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Do you like your neighborhood?
Is it friendly, and where everyone knows their neighbors?
No matter if you live in the sticks or in an apartment building in downtown Providence, you have a little pocket that you can call home. And each neighborhood is different.
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?
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. If you're in one of the places we're about to highlight, odds are you know you've got it made. So, if you're thinking of moving to Rhode Island and Providence is on the top of your list, check out our best neighborhoods to live in.
Here are the best neighborhoods in Providence for 2020:
- Wayland (Homes)
- College Hill (Homes)
- Elmhurst (Homes)
- Blackstone (Homes)
- Manton (Homes)
- Mount Pleasant (Homes)
- Hope (Homes)
- Fox Point (Homes)
- Mount Hope (Homes)
- Downtown (Homes)
So what's the best neighborhood to live in Providence for 2020? According to the most recent census data, Wayland 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.
Once you're done, you can look at the bottom of the story for a complete chart of every neighborhood we looked at from best to worst.
For more Rhode Island reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Rhode Island
- Cheapest Places To Live In Rhode Island
- Best Places To Retire In Rhode Island
The 10 Best Neighborhoods To Live In Providence
Population: 3,028
Rank Last Year: 3 (Up 2)
Median Home Value: $557,950 (First best)
Median Income: $63,196 (Fourth best)
More on Wayland: Homes For Sale | Data
Wayland Square is a historic area on the East Side of Providence, Rhode Island near Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design.
Population: 9,005
Rank Last Year: 1 (Down 1)
Median Home Value: $488,462 (Second best)
Median Income: $61,154 (Sixth best)
More on College Hill: Homes For Sale | Data
College Hill is a neighborhood in Providence, Rhode Island, and one of six neighborhoods comprising the East Side of Providence and part of the College Hill Historic District. It is roughly bounded by South and North Main Street to the west, Power Street to the south, Governor Street and Arlington Avenue to the east and Olney Street to the north. College Hill is also home to Thayer Street, a shopping strip frequented by students in the Providence area.
Population: 10,503
Rank Last Year: 2 (Down 1)
Median Home Value: $190,236 (Seventh best)
Median Income: $61,335 (Fifth best)
More on Elmhurst: Homes For Sale | Data
Elmhurst is a primarily residential neighborhood in the northwest quadrant of Providence, Rhode Island. Douglas Avenue and Admiral Street bound Elmhurst to the northeast, Academy Avenue and Smith Street bound it to the west, while Chalkstone Avenue marks the southern border.
Population: 6,336
Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $441,850 (Third best)
Median Income: $107,880 (First best)
More on Blackstone: Homes For Sale | Data
Blackstone is a predominantly residential neighborhood in Providence, Rhode Island. It is in the northeast corner of the city and is bounded to the south and west by Lloyd Avenue and Hope Street respectively. It is one of six neighborhoods comprising the East Side of Providence.
Population: 4,362
Rank Last Year: 10 (Up 5)
Median Home Value: $127,267 (17th best)
Median Income: $47,800 (Tenth best)
More on Manton: Homes For Sale | Data
Population: 9,950
Rank Last Year: 9 (Up 3)
Median Home Value: $158,945 (Tenth best)
Median Income: $67,089 (Third best)
More on Mount Pleasant: Homes For Sale | Data
Mount Pleasant is a working-class residential neighborhood situated in the northwest of the city of Providence, Rhode Island. It is bordered by Olneyville to the south, Valley to the east, Manton to the west, and Elmhurst to the northeast, and the Town of North Providence to the north. The major street boundaries that define Mount Pleasant are Academy Avenue to the east, Smith Street to the northeast, Atwells Avenue to the south, and portions of Bullock, Chalkstone, Mera, and Rushmore Avenues to the west.
Population: 3,060
Rank Last Year: 6 (Down 1)
Median Home Value: $304,450 (Fifth best)
Median Income: $78,360 (Second best)
More on Hope: Homes For Sale | Data
Hope is a neighborhood on the northern border of Providence, Rhode Island. To the west, it is bounded by North Main Street, the North Burial Ground, and Interstate 95, while Rochambeau Ave, Hope Street, and the Providence-Pawtucket city line roughly delineate its boundaries to the south, east, and north respectively. Hope is sometimes referred to as Summit, named for the street that runs through the middle of the neighborhood. Though "Hope" is officially recognized, residents and the local neighborhood organization more often use "Summit".
Population: 3,418
Rank Last Year: 5 (Down 3)
Median Home Value: $333,760 (Fourth best)
Median Income: $53,011 (Eighth best)
More on Fox Point: Homes For Sale | Data
Fox Point is a neighborhood in the East Side of Providence, Rhode Island. It is bounded by the Providence and Seekonk rivers, Interstate 195 and the College Hill and Wayland neighborhoods. Fox Point is the southernmost neighborhood in the East Side area of Providence.
Population: 6,083
Rank Last Year: 8 (Down 1)
Median Home Value: $186,590 (Eighth best)
Median Income: $52,539 (Ninth best)
More on Mount Hope: Homes For Sale | Data
Mount Hope is a neighborhood in northern Providence, Rhode Island. It is one of six neighborhoods comprising the East Side of Providence. The area is bounded to the north by Rochambeau Avenue, to the east by Hope Street, to the south by Olney Street, while the western border is the former New York-New Haven Railroad and Interstate 95. Camp Street is often used as a landmark for the neighborhood, as it runs lengthwise through Mount Hope's center.
Population: 4,196
Rank Last Year: 13 (Up 3)
Median Home Value: $211,400 (Sixth best)
Median Income: $41,620 (13th best)
More on Downtown: Homes For Sale | Data
How We Determined The Best Providence, RI Neighborhoods In 2020
In order to rank the best neighborhoods in Providence, we had to determine what criteria defines a "best".
Using 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 24 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, Wayland.
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.
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.
As we mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Providence aren't all good. Lower South Providence takes the title of the worst neighborhood to live in Providence.
We ranked the neighborhoods from best to worst in the chart below.
For more Rhode Island reading, check out:
- Richest Cities In Rhode Island
- Safest Places In Rhode Island
- Best Cities For Singles In Rhode Island
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Rhode Island
Detailed List Of The Best Neighborhoods To Live In Providence For 2020
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wayland | 3,028 |
| 2 | College Hill | 9,005 |
| 3 | Elmhurst | 10,503 |
| 4 | Blackstone | 6,336 |
| 5 | Manton | 4,362 |
| 6 | Mount Pleasant | 9,950 |
| 7 | Hope | 3,060 |
| 8 | Fox Point | 3,418 |
| 9 | Mount Hope | 6,083 |
| 10 | Downtown | 4,196 |
| 11 | Wanskuck | 12,204 |
| 12 | Valley | 5,683 |
| 13 | Federal Hill | 6,992 |
| 14 | Reservoir | 2,944 |
| 15 | Silverlake | 11,863 |
| 16 | South Elmwood | 2,308 |
| 17 | Charles | 6,312 |
| 18 | West End | 17,375 |
| 19 | Elmwood | 10,557 |
| 20 | Washington Park | 7,430 |
| 21 | Hartford | 6,442 |
| 22 | Smith Hill | 5,372 |
| 23 | Olneyville | 7,046 |
| 24 | Lower South Providence | 6,027 |
