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 27,696

• Neighborhood in Providence, RI

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  Rating 3.83 out of 5  12 reviews

Niche User: I love it here, but don't know about city stats.... Read 12 reviews

• grade A

• grade C minus

• Population 6,857

• Neighborhood in Providence, RI

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  Rating 4.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Current Resident: I love that I live in Fox Point because there are many stores close to where I live. There is a grocery store, a meat shop, a coffee shop, a nail salon, a fish store, an elementary school, and even a gasoline station. It is everything in a little area.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A

• grade C minus

• Population 6,953

• Suburb in Massachusetts

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  Rating 5 out of 5  2 reviews

Current Resident: North Seekonk is a comfortable and quaint town that exudes safety and security. The shops and stores are adequate, with other places close by, and the atmosphere is comforting. I highly recommend living here if you want to raise a family.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• Population 2,191

• Suburb of Providence, RI

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  Rating 4.13 out of 5  67 reviews

Current Resident: Cumberland is the place to BE in Rhode Island ! Right on the border of Massachusetts and 45 minutes from the beautiful state beaches, raising a family in a suburb like Cumberland is unbeatable ! From a stellar school system to a tight knit community, move to Cumberland today! We can’t wait to meet ya!... Read 67 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 36,186

• Suburb of Providence, RI

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  Rating 4.45 out of 5  11 reviews

Visitor: I've been frequently visiting this island community for the past 16 years; my GF lives there. A town admin member wishes more residents were as up on it as I am. There's much to love; but it's become a rich person's paradise. Every square inch of available land is being built upon for luxury homes and the zoning boards roll over to get their tummies scratched. In many sections, the density is awful (Shores). Realty is the biz to be in. Town is rapidly losing its original character. Police/fire dept members can't afford to live there. It's rapidly transforming into Newport Lite and now it's all about the Benjamins. This town has forgotten the people who built it. The state-mandated goal of 10% affordable housing is woefully short, in part due to NIMBY's. Many homes are 2nd's & sparsely used. Problems with STR's. Apartment ads are a thing of the past. "I LOVE your town. Now, let's change it!" Most expensive town in RI now. Pros: safe, liberal, great schools, scenic.... Read 11 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 5,531

• Suburb of Providence, RI

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  Rating 4.26 out of 5  39 reviews

Former Resident: I moved to the area in 1997, purchased a home and lived there until 2006. I moved to California, but plan to move back to Portsmouth when I retire. I love the area because the homes are spaced out and there are a lot of places to walk. I love the Polo Games in the summer, and Sandy Point beach. I love bicycling the back roads to Newport, and being able to cross country ski when it snows. There are so many excellent restaurants and superb beaches around Aquidneck Island. Great sailing in the Narragansett Bay, too. Four full seasons: summers can be a bit sticky and winters bitter at times....but the spring and autumn are sublime. I love it being so close to Boston and Cape Cod, too. Overall, it's a great place! I hope it still is when I return in 3-5 years!... Read 39 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 17,802

• Suburb of Providence, RI

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  Rating 3.9 out of 5  41 reviews

Current Resident: Community is nice, but it needs more for people to do here. Too many places are closing and being replaced by banks, gas stations, or hotels.... Read 41 reviews

• grade A

• grade B+

• Population 16,983

• Suburb of Providence, RI

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  Rating 4.43 out of 5  40 reviews

Current Resident: I love my town of Bristol. It's small, safe, beautiful, and has just enough things located around it. I grew up here and I think it's an amazing place to raise kids and a family and I wouldn't change a thing about it. The only downfall is the lack of diversity and experience growing up in such a small town. I wish I was able to not be so sheltered and constantly surrounded by the same people. But that is most small towns and Bristol is the best town I could've been raised in.... Read 40 reviews

• grade A

• grade B+

• Population 22,305

• Neighborhood in Providence, RI

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  Rating 3 out of 5  2 reviews

• grade A

• grade C minus

• Population 5,474

• Suburb of Providence, RI

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  Rating 4.33 out of 5  33 reviews

