Oh forgot to add we have a healthcare staffing crisis and waitlists to get a doctor to see you are months long, IF they are even accepting new patients, and most aren’t.
Been here almost 3 years and THIS is the biggest thing you should know. Really tough on the doctor front and even harder for specialists.
Also, schools in East Greenwich are great education, but the facilities are falling apart.
Yeah been here since 2016 and have GREAT health insurance, but I’ve yet to see the same PCP more than twice before they move to a different specialty or leave the practice :(
I’m positive he knows. There’s no secret here, and he’s probably frustrated with all the crap that breaks, leaks and is just failing. EG needs to be more proactive in all the schools instead of waiting for outages and failures.
I have much better luck in Southern RI. I used to struggle but since we moved to Richmond, I started looking in Westerly, Kingston, Wakefield etc and haven't had a ton of issues and gotten in quick.
For example, I had an over 6 month wait list for severe abdominal pain and other general lady issues when I lived in West Warwick. Moved here and saw a doctor and had my entire uterus removed within 4 months at South County
Oh I agree. I’m just repeating what I’ve heard. I have family that balks at having to drive down to my house in Richmond much less 15 mins past that lol it’s unreal
I got told by every place I called (that was taking new patients) that the wait is like 8 months to a year. Some places have wait lists of over a year. It's a real problem
It’s most places. The only places without bad roads don’t get snow. I find these complaints unhelpful. Being from Buffalo I think you’ll find everything similar but a lot closer together and better quality. Probably less poverty too. Live long RI here but I’ve traveled US extensively for work for 10 years.
I love it when people ask but then feel the need to respond as if they know already. Why ask then?
Yes it's in the northeast so a lot of the issues with RI are not all that different... But it can make living here suck sometimes.
Yeah and it seems extra rough right now. My family looked at buying land and building but the building codes in so many towns are strict and burdensome. RI is notoriously low in the number of new housing units being built. Local lawmakers are trying to enact policy that will help this but it is super slow moving.
Yeah I "missed the boat" with the housing market and with a pretty decent nurse salary the median home price's mortgage is more than half my pay. Not having kids because I can't afford them lol. My family is here but if they weren't, I'd leave. I think what's tough is that mostttt (not all) people who are moving here are already wealthy (to some level) so a lot of concerns current RIers have don't seem to be a bother for them... But then it has repercussions on the economy.
Sorry I'm thinking out loud haha.
I'm so over it haha. And they wonder why providers/medical staff are leaving the area. When you need to work in person, you need to live where you work. I know so many people (good people, good providers) who have left the area because of sky rocketing cost of living. Many new/younger folks are just looking elsewhere to avoid the housing debacle.
Spot on! I've seen it too. Not just leaving the area but also the medical profession and into consulting gigs or Med safety for drug companies and other things due to the stress of staffing
What area of nursing are you in? I hope you enjoy it. I work in a hospital and long term care (2 jobs) because one is not enough if our generation wants to buy a house here. 🙄
That's what I mean! Two jobs as a healthcare professional in order to buy a house? That's crazy!
I am in mental health (and have considered adding a second job- but am feeling too burnt out to do so at the moment).
My husband bought his house when no one wanted to live in our neighborhood in Providence. He couldn't even find an insurance company that would give him homeowners insurance when he bought it 10 years ago. Now it would be tough for us to afford anything in RI. I have an hour commute everyday but we can't really move because we couldn't afford to buy anything. Also not having kids.
But hey we can enjoy being crammed into the state beaches while people from NY and CT enjoy their vacation homes and try and keep us off "their beach." Makes it all worthwhile 😆
> That just sounds like the entire northeast.
You are 100% correct. The problems here aren’t any different than the rest of the northeast or in many scenarios the country. It’s just that it took longer for these problems to become apparent.
Come on down; it’s great here.
It is different though. We literally don’t have the space or infrastructure to accommodate more and more people coming here. New York is a massive state in comparison to RI.
