Rhode Island
For Americans thinking of retiring to Rhode Island from another state, or comparing it with a move abroad. Prices in Rhode Island run at 102.3 against a US average of 100, with housing at 105.6. We cover Rhode Island's 5 counties on the map below, each with a page of its own, and no town in depth yet.
Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (SARPP, line codes 1-5), 2024-12-31
Rhode Island is not compared with a town — compare two towns instead. Why?
Rhode Island, a state of the United States, is not the same kind of thing as a town: it spans many counties and very different places. Putting a state-wide average beside one town's own figures produces a number that looks like an answer and describes nothing a person would experience — so the engine refuses that pairing rather than rendering it thinly. A town against another town, here or abroad, is like-for-like. Build a comparison →
Research in progress. Our quality assessment of the official sources for the United States is not finished yet. Every figure published here is sourced and dated.
Rhode Island's 5 counties
Every county in Rhode Island on its own figures, against every US county that has the same figure. Pick a county on the map or in the list.
- Lowest fifth of US counties
- Middle fifth
- Highest fifth (darker = a larger share 65+)
- No figure
- At least one hospital rated 4 or 5 stars by CMS
- None in the county
- No figure
- Bottom fifth of US counties
- Middle fifth
- Top fifth (darker = cheaper)
- No figure
- Bottom fifth of US counties
- Middle fifth
- Top fifth (darker = lower)
- No figure
- Bottom fifth of US counties
- Middle fifth
- Top fifth (darker = lower)
- No figure
- Bottom fifth of US counties
- Middle fifth
- Top fifth (darker = more)
- No figure
- Bottom fifth of US counties
- Middle fifth
- Top fifth (darker = lower)
- No figure
Outlines: US Census Bureau, cartographic boundary files (2024). A fifth is among every US county holding the figure, so a color means the same thing in every state.
All 5 counties, with their figures
-
Bristol County
50,001 residents, 12,387 aged 65 or older (24.8 %)
- Cost of living
- 101.8 Cheaper than 7 % of the other 3,142 US counties Its area's figure: every county in the area shares it. Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metropolitan area, US = 100
- Taxes on a retired couple
- USD $4,529 Lower than 23 % of the other 3,110 US counties
- Healthcare access
- No hospital in the county rated 4 or 5 stars by CMS
- Safety
- Bristol County had fewer than 20 homicides in 2020–2024: CDC WONDER publishes no reliable rate below that.
- Climate
- 5.0 months a year More than 39 % of the other 3,143 US counties
- Natural-hazard risk
- USD $0.71 per USD $1,000 of buildings Lower than 96 % of the other 3,143 US counties
- Medicare premiums
- Advantage USD $5,621 · Original + drug plan USD $7,624 a year for two Typical plans; premiums only, not the cost of care
No incorporated place in this county (Census, 1 July 2024).
Bristol County page → -
Kent County
173,495 residents, 40,103 aged 65 or older (23.1 %)
- Cost of living
- 101.8 Cheaper than 7 % of the other 3,142 US counties Its area's figure: every county in the area shares it. Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metropolitan area, US = 100
- Taxes on a retired couple
- USD $4,739 Lower than 19 % of the other 3,110 US counties
- Healthcare access
- No hospital in the county rated 4 or 5 stars by CMS
- Safety
- Kent County had fewer than 20 homicides in 2020–2024: CDC WONDER publishes no reliable rate below that.
- Climate
- 5.0 months a year More than 39 % of the other 3,143 US counties
- Natural-hazard risk
- USD $0.85 per USD $1,000 of buildings Lower than 89 % of the other 3,143 US counties
- Medicare premiums
- Advantage USD $5,569 · Original + drug plan USD $7,624 a year for two Typical plans; premiums only, not the cost of care
Largest place: Warwick (Census, 1 July 2024).
Kent County page → -
Newport County
83,051 residents, 22,595 aged 65 or older (27.2 %)
- Cost of living
- 101.8 Cheaper than 7 % of the other 3,142 US counties Its area's figure: every county in the area shares it. Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metropolitan area, US = 100
- Taxes on a retired couple
- USD $3,108 Lower than 51 % of the other 3,110 US counties
- Healthcare access
- 1 hospital in the county rated 4 or 5 stars by CMS
- Safety
- Newport County had fewer than 20 homicides in 2020–2024: CDC WONDER publishes no reliable rate below that.
- Climate
- 4.0 months a year More than 7 % of the other 3,143 US counties
- Natural-hazard risk
- USD $0.58 per USD $1,000 of buildings Lower than 99 % of the other 3,143 US counties
- Medicare premiums
- Advantage USD $5,621 · Original + drug plan USD $7,624 a year for two Typical plans; premiums only, not the cost of care
Largest place: Newport (Census, 1 July 2024).
