Municipalities of South RI

Featuring the largest portion of the Ocean State’s coastline, the South Region of Rhode Island is generally identified as the state’s tourist region.

To the east and south, it hosts most of the state’s beaches; while the western portion includes thousands of acres of forest and protected open space. Its diverse landscape is home to many former mill villages; the University of Rhode Island in the village of Kingston; Quonset Development Corporation—the state’s largest industrial park; the state’s fishing industry at Galilee/Point Judith; and the state's smallest municipality of New Shoreham, located on Block Island with its famous Great Salt Pond and dunes. The region is also known for its picturesque villages and homes from Wickford Village in North Kingstown to the mansions of Watch Hill in Westerly.

 

 

Housing Needs of South RI

The South Region is dominated by single-family homes—with only about a quarter of its stock as multifamily housing.  The projected housing need, according to the 2016 report, is for significantly more multifamily stock than single family homes. Fifty-three percent of the renters in the region are considered cost burdened, or pay more than 30 percent of their income toward housing costs. Thirty-two percent of the region’s households, or 19,920, fall below 80 percent of area median income. While the significant household growth is projected to be households aged 65 and older, it is also projected that there will be half as much need for housing for households aged 25-44.

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Region's Housing and Range of Costs & Types

  • Total Households 50,220
  • Projected Need of Additional Housing by 2025  3,371 - 3,723 (87-92% multifamily)
  • Median Single Family Home Price $ 380,000 - $ 685,000 (excluding New Shoreham)
    • % Owners 69% - 94%
  • Average 2-Bedroom Rent $ 1,272 - $ 1,718
    • % Renters 6% - 36%

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Transportation

  • Train Lines - 2 (MBTA, Wickford; Amtrak, West Kingston & Westerly)
  • Express Lines - 4
  • Local Bus - 1
  • Park-n-Rides - 2 (serving Hopkinton, North Kingstown, Richmond, South Kingstown, Westerly)
  • FlexZone - 6 (serving Hopkinton, Narragansett, Richmond, South Kingstown, URI, Westerly)

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Economy

The South RI Region has a total of 52,145 Total Private & Government Jobs, with a private sector wage range of $34,792 - $48,031. Its Top Industry Jobs are:

  • Manufacturing - 9,335
  • Healthcare - 4,708
  • Education - 3,641
  • Retail Trade - 1,897
  • Wholesale Trade - 1,225

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Education

  • Colleges - CCRI-Satellite Campus, University of Rhode Island
  • Public High Schools - Block Island, Chariho, Narragansett, North Kingstown, South Kingstown, Westerly
  • Private Schools - Ocean Tides School (Gr. 7-12), Prout School

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Health

  • Hospitals - South County, Westerly
  • Urgent Care Centers - 4

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