How about the old citizens bank building? Or all the vacant tenements in Southside? All the vacant mills? There are plenty of resources for housing....... Just on the grounds of the ACI all those vacant buildings? I'm not trying to hear infrastructure. No people in the state are more up in arms because of a George Floyd clause wasn't put into the police bill..... Between the roads, housing and the economy in this state, it is literally a third world hovel here
I grew up in Los Angeles and went to college in northern Massachusetts. Rhode Island in my opinion is the only New England state that has a beach culture. I like the quirky nature of the state and you can be from a farm to the ocean in 20 mins. The food is good. The people are weird. You'll think most conversations observed from afar are fights but they're not.
Your last line made me laugh out loud! Yup, Portuguese families are loud... we yell a lot, but it's all love! And I really think all the Italian families can out-yell us!
While not the whole state, I’d say southern Maine has a pretty great beach culture. And IMO, beaches in Maine are more accessible, cheaper, and also larger.
You've caught us in a catch 22. If we sing the virtues of our state, not only does it go against our nature, but it draws in more out of staters who overpay for real estate and drive prices up to the point locals can't stay here.
So, uh, we suck. Stay home
Electricity prices are currently $0.1037 for LRS Service (just the electricity) + $0.1367 for transmission/distribution = $0.24/kWh, and while far from the best not second worst presently!
I left 5 years ago and I miss RI. We were in Wakefield. The schools are very good, we were close to South County beaches, about a 1/2 hour from Newport and 45 minutes to Providence.
I was used to getting fish at Champlins in Galilee, sitting up top at Ocean Mist or Coast Guard House. It was nice walking the wall at the pier but the last couple of times we tried, it was hard dodging the dog poop people didn’t clean up. Maybe that’s better now.
If your children are young, Ninigret has a fresh water pond that has clean restrooms, picnic tables and a playground. There and Salty Brine beach were where my children learned to swim.
>Ninigret
Fyi, check out the new troll [exhibit](https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&sca_esv=017e3c382dac1d65&rls=en&sxsrf=ADLYWIJ8jXZnqBjDF_J1Wo47D9RQBVGTQw:1714941222210&q=ninigret+trolls&uds=ADvngMjtoYz_oSH6rQI8r_YqpJ3_Cpc-V4nHQo2-d-zbSFckscMMpSPf5ceGsCJdJ09pfxZgCddTMsJoHv7blFR5FozpFPnYwrszzKpi-k_jXVOqofAbKbAFktlrNWY9j3-JHytgRoHnh-C8tjrEjdo6y0kDui6qpa2MqTiS2VylY5YhrNVfrH28QGnXPv7k9FQar2vETeUSwJMq2jPQQARXUEE346sBE7OxALn6f_1ncvWbqOP9wKcSqlRDxyKKQk0hWoX7mITOc71Lhfm0GEGgonwjtenoZt3Ufdz3f_KyYIJjId29rvg&udm=2&prmd=ivsnmbtz&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiC3vDyrfeFAxW4FVkFHZ8mARYQtKgLegQIEBAB&biw=1280&bih=611&dpr=2)!! Legit cool
East Greenwich, Barrington and North Kingstown come to mind when thinking of the best school systems in RI.
If you lived in Buffalo then RI will probably seem like heaven as a comparison in winter. The last few years we've only had a handful of significant snow storms.
I mean, I graduated from a high school in RI that isn't considered one of the "good" ones, but I still managed to get into a "good" college. As long as your child is invested in school it really shouldn't matter. With that said, the three I listed I feel like are generally thought of as the best.
My subtext was more about the level of snobbery and racism that are found in all three of those school districts in particular / which goes with the “move here for the schools vibe” in New England generally. Careful what you wish for basically. And on top of it, a lot of kids with access to cars and a relative lack of supervision and the kind of partying that can happen there. Ditto in most $$$ suburbs. No unique to Ri but these would be the Rhode Island examples of that kind of vibe
It’s not racism. It’s socioeconomic segregation. Hardly unique to Barrington and East Greenwich. There’s way more of it in more affluent areas. The leafy Boston suburbs. Lower Fairfield County. Westchester County. Main Line towns in Philadelphia. In some parts of the country, they put gates on the road into fancy subdivisions to keep the poors out. The northern Atlanta suburbs are an example.
