What’s the best part of Providence?
It could be where everyone knows their neighbor. Or it could be where home prices are the highest, meaning it’s where everyone wants to live.
Instead of relying on public opinion and speculation, we wanted to get the facts straight and find out which neighborhoods in Providence are the best based on Saturday Night Science.
Whether you live in the sticks or in an apartment building downtown, you want a little pocket that you can call home. And each neighborhood offers different perks and benefits.
Smaller neighborhoods usually have obvious benefits — less crime, a slower pace of life, and a lower cost of living. But not all Providence neighborhoods are created equal. Some are better than others. But which ones?
If you’re thinking of moving to Rhode Island and Providence is on the top of your list, check out the best neighborhoods for 2024.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
So what’s the best neighborhood to live in Providence for 2024? According to the most recent census data, Blackstone looks to be the best Providence neighborhood to live in.
Read on to see how we determined the places around Providence that deserve a little bragging rights, or maybe you’re interested in the worst neighborhoods in Providence.
For more Rhode Island reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Rhode Island
- Cheapest Places To Live In Rhode Island
- Most Dangerous Cities In Rhode Island
The 10 Best Neighborhoods To Live In Providence
Population: 6,526
Median Home Value: $459,340 (Third best)
Median Income: $128,378 (best)
More on Blackstone: Data | Real Estate
Population: 8,697
Median Home Value: $619,683 (best)
Median Income: $92,475 (Second best)
More on College Hill: Data | Real Estate
Population: 10,551
Median Home Value: $219,680 (15th best)
Median Income: $68,504 (Sixth best)
More on Elmhurst: Data | Real Estate
Population: 3,252
Median Home Value: $502,825 (Second best)
Median Income: $89,275 (Third best)
More on Wayland: Data | Real Estate
Population: 6,103
Median Home Value: $302,912 (Eighth best)
Median Income: $77,826 (Fourth best)
More on Mount Hope: Data | Real Estate
Population: 11,438
Median Home Value: $196,250 (20th best)
Median Income: $64,063 (Seventh best)
More on Mount Pleasant: Data | Real Estate
Population: 11,958
Median Home Value: $200,456 (17th best)
Median Income: $49,563 (14th best)
More on Silverlake: Data | Real Estate
Population: 5,127
Median Home Value: $239,300 (Tenth best)
Median Income: $59,559 (Ninth best)
More on Valley: Data | Real Estate
Population: 3,175
Median Home Value: $291,880 (Ninth best)
Median Income: $76,286 (Fifth best)
More on Hope: Data | Real Estate
Population: 3,314
Median Home Value: $387,860 (Fifth best)
Median Income: $63,560 (Eighth best)
More on Fox Point: Data | Real Estate
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Providence, RI Neighborhoods In 2024
To rank the best neighborhoods in Providence, we had to determine what criteria define “best” and then apply Saturday Night Science to it.
Using FBI crime, Census, and extrapolated BLS data, we arrived at the following set of criteria:
- High incomes
- Low unemployment rates
- Low crime
- High home prices
- High population densities (A proxy for things to do)
We then ranked each neighborhood with scores from 1 to 23 in each category, where 1 was the best.
Next, we averaged the rankings for each neighborhood to create a best neighborhood index.
And finally, we crowned the neighborhood with the lowest best neighborhood index, the “Best City Neighborhood In Providence.” We’re lookin’ at you, Blackstone.
Read on below to learn more about what it’s like to live in the best places Providence, Rhode Island has to offer. Or skip to the end to see the list of all the neighborhoods in the city, from best to worst.
We updated this article for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the best neighborhoods to live in Providence.
Summary: Putting A Bow On Our Analysis Of The Best Neighborhoods In Providence
If you’re measuring the neighborhoods in Providence where crime is low and everyone wants to live, this is an accurate list.
The best neighborhoods in Providence are Blackstone, College Hill, Elmhurst, Wayland, Mount Hope, Mount Pleasant, Silverlake, Valley, Hope, and Fox Point.
As mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Providence aren’t all good. Lower South Providence takes the title of the worst neighborhood to live in Providence.
The worst neighborhoods in Providence are Lower South Providence, Hartford, Olneyville, Charles, and Washington Park.
We ranked the neighborhoods from best to worst in the chart below.
For more Rhode Island reading, check out:
Best Neighborhoods To Live In Providence For 2024 Detailed Data
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blackstone | 6,526 | $459,340 | $128,378 |
| 2 | College Hill | 8,697 | $619,683 | $92,475 |
| 3 | Elmhurst | 10,551 | $219,680 | $68,504 |
| 4 | Wayland | 3,252 | $502,825 | $89,275 |
| 5 | Mount Hope | 6,103 | $302,912 | $77,826 |
| 6 | Mount Pleasant | 11,438 | $196,250 | $64,063 |
| 7 | Silverlake | 11,958 | $200,456 | $49,563 |
| 8 | Valley | 5,127 | $239,300 | $59,559 |
| 9 | Hope | 3,175 | $291,880 | $76,286 |
| 10 | Fox Point | 3,314 | $387,860 | $63,560 |
| 11 | South Elmwood | 3,657 | $223,425 | $49,439 |
| 12 | Elmwood | 10,675 | $238,175 | $43,068 |
| 13 | West End | 17,334 | $199,133 | $45,261 |
| 14 | Reservoir | 2,444 | $216,533 | $57,834 |
| 15 | Downtown | 4,377 | $365,950 | $49,838 |
| 16 | Federal Hill | 7,553 | $352,217 | $52,291 |
| 17 | Smith Hill | 5,789 | $415,413 | $51,724 |
| 18 | Wanskuck | 11,315 | $199,460 | $42,194 |
| 19 | Washington Park | 6,009 | $223,100 | $45,408 |
| 20 | Charles | 6,674 | $169,620 | $43,450 |
| 21 | Olneyville | 5,417 | $229,650 | $43,021 |
| 22 | Hartford | 6,286 | $181,500 | $38,131 |
| 23 | Lower South Providence | 7,030 | $127,667 | $27,440 |