Housing decision brief
Providence County, RI Housing Market
Providence County screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, a manageable tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
2nd lowest home value out of 5 Rhode Island counties with data | 1st lowest rent out of 5
Median home value
$339,100
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,242/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,712/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
4.3x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
28.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$470/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$339,100 median home value is 28% below Rhode Island county median
Lower rent
$1,242/mo is 5% below Rhode Island county median
Rent burden below pressure line
28.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Lower income base
$78,204 median income is 22% below Rhode Island county median
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Providence County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $339,100 | $468,000 | $281,900 | 28% favorable28% below Rhode Island county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,242 | $1,303 | $1,163 | 5% favorable5% below Rhode Island county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,712 | $1,837 | $1,672 | 7% favorable7% below Rhode Island county median |
Median household income | $78,204 | $100,859 | $74,755 | 22% pressure22% below Rhode Island county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.37% | 1.37% | 1.02% | Near state medianAt the Rhode Island county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 28.00% | 30.00% | N/A | 7% favorable28.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$28,524
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$4,833
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Housing in Providence County is affordable. The median rent is $1,242/month against a median household income of $78,204, putting rent at 19.1% of income.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Providence County is $1,242/month, while owner costs run $1,712/month. Renting saves approximately $470/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $49,680/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $73,371/year. With a median household income of $78,204, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 28.0% of renter households in Providence County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Rhode Island, Providence County is less affordable than Washington County by roughly 5% ($1,242/mo vs $1,303/mo).
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent County, RI | $333,900 | $1,264/mo | Same-state comparison near $333,900 home value and $1,264/mo rent. |
| Sussex County, DE | $353,300 | $1,221/mo | Out-of-state peer near $353,300 home value and $1,221/mo rent. |
| Lyon County, NV | $342,600 | $1,259/mo | Out-of-state peer near $342,600 home value and $1,259/mo rent. |
| Hall County, GA | $313,600 | $1,247/mo | Out-of-state peer near $313,600 home value and $1,247/mo rent. |
| Linn County, OR | $344,600 | $1,273/mo | Out-of-state peer near $344,600 home value and $1,273/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Providence County
Is Providence County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Providence County?
How much income do you need for housing in Providence County?
What should I double-check before moving to Providence County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.