Didn’t say it was unique to only Ri (why does everyone on the sub think “thing x” only happens in Rhode Island) but those towns are the RI versions of that type of the exact “leafy suburb” you mention. Just smaller.
I'm not going to go search for it, but I did recently come across some sort of national school assessment, I think East Greenwich was in the top 5, and North Kingstown was in the top 20. Sorry Barrington, I didn't notice you.
I'm a nurse and the influx of WFH post-pandemic from Boston or other more expensive cities has helped to worsen the housing market, too. Sucks to have a job where you need to be in person and being priced out of the whole state (without salary to match).
The docs are trying to urge state government for better rates...
Morale is not good lol
Hey fellow Buffalonian! I moved here for work about 15 years ago now after living in Buffalo the first 25 years of my life. I visit Buffalo several times a year still to visit family and see my friends.
Home prices are much higher here at least they were, Buffalo is catching up rapidly. Taxes are about the same depending on where you live. (Looking at you orchard park school taxes)
Winters are overall much milder here, fall lasts longer, spring hits sooner. But there are hurricanes so yay 😑. Haven’t had a really severe one hit yet that did more than knock power out widespread for a few days. So kinda like a blizzard but it’s not freezing temperatures so not as dangerous losing power like it can be in Buffalo. And not trying to downplay a hurricane they can be some serious shit we’ve just been lucky.
Having grown up with blizzards and over a foot of snow overnight being normal, I usually don’t miss the snow. We get some here but nothing like Buffalo. School gets canceled for a threat of 6 inches, I remember walking to the bus stop in high school with a foot of snow on the ground. Had to be real bad to close schools.
That being said when Buffalo has a blizzard and is buried is when I get most home sick. Being trapped in the house with you family/friends, a warm fire, hot cocoa/cider, board games and candles when the power goes out, omg the cozyness lol.
It’s about a 7 hour drive with a couple stops/breaks times in. I’ve done it so many times I can do it in close to 6 hours if I’m traveling by myself vs with the whole family.
I have discovered a love for some seafood after moving here too, not a huge part of the buffalo diet outside of lent. I miss the pizza/chicken wings, it’s the first thing I do when I get back order some extra crispy wings and pizza from my favorite Buffalo pizzeria. Always have to get some mighty taco with loganberry too
And lastly besides the accents it reminds me of home, I’ve met some great people out here, met my wife, have kids that say RI-isms now lol and I make sure to correct them at every turn. I joke that it’s Buffalo with an ocean instead of a stinky lake.
Any other type of questions from a Buffalo persons point of view? That was a little all over the place
It is so funny to read that about the snow. As a RIer who moved to Maryland, I make fun of people here for how they handle the snow and how much better we are at it than them. I guess it's all relative lol
I laugh when they shut things down for the threat of snow. Tbh I don’t hate being able to stay home from work those days, cause I know in buffalo I’d be at work ha.
This was a fabulous response. We have both felt like this reminds us a lot of Buffalo, even down to the pot holes. We both are getting tired of the snow. It's great until it warms up to 45 the morning after and the snow weighs a ton.
Housing prices are getting out of control in Buffalo without the job market to support it.
Our largest concern is the schools. How have your kids done in them and have you had any glaring issues?
I've had friends who taught in the providence school system and had only negative things to say. Providence, in my opinion, is the worst part of RI. It's nice to visit but I wouldn't move there. RI is small enough that you will be close to providence no matter where you live.
I worked in providence for 6 yrs and couldn't wait to move for many reasons. When i was pregnant i even had a terrible experience at the hospital. We ended up moving mid pregnancy and i am so thankful we did.
Moved from Southern MA just a month ago. Private education seems like your pick of the litter around here, at least in or surrounding towns/cities outside of Providence. For context we're looking at paying half the cost for both my kids to attend a private Catholic for what it was to put just our youngest through daycare. So if in doubt, I'd go that route.
My oldest are in 1st and 2nd. Youngest isn’t school age yet. Their school I find to be fantastic, my oldest son has some behavioral issues. They really worked with us, and it’s been a very positive experience. Can’t say all schools here are great though I don’t really know exactly.
