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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Nobody expects rock-bottom prices in Rhode Island — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. And depending on your situation, providence (index 128 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — , rent $2,187/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. We analyzed 1 c…
190,792 residents · Rhode Island
Real talk: Providence is one of the cheaper options here. Rent is $2,187/month, which is lower than most cities in this ranking. The cost index is 128. Income sits at $66,772. Pretty standard for this type of city.
#1 Ranked: Providence — cost index 128, rent $2,187/mo, income $66,772
0 of 1 cities keep rent under 30% of $75K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| Rank | City | Median Rent | Rent % of Gross | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Providence | $2,187 | 35% | 128 | Details |
Nobody expects rock-bottom prices in Rhode Island — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. And depending on your situation, providence (index 128 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — , rent $2,187/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. We analyzed 1 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026 (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
Providence is one of the cheaper options here. And from what we can tell, rent is $2,187/month, which is lower than most cities in this ranking. The cost index is 128. Income sits at $66,772. Fairly typical for a city this size.
On a $75K salary, the key number is $1,875/month — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. Providence ($2,187/mo, 35%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $53,217 to $53,217/year across these top picks.
One more layer before the full breakdown: Across Rhode Island, the average cost of living index is 128 — 17 points above the national median. Known for smallest state, New England price tag, the state offers 1 tracked cities with median rents averaging $2,187/month. That's $292 more than the national average of $1,895. That level of affordability is getting rarer every year.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. The difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Providence | 5.99% | 7% | 1.24% | $53,217 |
We model what a $75K salary looks like after taxes in each city: federal income tax (marginal brackets), FICA (7.65%), and state income tax. Then we compare take-home against local rent and costs to determine where the salary stretches furthest. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Providence ranks #1 in Rhode Island for this analysis with a cost index of 128 and median income of $66,772.
Yes. On a $75K salary in Providence, rent would consume about 35% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. It's tight — consider a roommate or nearby suburb.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Providence is $2,187/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $292 above the national median of $1,895/month.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 5.99% state income tax, estimated take-home on $75K in Providence is approximately $53,217/year ($4,435/month). After median rent of $2,187/month, you'd have roughly $26,973/year for all other expenses.
The median home price in Providence is $420,051, which is 6.3× the local median income. Most median-income households would stretch to buy at this ratio. The national median home price is $467,370.
Rhode Island has a 5.99% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 7%, and the effective property tax rate is 1.24%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.