Current Resident: Narragansett is a magical New England town. For some its a seasonal beach town, for others it's year round living. The college students tend to take over the Scarborough, Bonnet Shores, and Pt. Judith areas during the academic season. If you aren't into the beach, Narragansett is home to the fishing community of Galilee at Port of Judith. This houses the second largest commercial fishing fleet on coast only bested by Massachusetts' New Bedford fleet. My family has been here many generations and I have had the Blessing of Selling homes to many a vacationers and old-timers alike. You can always stop by my website if are interested in owning a piece of this town yourself billgilberthomes.com... Read 33 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A

• Population 14,759

• Suburb of Providence, RI

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  Rating 3.89 out of 5  74 reviews

Current Resident: I love Lincoln, it's a nice welcoming town with a lot of good people. The food here is good with the Lincoln Mall and various family owned restaurants scattered across the state. The best part about Lincoln is that you can get anywhere in the state within an hour. If you ever want to go to the beach or anywhere else in RI it would only be a 30 minute to an hour drive as opposed to some states where it takes hours to get to places in state. Everything is local here and its a nice way to love, I recommend Lincoln, or even the whole state of RI in general for anyone who has yet to experience living or visiting a tiny state.... Read 74 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A minus

• Population 22,415

• Suburb of Providence, RI

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  Rating 3.97 out of 5  61 reviews

Current Resident: Amazing place to take a vacation or live. Newport has many great restaurants and bars. It also has a lot of beaches and nature walks. And to top it off, the views in Newport are amazing. The Ocean Drive is definitely the more well-known view in Newport, and for a good reason.... Read 61 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade B minus

• Population 25,322

• Suburb of Providence, RI

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  Rating 3.88 out of 5  160 reviews

Current Resident: I am a lifelong resident of Cranston RI. The culture in Cranston RI is like no other, very tight community. Us cranstonions pull together when the community needs us to do so. From the Feasts that shut down one part of the city to the amazing restaurants to the beautiful renovated foot ball field at Cranston west high school. Garden City shopping center is like an small outlet that people from all over RI come to shop. I intend on being a life long resident. I love my city!... Read 160 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade B

• Population 82,654

• Suburb of Providence, RI

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  Rating 3.89 out of 5  9 reviews

Current Resident: This is a beautiful seaside town. A little over run with tourists in the summer, but that's understandable. Having lived in the Pier for several years, I've enjoyed learning its history while strolling along historic Central Street and being able to walk everywhere... from a revitalized Boon Street, to the seawall and beach. There are numerous hiking trails and the bike path as well.The choices to dine out are varied and good. Hopefully the new library, which will be located in the heart of Pier Marketplace, will help it become a more vibrant spot in town...especally for the locals. A great place to live and visit.... Read 9 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A

• Population 3,265

• Neighborhood in Providence, RI

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  Rating 3.85 out of 5  13 reviews

Current Resident: I'm new to Providence, and it has been very welcoming and a great fit. I came down because I couldn't afford Boston, but the East Side turned out to be nicer than any neighborhood I was looking at up there. Sometimes you get lucky. Beautiful spot overall, a couple of areas could use some polishing, but I understand that's in the works.... Read 13 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade C minus

• Population 5,015

• Suburb of Providence, RI

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  Rating 3.94 out of 5  32 reviews

Current Resident: Growing up in a small town in New England I was lucky enough to experience the sense of community that came with it. The way the leaves changing was always a topic of conversation or the way the community seems to revolve around Jaswell's farm apple cider. We bond over our proximity to the ocean, the mountains and the vast terrains tucked away in our corner of the earth. We grew up eating Dunkin, and clam chowder and fluffernutters. Smithfield is an extension of that with a close knit community who rallies together when any one member of the community needs it. Our unique town traditions hold a special place in my heart and is some where I'm happy to have grown up. Years after I leave this town and have a house or family of my own I will never for get the town fireworks everyone seemed to go to or the lines to get a first taste at this seasons apples. Smithfield is a quant town you can easily but has lots to offer.... Read 32 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A minus

• Population 21,855

• Suburb in Massachusetts

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  Rating 3.88 out of 5  17 reviews

Current Resident: I've lived here my whole life. A safer town than a lot of people say, and its really developing a culture.... Read 17 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A minus

• Population 9,760