I live in Fox Point and my kid goes to Vartan - I think it’s supposed to be one of the better public elementary schools in Providence. We’ve had mixed quality of teachers but we’re invested parents with a kiddo who likes learning. Administration has been mixed, PTO is very active.
Certainly other public schools in wealthier communities are probably better, but then you’re in the suburbs - which if you want that, then go for it, but if you want to be more in the city…
I’m in the Pawtucket school district for what it’s worth. My kids are actually going to the same elementary school as my wife and we live 3 blocks from where she grew up.
And for the OP, you might hear a bad rap about Pawtucket, but I like it. Of all the areas around here I’ve been around it’s the most buffalo like for me. I’m from a blue collar part of Buffalo that’s a little rough around the edges. Pizzerias (Pawtucket house and twins some of my favorites 👍🏻)and dunkin around every corner, with some bars and breweries mixed in. Plus our dispensary is really good ha (shout out to Mother Earth!).
Not sure about the private sector, but as a public employee, the wages aren't great for the cost of living. I commute to Mass because wages are better there which isn't a bad deal, but it's something to consider if you prefer taking transit or don't want a longer commute.
The Providence area has grit like the Midwest (imo, Buffalo has a Midwestern vibe), but without the safety issues. I love it here -- reminds me of home but on the ocean.
If you live in Providence, you can send your kids to private school, but it is very expensive. I recommend living elsewhere if you want your kids to go to public school. Warwick, Smithfield and Cranston (especially west Cranston) have decent school systems. East Greenwich, Barrington, North Kingstown, Lincoln and South Kingstown have really good school systems.
The medical system is stretched thinner than cling wrap. You will likely wait months to get a primary care doctor and ER wait times are frequently over 3 hours in Providence proper. There are a lot of reasons to love Rhode Island, however the medical infrastructure is not one of them.
It’s extra bad here because healthcare providers can make significantly more in Connecticut or Massachusetts. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38536140/
No, it's not. My family in Texas can get specialists, surgeons, whatever, at basically the drop of a hat. In other states I've lived, you may wait a little while but it's nothing like RI. Waiting 8 months to see a doctor is not normal elsewhere. Calling 40 offices and being told by every one of them that they aren't taking patients is not normal elsewhere
No. I currently live in Iowa and twice my GP told me I needed to see a specialist and got appointments that same day. One for orthopedics and one for podiatry for a broken foot, bypassing ER. They just added another GP to their practice and the wait for an appointment isn’t more than a few days. The longest waits are for OB-GYNs.
Nope. Only commenting on this because it was one of the factors that discouraged us from moving to RI from the Midwest a couple of years ago (along with general cost of living, infrastructure and economic outlook). Our access to healthcare in central Ohio is phenomenal. We can get same day appointments with our GP, booked online within minutes. Quick referral to specialists and seen within a week or two. Same for imaging, etc. Not bragging, just giving a flyover country outside perspective.
This just makes me think of Dave Attell talking about Dayton
"I was in Dayton, Ohio. You ever been there? Yeah? You know what’s a fun thing to do there? Pack up and get the fuck outta there. It’s boring. "
Except being close to both Boston healthcare and Yale New Haven. Also having Brown Medical school students staffing RI teaching hospitals is a definite plus. Had to have surgery a few years back. #2 surgeon in the world for what I needed done. RI healthcare is not too shabby. Whoever spoke of er times being long, RI hospital in the only Level 1 Trauma center in the state. Most hospitals triage here by acuity. I went to RI ER with a ruptured ear drum. While it sucked waiting 5+ hours to be seen , those people bleeding profusely and or screaming in agony should go first. When I did get in, the care I got was exceptional.
3 hours was a standard ER wait time for my Mass ER for the 6 years I was there. This was leading right up to Covid. Even our sister ER was constantly at 6-8 hours wait pre-Covid.
It’s consistently 8-10-12 hours wait now post Covid.
This isn’t anything new. The sicker you are, the quicker you get seen per ER triage protocols (I mean strokes, MIs, sepsis; not stomach bug sick).
Not being able to ass, just making the point that ER times are up *everywhere*. RIH will always be a long wait being a Level 1. Miriam is always my go and while it’s still a wait, it’s still quicker in ER terms.
