Most African American cities in Rhode Island research summary. We used Saturday Night Science to analyze Rhode Island’s most recent Census data to determine the cities with the largest Black population, based on the percentage of Black residents.
The city with the largest African American population in Rhode Island is Pawtucket (11.0% Black); the least is Warwick (2.5%). Statewide, Rhode Island is 4.9% Black — the 31st blackest state in the country.
Roughly 42 million people identifying as Black or African American live in the United States, about 12% of the total population. In Rhode Island, the Black population is 54,225, at 4.9% of the state total.
We broke down the most recent Census data to determine the cities in Rhode Island with the largest African American population in 2026.
#1 most African American in Rhode Island
Located in
Providence County, Rhode Island
Pawtucket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 71,148 at the 2010 census. It is the fourth largest city in the state.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
#2 most African American in Rhode Island
Located in
Providence County, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island in the early 1900s it was the most visited place, founded in 1636 and one of the oldest cities in the United States. It was founded by Roger Williams, a religious exile from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He named the area in honor of “God’s merciful Providence” which he believed was responsible for revealing such a haven for him and his followers to settle. The city is situated at the mouth of the Providence River at the head of Narragansett Bay.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers | Compare
#3 most African American in Rhode Island
Located in
Providence County, Rhode Island
Central Falls is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 19,376 at the 2010 census. With an area of only 1.29 square miles, it is the smallest and most densely populated city in the smallest state, and the 27th most densely populated incorporated place in the United States. It is also one of only four incorporated places in New England that have a higher population density than the city of Boston. The city takes its name from a waterfall on the Blackstone River.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
#4 most African American in Rhode Island
Located in
Providence County, Rhode Island
Woonsocket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 41,186 at the 2010 census, making it the sixth largest city in the state. Woonsocket lies directly south of the Massachusetts state line and constitutes part of both the Providence metropolitan area and the larger Greater Boston Combined Statistical Area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
#5 most African American in Rhode Island
Located in
Newport County, Rhode Island
Newport is a seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. The City of Newport is located approximately 37 miles southeast of Providence, 21 miles south of Fall River, and 74 miles south of Boston. It is known as a New England summer resort and is famous for its mansions. It is also the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport, which houses the United States Naval War College, the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, and a major United States Navy training center. It was a major 18th-century port city and also contains a high number of surviving buildings from the colonial era of the United States.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
#6 most African American in Rhode Island
Located in
Providence County, Rhode Island
East Providence is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 47,037 at the 2010 census, making it the fifth largest city in the state.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
#7 most African American in Rhode Island
Located in
Providence County, Rhode Island
Cranston, once known as Pawtuxet, is a city in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. With a population of 80,529 at the 2010 census, it is the third largest city in the state. The center of population of Rhode Island is located in Cranston. Cranston is a part of the Providence metropolitan area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
#8 most African American in Rhode Island
Located in
Kent County, Rhode Island
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Rhode Island’s statewide median.
On the map
Where Rhode Island’s Black communities live
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How We Determined The Cities In Rhode Island With The Largest Black Population For 2026
We still believe in the accuracy of data — especially from the Census. 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 2020-2024 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:
- Hispanic or Latino
- 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*
Our particular column of interest was the number of people who identified as Black or African American.
We limited our analysis to non-CDPs with a population greater than 22,000 people in Rhode Island. That left us with 8 cities.
We then calculated the percentage of residents that are Black or African American. The percentages ranked from 11.0% to 2.5%.
Finally, we ranked each city based on the percentage of the Black population, with a higher score being more Black than a lower score. Pawtucket took the distinction of being the most Black, while Warwick was the least African American city.
We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the cities in Rhode Island with the largest African American population.
The full plate
African American Population By City In Rhode Island
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | African American Population | % African American |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pawtucket | 75,893 | 8,358 | 11.0% |
| 2 | Providence | 191,767 | 19,632 | 10.2% |
| 3 | Central Falls | 22,701 | 2,196 | 9.7% |
| 4 | Woonsocket | 43,521 | 2,610 | 6.0% |
| 5 | Newport | 24,874 | 1,470 | 5.9% |
| 6 | East Providence | 47,281 | 2,778 | 5.9% |
| 7 | Cranston | 83,250 | 4,413 | 5.3% |
| 8 | Warwick | 83,175 | 2,099 | 2.5% |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024. 8 cities with more than 22,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: Black Populations Across Rhode Island
If you’re looking for a breakdown of African American populations across Rhode Island according to the most recent data, this is an accurate list.
The blackest cities in Rhode Island are Pawtucket, Providence, Central Falls, Woonsocket, Newport, East Providence, Cranston, Warwick. Not sold on Rhode Island? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
