RANK #296 / 1001 NAT · POP 171,456
1YR FORECAST: +2.0%
5YR OUTLOOK: +32%
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.
Kent County is one of 110 U.S. counties in this market profile — stronger than typical on the BoomTown Index. Within this cohort, its recent home-price change of +3.5% runs above the profile's typical +2.4%.
See all 110 Educated Suburban Growth counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Moderate climate & terrain
Below national median (15x)
Housing looks overvalued at 12.5x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
Source: EPA Air Quality System (2021–2023). Grade based on 3-year average median AQI. Learn about AQI →
| 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.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
With a Boom Town Index score of 70/100, Kent County sits in the upper half of all 1001 ranked counties. Employment is expanding at +1.1%, and median household income stands at $94,345 — indicators that suggest solid fundamentals even if it's not among the fastest-growing counties in RI.
Housing in Kent County is roughly in line with national affordability norms. The median home costs $366,100 and the income-to-home-value ratio sits at 0.26, with rents averaging $1,327/month. Not a bargain, but not a stretch for most local earners either.
Employers in Kent County are hiring — job growth of +1.1% — but the population is close to flat (+0.5% YoY). Home values moved +3.5% over the past year. Labor demand is outpacing local population growth, which tends to tighten wages and housing.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 3.15% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests Kent County has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.