Newport County page → -
Providence County
678,179 residents, 121,999 aged 65 or older (18.0 %)
- Cost of living
- 101.8 Cheaper than 7 % of the other 3,142 US counties Its area's figure: every county in the area shares it. Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metropolitan area, US = 100
- Taxes on a retired couple
- USD $4,387 Lower than 25 % of the other 3,110 US counties
- Healthcare access
- 4 hospitals in the county rated 4 or 5 stars by CMS
- Safety
- 3.5 per 100,000 a year Lower than 85 % of the other 767 US counties
- Climate
- 5.0 months a year More than 39 % of the other 3,143 US counties
- Natural-hazard risk
- USD $0.98 per USD $1,000 of buildings Lower than 80 % of the other 3,143 US counties
- Medicare premiums
- Advantage USD $5,569 · Original + drug plan USD $7,624 a year for two Typical plans; premiums only, not the cost of care
Largest places: Providence, Cranston, Pawtucket (Census, 1 July 2024).
Providence County page → -
Washington County
129,795 residents, 35,977 aged 65 or older (27.7 %)
- Cost of living
- 101.8 Cheaper than 7 % of the other 3,142 US counties Its area's figure: every county in the area shares it. Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metropolitan area, US = 100
- Taxes on a retired couple
- USD $3,496 Lower than 43 % of the other 3,110 US counties
- Healthcare access
- 2 hospitals in the county rated 4 or 5 stars by CMS
- Safety
- Washington County had fewer than 20 homicides in 2020–2024: CDC WONDER publishes no reliable rate below that.
- Climate
- 4.0 months a year More than 7 % of the other 3,143 US counties
- Natural-hazard risk
- USD $0.87 per USD $1,000 of buildings Lower than 87 % of the other 3,143 US counties
- Medicare premiums
- Advantage USD $5,621 · Original + drug plan USD $7,624 a year for two Typical plans; premiums only, not the cost of care
No incorporated place in this county (Census, 1 July 2024).
Washington County page →
Sources: US Census Bureau, county population estimates by age, 1 July 2025; BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, all items, of each county's metropolitan area or its state's nonmetropolitan portion; The state's published 2025 income-tax rules, the county's own local income tax where one is levied, and the county's Census ACS property-tax ratio, applied to the example household; CMS, Hospital General Information (Care Compare), hospital overall star rating, release of 13 Aug 2026; CHELSA V2.1 monthly maximum temperature, 1981-2010 (~1 km), averaged over the county, Karger et al.; FEMA, National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county expected annual loss to buildings (EAL_VALB); CMS, Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape, plan year 2027; CMS, 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles (fact sheet, 14 Nov 2025); CDC WONDER, Underlying Cause of Death 2018-2024 (Single Race, final), by county of residence.
Where Rhode Island stands, on the six criteria
Rhode Island's six figures are the ones that set its place on the state ranking, where it sits in Tier 1 of 16. Each is measured for the whole of Rhode Island, not for any single place within it.
| Criterion | Rhode Island |
|---|---|
| Cost of living BEA price level, all items (US = 100); lower is better |
102.3 Cheaper than 28% of the other 50 · housing 105.6 · goods 97.2 · utilities 146.7 · other services 102.8
BEA Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (SARPP, line codes 1-5) · figure for 2024 · checked 2026-08-28
|
| Taxes on a retired couple state and local tax on the example retired couple, USD a year; lower is better |
USD $4,243 (90% margin USD $4,190–$4,296) Lower than 32% of the other 50
Each state's published 2025 income-tax rules and the Census ACS property-tax ratio, applied to the example household · figure for 2025
|
| Healthcare access share of residents 65+ living in a county with a 4- or 5-star CMS hospital; higher is better |
77 % of residents 65+ Higher than 80% of the other 50
CMS, Hospital General Information (Care Compare), hospital overall star rating, release of 13 Aug 2026, weighted by each county's population 65+ (US Census Bureau, 1 July 2025) · figure for 2026 · checked 2026-10-27
|
| Safety homicides per 100,000 a year, 2020–2024, by state of residence; lower is better |
2.6 per 100,000 a year (95% interval 2.2–3.0) Lower than 90% of the other 50
CDC WONDER, Underlying Cause of Death 2018-2024 (Single Race, final), by state of residence · figure for 2024 · checked 2026-10-27
|
| Climate months a year whose mean daily high is 18–29 °C (64–84 °F), 1981–2010; more is better |
4.7 months a year More than 50% of the other 50
CHELSA V2.1 monthly maximum temperature, 1981-2010 (~1 km), averaged over the county, Karger et al., weighted by each county's population 65+ (US Census Bureau, 1 July 2025) · figure for 2010 · checked 2026-10-27
|
| Natural-hazard risk expected yearly loss to buildings from natural hazards, per USD $1,000 of buildings; lower is better |
USD $0.89 per USD $1,000 of buildings Lower than 90% of the other 50
FEMA, National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), state expected annual loss to buildings (EAL_VALB) · figure for 2025 · checked 2026-10-27
|
Medicare in Rhode Island
For the published example couple, both 67 and married: what Medicare premiums cost a year for two in Rhode Island, and the most a bad year can cost. What care itself costs depends on a person's health, so it is not estimated here.
