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Across most of America, the African American and Hispanic communities comprise "most of the minority". We're not totally sure that's a term, but it's an accurate reflection of the state of race in America.
Asians are a "minority of the minority", generally. But not everywhere.
There are now over 17 million people who identify as Asian living in America, making up 5.6% of the total population. According to the most recent American Community Survey, the Asian population in Rhode Island is 37,153 - at 3.4% of the total population of Rhode Island.
And, unlike African Americans that fall under one group in the Census, Asian Americans have many sub-groups -- Chinese, Filipino, and Indian being the three largest sub-groups.
So, what how does the Asian population stratify across Rhode Island? Which cities and towns in Rhode Island have seen the greatest increase in their Asian population?
Here are the cities in Rhode Island with the largest Asian population in 2023:
Which city in Rhode Island had the largest Asian population? Cranston took the number one over all spot for the largest Asian in Rhode Island for 2023. 6.84% of Cranston identify as Asian.
Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers and how your town ranked.
To see where Rhode Island ranked as a state on diversity, we have a ranking of the most diverse states in America.
And if you already knew these places were Asian, check out the best places to live in Rhode Island or the most diverse places in Rhode Island.
The 10 Most Asian Cities In Rhode Island For 2023
/10
Population: 82,654
% Asian: 6.84%
# Of Asian Residents: 5,654
Percent Change Since 2010: 38.07%
More on Cranston: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 43,044
% Asian: 6.03%
# Of Asian Residents: 2,594
Percent Change Since 2010: 12.1%
More on Woonsocket: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 188,812
% Asian: 5.95%
# Of Asian Residents: 11,234
Percent Change Since 2010: 0.07%
More on Providence: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 82,666
% Asian: 2.97%
# Of Asian Residents: 2,456
Percent Change Since 2010: 13.7%
More on Warwick: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 47,171
% Asian: 2.55%
# Of Asian Residents: 1,201
Percent Change Since 2010: 153.91%
More on East Providence: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 25,322
% Asian: 2.25%
# Of Asian Residents: 569
Percent Change Since 2010: 77.81%
More on Newport: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 75,200
% Asian: 1.98%
# Of Asian Residents: 1,492
Percent Change Since 2010: 8.35%
More on Pawtucket: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 22,192
% Asian: 0.33%
# Of Asian Residents: 74
Percent Change Since 2010: -13.95%
More on Central Falls: Real Estate | Data | Photos
Methodology: How We Determined The Cities In Rhode Island With The Largest Asian Population For 2023
We still believe in the accuracy of data -- especially from the census. So that's where we went to get the breakdown of race across Rhode Island.
That lead us to the Census's most recently available data, the 2017-2021 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 here was the number of people who identified as Asian alone.
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 percent of residents that are Asian. The percentages ranked from 6.8% to 0.3%.
Finally, we ranked each city based on the percent of Asian population with a higher score being more Asian than a lower score. Cranston took the distinction of being the most Asian, while Central Falls was the least Asian city. You can download the data here.
Read on for more information on how the cities in Rhode Island ranked by population of Asian residents or, for a more general take on diversity in America, head over to our ranking of the most diverse cities in America.
Summary: Asian Populations Across Rhode Island
If you're looking for a breakdown of Asian populations across Rhode Island according to the most recent data, this is an accurate list.
If you're curious enough, here are the least Asian places in Rhode Island:
- Central Falls
- Pawtucket
- Newport
For more Rhode Island reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Rhode Island
- Best Places To Live In Rhode Island
- Best Places To Retire In Rhode Island
Table: Asian Population By City In Rhode Island
| Rank | City | % Asian |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cranston | 6.84% |
| 2 | Woonsocket | 6.03% |
| 3 | Providence | 5.95% |
| 4 | Warwick | 2.97% |
| 5 | East Providence | 2.55% |
| 6 | Newport | 2.25% |
| 7 | Pawtucket | 1.98% |
| 8 | Central Falls | 0.33% |
