Providence County, Rhode Island

County Distress Index: Elevated · 59.9 | 660,615 people · 1st most distressed in Rhode Island
American Default Research

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Providence County, RI registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 59.9 — 961st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Rhode Island, it ranks 1st of 5 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Providence County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 80.3 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 80.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 76
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 74
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 94
Homeownership Rate 95
Economic Vitality 72.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 80
Rent-to-Income Ratio 90
Business Formation Rate 42
House Price Change (YoY) 30
Structural Poverty 55.7
Unemployment Rate 78
Poverty Rate 43
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 47
Disability Rate 35
Transfer Income Dependency 32
Consumer Credit Distress 51.2
Debt in Collections 54
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 62
Credit Card Delinquency 69
Uninsured Rate 21
Subprime Credit Population 65
Legal Distress 46.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 47

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Providence County
Providence County, RI 59.9 Elevated —
Bristol County, MA 55.8 Elevated -4.0
Worcester County, MA 48.9 Normal -11.0
Kent County, RI 46.0 Normal -13.9
Norfolk County, MA 35.3 Normal -24.6
Bristol County, RI 29.9 Healthy -29.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Providence County
St. Joseph County, IN 59.9 Elevated -0.0
Rutherford County, TN 59.9 Elevated +0.0
Forsyth County, NC 60.1 Elevated +0.2
Hamilton County, OH 60.1 Elevated +0.2
Adams County, CO 60.3 Elevated +0.4

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Providence County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Providence County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Providence County.

NEIGHBORWORKS BLACKSTONE RIVER VALLEY
Woonsocket
401-762-0993 Website
Foreclosure PreventionPost-PurchasePre-Lease/Pre-PurchasePre-Purchase
PAWTUCKET CENTRAL FALLS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Pawtucket
401-726-1173 Website
Pre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
PROVIDENCE HOUSING AUTHORITY
Providence
401-751-6400 Website
Financial CounselingPost-PurchasePre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
RHODE ISLAND HOUSING HELP CENTER
Providence
401-457-1000 Website
Foreclosure Prevention
WEST ELMWOOD HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Providence
401-453-3220 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFair HousingHome Improvement/Rehab

See all counselors in Rhode Island →

Find an Attorney

Rhode Island Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Rhode Island Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 401-421-5740

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Providence County residents at no cost.

Rhode Island Legal Services (RILS) 401-274-2652

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Rhode Island →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Providence County, Rhode Island?

    Providence County has a County Distress Index score of 59.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 961st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 1st in Rhode Island out of 5 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Providence County?

    The primary driver of distress in Providence County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 80.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Providence County compare to neighboring counties?

    Providence County (59.9) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Bristol County, MA (55.8); Worcester County, MA (48.9); Kent County, RI (46.0).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Elevated zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Providence County's score of 59.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Providence County's CDI score?

    Providence County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Providence County?

    Providence County, Rhode Island has a population of approximately 660,615 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.