Medicare Advantage, with drug coverage
USD $5,569 a year for two in premiums (from USD $4,870)
At most USD $19,069 in a bad year (from USD $17,470), with each person's in-network out-of-pocket maximum
The middle of the 10 plans offered here; "from" is the lowest premium among them.
Original Medicare, with a drug plan
USD $7,624 a year for two in premiums (from USD $5,189)
Medigap: no federal price list — not in this total.
No yearly maximum on Original Medicare alone.
Part B for two, plus the middle of the 10 standalone drug plans offered in the state.
The middle of Rhode Island's 5 counties, weighted by residents 65 or older (US Census Bureau, 1 July 2025).
The 2027 Part B premium is not yet published (CMS usually publishes it in November); 2026's is used.
Source: CMS, Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape, plan year 2027; CMS, 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles (fact sheet, 14 Nov 2025).
Rhode Island guarantees issue of any Medigap policy sold in the state, without medical underwriting, during each October 15 to December 7 Medicare enrollment period for coverage from January 1, to people with no coverage gap over 90 days since first enrolling in Medicare. Rhode Island's rule
Free, official Medicare counseling in Rhode Island: Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP), 1-888-884-8721 (the State Health Insurance Assistance Program).
Retiring to Rhode Island: pros and cons, by the figures
Retiring to Rhode Island, judged on the six figures above: a pro is a figure in the top fifth of the states, a con one in the bottom fifth. Figures in between get no verdict.
Pros
- Healthcare access: higher than 80% of the other 50 (77 % of residents 65+). CMS, Hospital General Information (Care Compare), hospital overall star rating, release of 13 Aug 2026, weighted by each county's population 65+ (US Census Bureau, 1 July 2025)
- Safety: lower than 90% of the other 50 (2.6 per 100,000 a year). CDC WONDER, Underlying Cause of Death 2018-2024 (Single Race, final), by state of residence
- Natural-hazard risk: lower than 90% of the other 50 (USD $0.89 per USD $1,000 of buildings). FEMA, National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), state expected annual loss to buildings (EAL_VALB)
Cons
None of Rhode Island's six figures is in the bottom fifth of the states.
Also shown, not scored
Rhode Island's other state-wide figures: shown for context, not part of its tier. Measured for the whole of Rhode Island — not for any single place within it.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
|
Population
Total resident population, US Census Bureau estimate for 1 July 2025.
How this is measuredTotal resident population, Census Bureau estimate as of 1 July 2025, as reported in SSA's Table 1. Bigger is not better — this axis exists for context, never for ranking. |
1,114,521 people |
|
Population 65 plus
Residents aged 65 or older, US Census Bureau estimate for 1 July 2025.
How this is measuredResident population aged 65 or older, Census Bureau estimate as of 1 July 2025, as reported in SSA's Table 1. |
233,061 people |
|
Social security beneficiary share
Everyone receiving Social Security — retired, disabled, survivors and dependants — as a share of the population, 2025.
How this is measuredAll OASDI beneficiaries — retired workers, disabled workers, survivors and dependants — as a percentage of the total resident population. SSA Table 1 (2025), population as of 1 July 2025. Not the same measure as the county-level retired-worker share. |
22.3 percent |
Source for every figure: SSA Table 1 (2025) · Census population as of 1 July 2025 · figure for 2025 · checked 2026-08-28 Official source
Taxes on a retired couple in Rhode Island
We apply Rhode Island's published rules for tax year 2025 to one example household and show the sum, line by line. These are rules already in force for 2025, not a projection.
The example household
| Filing status | married filing jointly, both aged 67 |
|---|---|
| Social Security | USD $45,000 a year, combined |
| Private pension | USD $25,000 a year |
| IRA or 401(k) withdrawal | USD $20,000 a year |
| Home, for property tax | USD $350,000 |
An illustrative household, the same for every state so states can be compared. Each spouse holds half of each income. Your own figures will differ.
Rhode Island's rules applied
Federal income tax is left out: it is the same in every state, so it cannot separate them. Sales tax is left out too: it depends on what a household buys, and no state publishes an average of its local rates. The rate is listed below.
The rules behind the sum
- Top income-tax rate: 5.99 % Rhode Island Division of Taxation, 2025 RI-1040 Resident Instructions, tax rate schedule · checked Oct 26, 2026
- Social Security modification (full retirement age): 100 % of it, from age 66 Rhode Island Division of Taxation, 2025 RI-1040 Instructions, Schedule M line 1s · checked Oct 26, 2026
- Pension and annuity modification (born on or before March 1, 1959): USD $50,000 per person, from age 66 Rhode Island Division of Taxation, 2025 RI-1040 Instructions, Schedule M line 1t · checked Oct 26, 2026
- Standard deduction, married joint: USD $21,800 Rhode Island Division of Taxation, 2025 RI-1040 Instructions, line 4 · checked Oct 26, 2026
- Exemption: USD $5,100 per person Rhode Island Division of Taxation, 2025 RI-1040 Instructions · checked Oct 26, 2026
We don't cover a town in Rhode Island yet. See the towns we cover in the United States.
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