Historical U.S. Census Totals for Providence County, Rhode Island

This article shows U.S. Census totals for Providence County, Rhode Island, broken down by municipality, from 1900 to 2010.

Like most areas of New England, Providence County is (and has been at all times since well before the 20th century) entirely divided into incorporated municipalities. There is no unincorporated territory. For any census, adding up the totals for each municipality should yield the county total.

There are two types of municipalities in Rhode Island, towns and cities. The tables below differentiate between towns and cities.

For more information on the New England municipal system, see New England town.

Corporate changes since 1900

• 1910 – Cranston became a city
• 1958 – East Providence became a city

1900

County Total: 328,683

• Providence (city) 175,597
• Pawtucket (city) 39,231
• Woonsocket (city) 28,204
• Central Falls (city) 18,167
• Cranston 13,343
• East Providence 12,138
• Lincoln 8,937
• Cumberland 8,925
• Burrillville 6,317
• Johnston 4,305
• Scituate 3,361
• North Providence 3,016
• North Smithfield 2,422
• Smithfield 2,107
• Glocester 1,462
• Foster 1,151

1910

County Total: 424,353

• Providence (city) 224,326
• Pawtucket (city) 51,622
• Woonsocket (city) 38,125
• Central Falls (city) 22,754
• Cranston (city) 21,107
• East Providence 15,808
• Cumberland 10,107
• Lincoln 9,825
• Burrillville 7,878
• Johnston 5,935
• North Providence 5,407
• Scituate 3,493
• Smithfield 2,739
• North Smithfield 2,699
• Glocester 1,404
• Foster 1,124

1920

County Total: 475,190

• Providence (city) 237,595
• Pawtucket (city) 64,248
• Woonsocket (city) 43,496
• Cranston (city) 29,407
• Central Falls (city) 24,174
• East Providence 21,793
• Cumberland 10,077
• Lincoln 9,543
• Burrillville 8,606
• North Providence 7,697
• Johnston 6,855
• North Smithfield 3,200
• Smithfield 3,199
• Scituate 3,006
• Glocester 1,389
• Foster 905

1930

County Total: 540,016

• Providence (city) 252,981
• Pawtucket (city) 77,149
• Woonsocket (city) 49,376
• Cranston (city) 42,911
• East Providence 29,995
• Central Falls (city) 25,898
• North Providence 11,104
• Lincoln 10,421
• Cumberland 10,304
• Johnston 9,357
• Burrillville 7,677
• Smithfield 3,967
• North Smithfield 3,945
• Scituate 2,292
• Glocester 1,693
• Foster 946

1940

County Total: 550,298

• Providence (city) 253,504
• Pawtucket (city) 75,797
• Woonsocket (city) 49,303
• Cranston (city) 47,085
• East Providence 32,165
• Central Falls (city) 25,248
• North Providence 12,156
• Johnston 10,672
• Cumberland 10,625
• Lincoln 10,577
• Burrillville 8,185
• Smithfield 4,611
• North Smithfield 4,196
• Scituate 2,838
• Glocester 2,099
• Foster 1,237

1950

County Total: 574,973

• Providence (city) 248,674
• Pawtucket (city) 81,436
• Cranston (city) 55,060
• Woonsocket (city) 50,211
• East Providence 35,871
• Central Falls (city) 23,550
• North Providence 13,927
• Cumberland 12,842
• Johnston 12,725
• Lincoln 11,270
• Burrillville 8,774
• Smithfield 6,690
• North Smithfield 5,726
• Scituate 3,905
• Glocester 2,682
• Foster 1,630

1960

County Total: 568,778

• Providence (city) 207,498
• Pawtucket (city) 81,001
• Cranston (city) 66,766
• Woonsocket (city) 47,080
• East Providence (city) 41,955
• Central Falls (city) 19,858
• Cumberland 18,792
• North Providence 18,220
• Johnston 17,160
• Lincoln 13,551
• Smithfield 9,442
• Burrillville 9,119
• North Smithfield 7,632
• Scituate 5,210
• Glocester 3,397
• Foster 2,097

1970

County Total: 581,470

• Providence (city) 179,116
• Pawtucket (city) 76,984
• Cranston (city) 74,287
• East Providence (city) 48,207
• Woonsocket (city) 46,820
• Cumberland 26,605
• North Providence 24,337
• Johnston 22,037
• Central Falls (city) 18,716
• Lincoln 16,182
• Smithfield 13,468
• Burrillville 10,087
• North Smithfield 9,349
• Scituate 7,489
• Glocester 5,160
• Foster 2,626

1980

County Total: 571,349

• Providence (city) 156,804
• Cranston (city) 71,992
• Pawtucket (city) 71,204
• East Providence (city) 50,980
• Woonsocket (city) 45,914
• North Providence 29,188
• Cumberland 27,069
• Johnston 24,907
• Central Falls (city) 16,995
• Lincoln 16,949
• Smithfield 16,886
• Burrillville 13,164
• North Smithfield 9,972
• Scituate 8,405
• Glocester 7,550
• Foster 3,370

1990

County Total: 596,270

• Providence (city) 160,728
• Cranston (city) 76,060
• Pawtucket (city) 72,644
• East Providence (city) 50,380
• Woonsocket (city) 43,877
• North Providence 32,090
• Cumberland 29,038
• Johnston 26,542
• Smithfield 19,163
• Lincoln 18,045
• Central Falls (city) 17,637
• Burrillville 16,230
• North Smithfield 10,497
• Scituate 9,796
• Glocester 9,227
• Foster 4,316

2000

County Total: 621,602

• Providence (city) 173,618
• Cranston (city) 79,269
• Pawtucket (city) 72,958
• East Providence (city) 48,688
• Woonsocket (city) 43,224
• North Providence 32,411
• Cumberland 31,840
• Johnston 28,195
• Lincoln 20,898
• Smithfield 20,613
• Central Falls (city) 18,928
• Burrillville 15,796
• North Smithfield 10,618
• Scituate 10,324
• Glocester 9,948
• Foster 4,274

2010

County Total: 626,667

• Providence (city) 182,911
• Cranston (city) 80,387
• Pawtucket (city) 71,148
• East Providence (city) 47,037
• Woonsocket (city) 41,186
• Cumberland 33,506
• North Providence 32,078
• Johnston 28,769
• Smithfield 21,430
• Lincoln 21,105
• Central Falls 19,376
• Burrillville 15,955
• North Smithfield 11,967
• Scituate 10,329
• Glocester 9,746
• Foster 4,606

Notes

1970 Census

The Census Bureau made a number of revisions to 1970 census totals subsequent to their initial release. The 1970 total for Providence County was originally reported as 580,261; for the city of Providence, 179,213; for the city of Cranston, 73,037; and for the city of East Providence, 48,151. The totals were later revised to those shown in the list above.

See also

• United States Census
• Providence County, Rhode Island topics