10 Best Places to Retire in Rhode Island

If you are thinking to spend your retirement fund in the smallest state in the US, take a look at the 10 best places to retire in Rhode Island.

Nicknamed The Ocean State, Rhode Island’s coast hides numerous bays, big and small, which spread out over the state covering approximately 14% of it. Moreover, the exceptionally long coastline, which runs for about 400 miles, attracts innumerable people to the beaches scattered all around it.

The fact that Rhode Island does not cover much area is actually an advantage for its inhabitants, as they can get to anywhere in the state within two hours. In fact, one can easily cross the borders of neighboring states as well, without wasting too much time.

The climate of Rhode Island is perfect for a retiree. Although the winters are cold, the summers are great and springs awfully lively. Both of these seasons give rise to, on an average, 202 sunny days yearly. However, a drawback to living in The Ocean State is that it is expensive. The cost of living is 20.6% higher than the US average, but money is a small issue with a place that has so much to offer. With museums and lighthouses, beaches and farms, colleges and parks, the state basically has everything you might want to see if you are big on sightseeing. Also, if you are looking to travel with high standards and a low budget, check out our article on 10 cheapest countries to live like a king.

In our list of 10 best places to retire in Rhode Island, we have taken into account all the cities with a population of above 6,000 people, according to City Data. Then, we assigned scores to each city based on the following criteria, statistics of which have been taken from Sperling’s Best Places:

• The cost of living index – This provides a comparison of the cost of living in that particular city with the US average. For example, if the index is 110, it means the cost is 10% above the average.
• Crime rate – A safe place is important for everyone, especially retirees, therefore, we have used crime rate as one of the factors for our ranking. This rate includes violent as well as property crime.
• A number of physicians per 100,000 population – Giving healthcare the significance it deserves, we have used this factor to judge whether physicians are easily available in the area.

Scoring the cities in each of the above criteria, and combining the points, we have come up with this list, so read ahead!

10. Woonsocket

Cost of living index: 104.6

Number of physicians: 402

Crime rate: 56

Woonsocket, RI is actually one of the cheaper cities in the state even though the cost of living here is above the US average. As mentioned before, Rhode Island is an extremely costly place overall. The sixth largest city in the state (by population), Woonsocket offers retirees a good healthcare system with a number of available physicians being much higher than the US average which is 261. The crime rate, however, is high, which has pushed it down the list.

This city is a home to many historical places and churches. It houses the Museum of Work and Culture as well. Entertainment for the nature loving is also not hard to find, as one can go on canoe trips on the Blackstone River or swim to get some exercise.

9. Central Falls

Cost of living index: 99.9

Number of physicians: 402

Crime rate: 62

Central Falls is the cheapest city on our list but the exceptionally high crime rate is a weakness as Rhode Island is a safe state with most of the cities below the average crime rate of 41.4. The smallest city in the smallest state, Central Falls is named after a waterfall on the Blackstone River and covers an area of merely 1.29 square miles. Like Woonsocket, it is a beautiful place with many historic landmarks and a retiree would definitely love to live here.

7. West Greenwich

Cost of living index: 132.6

Number of physicians: 279

Crime rate: 19

Offering a reasonable number of physicians per 100,000 population and one of the safest cities in the state, the small humble town of West Greenwich has tied with Warwick for the number seven spot. It contains many gorgeous churches and rivers and is considered one of the most beautiful places in Rhode Island.

7. Warwick

Cost of living index: 111.2

Number of physicians: 279

Crime rate: 31

Warwick is a culturally rich place with enjoyment for the young and the old. It is famous for its delicious seafood, which you can get from various famous restaurants around the city, or you can go fishing in the summers. If that doesn’t appeal to you, figure skating in winters is a well-liked sport in the area.

Warwick is an extremely versatile place: you can read at its famous Warwick Public Library; you can stroll around at beautiful parks like Goddard Memorial State Park and Rocky Point State Park; you can take in the view of the beaches, and you can go shopping at the Warwick Mall.

6. East Providence

Cost of living index: 109.6

Number of physicians: 402

Crime rate: 36

If you are a golf lover, East Providence, RI is the perfect place for you. With two famous golf clubs, namely Metacomet Country Club and Wannamoisett Country Club, there is plenty of recreation, exercise, and relaxation. In addition to golf, there are several parks where there are paths for biking as well as hiking and fields for various sports like softball, basketball, and soccer etc.

5. Bristol

Cost of living index: 131.9

Number of physicians: 487

Crime rate: 31

Tourism is one of the major industries of Bristol, RI, as there are many attractions for people to see.  There are several museums to appreciate arts of different kinds. Blithewold Mansion, which is a breathtaking place offering tours and views of the ocean, is also present in Bristol, the city coming in at number 5 on our list of 10 best places to retire in Rhode Island.

4. Warren

Cost of living index: 121.6

Number of physicians: 487

Crime rate: 42

Warren, RI is rich with art and history and is another city famous for its restaurants, especially its seafood. The city attracts many artists for the art community and religious folk for the churches but the food remains at the top of the list with some restaurants running successfully for years.

3. Burrillville

Cost of living index: 124.3

Number of physicians: 402

Crime rate: 23

Burrillville is a small safe town, with an educated population as it has plenty of competitive private colleges. As with other cities of Rhode Island, it has great food and restaurants.

2. Greenville

Cost of living index: 122.2

Number of physicians: 402

Crime rate: 22

Since Rhode Island is a small state, the number of physicians per 100,000 population remain the same for cities that are close together. Prices, however, vary quite a bit. Greenville is actually a small village but the prices here are still 22.2% above average. However, it is a safe place with good healthcare, hence great for retirees.

1. Barrington

Cost of living index: 149.4

Number of physicians: 487

Crime rate: 21

Barrington, RI is merely seven miles from Providence, the capital of the state, which is why it is the best place to live in Rhode Island. One would ask why one doesn’t just live in Providence but the crime rate in the capital is extremely high whereas Barrington is safe with all the advantages of having Providence and all its amenities nearby. This is why Barrington has bagged the number one spot on our list of 10 best places to retire in Rhode Island.