Rhode Island: county data, all 5 of them.
1,101,801 residents across 5 county-equivalents, 29,083 business establishments, and 2,279 SBA approvals worth $956.3 m. Every figure on this page is those counties summed, and every county has its own page.
32 state-level values · 5 county pages · underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency
How many people live in Rhode Island?
- Population1,101,801
- Households441,570
- Average household size2.50
- County-equivalents5
- People per square mile1,066
Rhode Island has 1,101,801 residents in 441,570 households across 5 county-equivalents, every one of which has its own data page below.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
What is the Rhode Island economy?
- Combined county product, 2024$80.38 bn
- County product per resident$72,954
- Covered employment480,943
- Average annual pay$66,834
The average annual pay of $66,834 is weighted by each county's covered employment, not averaged across counties, so a large labour market counts for more than a small one.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How many businesses are in Rhode Island?
- Business establishments29,083
- Establishments per 1,000 residents26.4
- Employment at those establishments436,246
- Annual payroll$26.75 bn
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Building permits in Rhode Island
- Housing units permitted1,757
- Permitted construction value$386.6 m
- Units permitted per 1,000 households4.0
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
SBA loans in Rhode Island (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded1,414
- 7(a) approval dollars$509.1 m
- Average 7(a) approval$360,029
- 504 approvals recorded865
- 504 approval dollars$447.2 m
- Average 504 approval$517,018
- Counties with a 7(a) record5 of 5
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Rhode Island
- 7(a) charge-off rate over resolved loans7.90 percent
- Resolved 7(a) loans behind that rate239
- 7(a) loans charged off19
- 504 charge-off rate over resolved loans2.80 percent
- Resolved 504 loans behind that rate215
- 504 loans charged off6
Of the 239 Rhode Island 7(a) loans that have reached a final outcome, 7.90 percent were charged off. The rate is taken over resolved loans only, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
How large is Rhode Island?
- Land area1,034 sq mi
- County-equivalents5
- People per square mile1,066
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
The largest counties in Rhode Island.
| Geography | Population | Median income | Establishments | County GDP | SBA approvals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Providence County | 664,854 | $78,787 | 16,414 | $46.73 bn | 1,145 |
| Kent County | 171,456 | $94,345 | 4,739 | $12.42 bn | 422 |
| Washington County | 130,344 | $106,638 | 3,799 | $9.77 bn | 285 |
| Newport County | 84,657 | $103,514 | 2,800 | $8.77 bn | 304 |
| Bristol County | 50,490 | $114,490 | 1,331 | $2.70 bn | 123 |
Counties
All 5 Rhode Island county-equivalents.
| Geography | Population | Median income | Establishments | County GDP | SBA approvals | Land area, sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol County | 50,490 | $114,490 | 1,331 | $2.70 bn | 123 | 24 |
| Kent County | 171,456 | $94,345 | 4,739 | $12.42 bn | 422 | 169 |
| Newport County | 84,657 | $103,514 | 2,800 | $8.77 bn | 304 | 102 |
| Providence County | 664,854 | $78,787 | 16,414 | $46.73 bn | 1,145 | 410 |
| Washington County | 130,344 | $106,638 | 3,799 | $9.77 bn | 285 | 329 |
The register
Every source behind these 5 pages.
| Source | Period covered | Licence |
|---|---|---|
| US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates | 2020-2024 5-year | US Census Bureau, public domain |
| US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024 | Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024 | US Census Bureau, public domain |
| US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2 | CAGDP2, through 2024 | US Bureau of Economic Analysis, public domain |
| US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet | 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001 | US EPA, public domain |
| FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book | Community Status Book, as retrieved | FEMA OpenFEMA, public domain |
| US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release | FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30 | FOIA release, public domain |
| US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release | FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30 | FOIA release, public domain |
| US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices | TIGER county boundaries | US Census Bureau, public domain |
| US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns | 2023 | US Census Bureau, public domain |
| US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages | 2024 annual averages | US BLS, public domain |
| US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey | 2024 annual | US Census Bureau, public domain |
| US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows | 2021 to 2022 filing years | IRS SOI, public domain |
A Rhode Island statutory guide is in preparation.