Racial diversity in Rhode Island is a mixed bag.
There are parts of Rhode Island where there’s a high level of diversity. But where will you find the most diverse places in Rhode Island?
To answer that question, we went to the US Census data. Using Saturday Night Science, we measured the Gini coefficient for all 8 cities in Rhode Island to rank them from most to least diverse.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
Here are the 10 most diverse places in Rhode Island for 2024:
So what city is the most diverse in Rhode Island? According to the most Census data, Pawtucket took the number one over all spot for diversity in Rhode Island.
Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers and how your town ranked. To see where Rhode Island ranked as a state, we have a ranking of the most diverse states in Ameria.
For more Rhode Island reading:
The 10 Most Diverse Places In Rhode Island For 2024
/10
Population: 75,176
HHI: 3,068
% White: 45.8%
% African American: 14.8%
% Hispanic: 25.8%
% Asian: 1.2%
More on Pawtucket: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 189,715
HHI: 3,208
% White: 34.4%
% African American: 12.7%
% Hispanic: 42.6%
% Asian: 6.3%
More on Providence: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 43,029
HHI: 3,896
% White: 56.6%
% African American: 6.3%
% Hispanic: 24.1%
% Asian: 6.3%
More on Woonsocket: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 82,691
HHI: 4,807
% White: 66.3%
% African American: 4.5%
% Hispanic: 18.3%
% Asian: 6.7%
More on Cranston: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 22,359
HHI: 5,189
% White: 18.9%
% African American: 6.9%
% Hispanic: 69.1%
% Asian: 0.2%
More on Central Falls: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 25,087
HHI: 5,904
% White: 75.7%
% African American: 7.1%
% Hispanic: 9.6%
% Asian: 1.7%
More on Newport: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 47,012
HHI: 6,106
% White: 77.3%
% African American: 5.5%
% Hispanic: 8.2%
% Asian: 2.2%
More on East Providence: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 82,783
HHI: 7,302
% White: 85.1%
% African American: 2.7%
% Hispanic: 6.4%
% Asian: 2.7%
More on Warwick: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How we determined the most diverse cities in Rhode Island for 2024
We still believe in the accuracy of data — especially from the Census — and Saturday Night Science. So that’s where we went to get the race breakdown across Rhode Island.
That leads us to the Census’s most recently available data, the 2018-2022 American Community Survey data from the US Census.
Specifically, we looked at table B03002: HISPANIC OR LATINO ORIGIN BY RACE. Here are the category names as defined by the Census:
- White alone*
- Black or African American alone*
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone*
- Asian alone*
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone*
- Some other race alone*
- Two or more races*
- Hispanic or Latino
We limited our analysis to non-CDPs with a population greater than 22,000 people. That left us with 8 cities.
We then calculated the HHI for each city by finding the racial breakdown of a city in percent terms, squaring them, and then adding the squares together. This left us with scores ranging from 3,068 (Pawtucket) to 7,302 (Warwick).
Finally, we ranked each city based on the HHI, with a lower score being more diverse than a high score. Pawtucket took the distinction of being the most diverse, while Warwick was the least diverse city.
We updated this article for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the most diverse places in Rhode Island.
Summary: Diversity Across Rhode Island
If you’re looking for a scientific breakdown of diversity across Rhode Island, this is an accurate list.
The most diverse cities in Rhode Island are Pawtucket, Providence, Woonsocket, Cranston, Central Falls, Newport, East Providence, and Warwick.
If you’re curious enough, here are the least diverse places in Rhode Island:
- Warwick
- East Providence
- Newport
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
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Rhode Island
- Safest Places In Rhode Island
- Worst Places To Live In Rhode Island
Race By City In Rhode Island For 2024
| Rank | City | Population | HHI | % White | % Black | % Hispanic | % Asian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pawtucket, RI | 75,176 | 3,068 | 45.8% | 14.8% | 25.8% | 1.2% |
| 2 | Providence, RI | 189,715 | 3,208 | 34.4% | 12.7% | 42.6% | 6.3% |
| 3 | Woonsocket, RI | 43,029 | 3,896 | 56.6% | 6.3% | 24.1% | 6.3% |
| 4 | Cranston, RI | 82,691 | 4,807 | 66.3% | 4.5% | 18.3% | 6.7% |
| 5 | Central Falls, RI | 22,359 | 5,189 | 18.9% | 6.9% | 69.1% | 0.2% |
| 6 | Newport, RI | 25,087 | 5,904 | 75.7% | 7.1% | 9.6% | 1.7% |
| 7 | East Providence, RI | 47,012 | 6,106 | 77.3% | 5.5% | 8.2% | 2.2% |
| 8 | Warwick, RI | 82,783 | 7,302 | 85.1% | 2.7% | 6.4% | 2.7% |
