The town identified as the poorest in Rhode Island is Central Falls. According to recent data, the typical household income in Central Falls is significantly lower than the state average, marking it as the community with the highest poverty levels in the state.
Specifically, Central Falls has a median household income of approximately $44,310, compared to Rhode Island’s overall median of $70,305.In addition to Central Falls, other towns in Rhode Island also struggle with poverty.
Woonsocket and Providence are frequently mentioned as having high poverty rates as well, but Central Falls consistently ranks at the bottom in terms of median income among towns with populations over 25,000.
The economic challenges faced by Central Falls reflect broader trends in Rhode Island, which has been noted for having one of the highest poverty rates in New England.
This situation has been exacerbated by factors such as rising housing costs and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which have left many residents unemployed or underemployed
Sources:
- https://247wallst.com/city/this-is-the-poorest-town-in-rhode-island/
- https://oceanstatecurrent.com/this-is-the-poorest-city-in-rhode-island/
- https://lasalle-academy.libguides.com/ourworldpoverty/rhodeisland