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Kent County, RI

RANK #346 / 996  ·  POP 170,168  ·  RI

PROJECTED GROWTH: +1.4%

Kent County combines solid growth with real affordability — a rare combination.

[01] Why Kent County?

Kent County, Rhode Island, offers a blend of suburban and rural living, stretching from the shores of Narragansett Bay to the Connecticut border. Warwick, the county's largest city, is home to Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport, providing convenient air travel and commuter rail service to Providence and Boston. The county features extensive outdoor recreation, including the 19-mile Washington Secondary Bike Path, Johnson's Pond for water activities, and vast conservation areas like Arcadia Management Area and Big River Management Area, popular for hiking and wildlife viewing.

Life in Kent County appeals to a range of residents, from families to young professionals, with public schools generally performing above average. Commute options include easy access to I-95 and I-295, as well as public bus and commuter rail services. The local economy is experiencing growth, with recent investments in commercial and residential development, as well as emerging sectors like data centers and energy. The county's central location within Rhode Island provides access to amenities across the state.

[02] Market Snapshot

Housing Ratio
5.3x

Above national median (4.7x)

GDP Growth
+0.8%

Well below national median

Home Prices
+2.9%

Outpacing national median

Climate & Terrain
1.3

Moderate climate & terrain

Price/Rent
12x

Strong rental yield

Housing is fairly valued at 5.3x relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.

[03] Signal Profile

[04] Home Value Growth vs National

Kent County U.S. National

The Numbers

DEMOGRAPHICS
Population
170,168
+0.49% YoY
Median Household Income
$85,732
Median Home Value
$306,000
+2.85% 12mo
Median Rent
$1,226
Average Annual Pay
$63,016
+3.9% YoY
Employment
75,845
+0.5% YoY
Income-to-Home-Value
0.2802
More affordable than average
Migration Inflow
2.97%
of pop. from another state

Market Activity

REAL ESTATE
Median Sale Price
$417,500
Days on Market
39
Active market
Months of Supply
2.2
Seller's market
Sale-to-List Ratio
100.1%
Homes selling above asking
Sold Above List
41.7%
Listings w/ Price Drops
18.3%
Building Permits (2024)
471
Single-Family Permits
138

Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →

[05] Capital Investment

$1,315M
TOTAL
PROJECT AMOUNT STATUS
Revolution Wind Offshore Wind Farm
Ørsted and Skyborn Renewables
$704M Under Construction
Microsoft Data Center Campus
Microsoft
$500M Proposed
Coventry Multi-Family Residential Development
Starr Capital
$70M Proposed
Robin Hollow Solar Farm
Undisclosed
$41M Completed

Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.

[06] Score Breakdown

GDP Growth +0.8% 15 percentile
Population Growth +0.5% 52 percentile
Income Growth +7.3% 23 percentile
Vacancy Rate 0.7% 84 percentile
Home Price Change +2.9% 70 percentile
Rent Growth +1.5% 27 percentile
Price/Rent 12x 72 percentile

Bars show percentile rank among all 996 counties.

[07] Frequently Asked Questions

Is Kent County, RI a good place to move to?

Kent County has a Boom Town Index score of 65/100, ranking #346 among 996 U.S. counties. With job growth at +0.5% and a median household income of $85,732, it's an above-average county on economic indicators.

Is Kent County affordable?

The median home value in Kent County is $306,000 with median rent at $1,226/month. The income-to-home-value ratio is 0.2802, which is more affordable than the national average.

Is Kent County growing or shrinking?

Population growth: +0.5% year-over-year. Job growth: +0.5%. Home values changed +2.9% in the past 12 months.

Are people moving to Kent County?

Yes — 2.97% of Kent County's population moved from another state, which is above the national average and indicates strong in-migration.

[08] Similar Metros

Lycoming County, PA 75 Hancock County, IN 75 Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK 75 Granville County, NC 75 Bradford County, PA 75 Douglas County, KS 75 Albany County, NY 75 Comanche County, OK 75