Is being in an area of Rhode Island that’s growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask.
Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Providence and Cranston, while others want peace and quiet like in Kingston and Tiverton, thank you very much.
But today, we’re going to put opinions aside and look at the cold, hard facts — since 2010, which cities in Rhode Island have grown the fastest.
After getting knee-deep in the Census’s American Community Survey using Saturday Night Science, we emerged with this set of cities in the Ocean State that have people climbing over each other to get in.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Rhode Island For 2026
What’s the fastest growing city in Rhode Island for 2026? Based on the most recent ACS data, Kingston ranks as the fastest-growing city in Rhode Island. If you happen to be a resident of Kingston, you’re probably not surprised to find it on our list.
If you’re surprised — and you’re wondering why these places are a big deal — keep reading. We’ll tell you what makes each of these 10 places in Rhode Island grow like weeds.
For more Rhode Island state reading:
- Best Places To Live In The United States
- Fastest Growing States In The United States
- Best Places To Live In Rhode Island
- Cheapest Places To Live In Rhode Island
- Most Dangerous Cities In Rhode Island
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Rhode Island For 2026
1. Kingston
/10
Population: 7,332
Population 2010: 6,126
Percent Growth 19.7%
Absolute Growth: 1,206
More on Kingston: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
2. Central Falls
/10
Population: 22,701
Population 2010: 19,391
Percent Growth 17.1%
Absolute Growth: 3,310
More on Central Falls: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
3. Tiverton
/10
Population: 8,091
Population 2010: 7,296
Percent Growth 10.9%
Absolute Growth: 795
More on Tiverton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
4. Cumberland Hill
/10
Population: 8,648
Population 2010: 7,820
Percent Growth 10.6%
Absolute Growth: 828
More on Cumberland Hill: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
5. Valley Falls
/10
Population: 12,657
Population 2010: 11,518
Percent Growth 9.9%
Absolute Growth: 1,139
More on Valley Falls: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
6. Providence
/10
Population: 191,767
Population 2010: 178,286
Percent Growth 7.6%
Absolute Growth: 13,481
More on Providence: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
7. Pawtucket
/10
Population: 75,893
Population 2010: 71,662
Percent Growth 5.9%
Absolute Growth: 4,231
More on Pawtucket: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
8. Westerly
/10
Population: 18,411
Population 2010: 17,552
Percent Growth 4.9%
Absolute Growth: 859
More on Westerly: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
9. Woonsocket
/10
Population: 43,521
Population 2010: 41,682
Percent Growth 4.4%
Absolute Growth: 1,839
More on Woonsocket: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
10. Cranston
/10
Population: 83,250
Population 2010: 80,580
Percent Growth 3.3%
Absolute Growth: 2,670
More on Cranston: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Ocean State for 2026
To figure out which cities are growing the most, we used Saturday Night Science to look at the growth rates for cities since the beginning of the decade, according to the American Community Survey put out by the census every year. Specifically:
- Current Population
- Population in 2010
- Growth rate from 2010 to Current (The latest available data which came out in Dec 2024)
We ranked all 15 Rhode Island cities with a population over 7,000 people from highest growth rate to lowest.
The city with the highest growth rate during this time was crowned the fastest-growing city in the Ocean State.
And for those of you who are a little rusty with their statistics, you can calculate the growth rate by the following formula:
[Current Population – Population 2010] / [Population 2010]
The data has been updated for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the fastest growing cities in Rhode Island.
Here’s a graph of the cities in Rhode Island with the most significant percent increase in population:
Summary: These Places Grew Up So Fast In Rhode Island, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in Rhode Island are led by Kingston which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
The fastest-growing cities in Rhode Island are Kingston, Central Falls, Tiverton, Cumberland Hill, Valley Falls, Providence, Pawtucket, Westerly, Woonsocket, and Cranston.
It’ll be interesting to see if these places can keep growing at the same rate over the next couple of years. We’ll be here to let you know!
These places have been growing (or shrinking) the slowest (fastest):
- Greenville
- Newport East
- Warwick
For more Rhode Island reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Rhode Island
- Safest Places In Rhode Island
- Worst Places To Live In Rhode Island
Fastest Growing Places In Rhode Island For 2026
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kingston | 7,332 | 6,126 | 19.7% | 1,206 |
| 2 | Central Falls | 22,701 | 19,391 | 17.1% | 3,310 |
| 3 | Tiverton | 8,091 | 7,296 | 10.9% | 795 |
| 4 | Cumberland Hill | 8,648 | 7,820 | 10.6% | 828 |
| 5 | Valley Falls | 12,657 | 11,518 | 9.9% | 1,139 |
| 6 | Providence | 191,767 | 178,286 | 7.6% | 13,481 |
| 7 | Pawtucket | 75,893 | 71,662 | 5.9% | 4,231 |
| 8 | Westerly | 18,411 | 17,552 | 4.9% | 859 |
| 9 | Woonsocket | 43,521 | 41,682 | 4.4% | 1,839 |
| 10 | Cranston | 83,250 | 80,580 | 3.3% | 2,670 |