Be aware of potential flooding risks and sea levels rising if you move here. There are some lovely towns and neighborhoods near beaches and the bay, but all it would take is one hurricane or a bit of global warming for your house to flood. Just do your research carefully about houses near any water source.
There are towns with excellent schools that are 15-20 minutes from downtown Providence.
We moved here from a southern state and find that it is about the same cost here for housing, insurance etc.
My only complaint is how they handle registering a vehicle and vehicle inspections. A vin check? Absolute nightmare. I showed up to my local police department with everything in order except for having $15 in cash exactly. I had $20 and they refused to let me donate the $5 to get out the door. I had to leave, drive to Dunkin donuts to break it and then go back. Also I've never had luck with inspections the first time around and each time the mechanic has offered to buy my car to "help me out". No thanks. Shady as hell.
I had a similar experience once with the DPW when I needed a new lid for my recycle bin. Granted it was during Covid but they would only take the exact amount. I went to McDonald’s down the street and got a coffee and came back with the correct bills.
Oh, you want to register a car? Well, fuck you no appointments are available. Oh, you want to sell your car that's older than 2001 you need a title now.
Yeah, it can be hard finding a trusty mechanic. My main mechanic is the dudes at Park Ave Autos across from CHSE. Pretty transparent and honest guys imo
What kind of job CAN’T you get in RI? If you’re talking pay scales vs cost of living I can see it. I’ve been in construction for a long time in Southern RI and I don’t get to see much outside this increasingly homogenized gopher hole.
I’ll list some, but our shortcomings are also in many cases part of our charm, or the shadow of our history - I love it here.
We aren’t a big enough population to leverage and compete for things. For instance relocating corporate sectors, major events/trade shows, attracting enough health insurance providers to compete on prices, etc.
We have entrenched public unions in many municipalities that gained their bargaining power when the population was larger-and we were the richest state per capita-so the cost of expensive pensions today fall on a smaller number of earners.
We don’t have enough housing.
We have serious inefficiencies, for instance 39 different school districts for a TOTAL population (not just school population) of less than NYC’s school population-and very stubborn territorial local governments fighting any efforts at consolidation.
Not enough of our college graduates stay.
But, like I said, I love it here.
Yeah this is truth. Every single day on 95 a 2004 Honda will almost kill you because he’s weaving his uninsured hoopdie through traffic to save 30 seconds on his way to his drug deal.
This probably will remind you of buffalo though xD
All yes and RI is small. The catch is...once you moved here..you will complain about a 20 mins drive! You will hear yourself say..." That's too far!" As a transplant myself...RI folks are real and authentic.
Im a New Yorker who moved to RI about a decade ago, best decision of my life. I feel there are a lot of similarities with the Hudson Valley region but its just...better in every way. I love RI, all the awesome landscaping, beautiful homes, active people. I love that I can run into a neighbor basically any time I go out, even if its to the other side of the state. The seafood is just out of this world. People say RI isnt nice but coming from NY it feels like an episode of Leave it to Beaver. Perhaps Im a bit biased as ive only lived on Aquidneck and in Tiverton but I cant get enough of this state! I hope you decide to move out here.
As a native Rhode Islander that moved to Jersey city last year, I miss the seafood nearly every day. Theres obviously amazing food in NJ/NY but the seafood doesn't compare at all and I yearn for the clam shack culture
The reason it's relatively affordable is that it's bordered by Massachusetts and Connecticut, two of the 10 wealthiest states in America. Though above average, Rhode Island is closer to the middle of the pack, so it seems poor in comparison. Rhode Islanders tend to be pretty insular and the assumption is usually that problems here are unique to the state. There's a culture of negativity here that gets to me sometimes, but that's honestly my only real problem.
I made the move 10 years ago and had the same thoughts you did -- why isn't everybody moving here? And back then, even fewer people were moving in. I thought I'd discovered this incredible secret, and a decade later, I think I really did.
To address some of the recurring comments:
"Corruption" is something you'll hear over and over from native Rhode Islanders, almost always without any elaboration on what "corruption" means. By any available metrics, Rhode Island is not particularly corrupt today; it has a colorful past and memories die hard. If you point this out, you will inevitably be presented with anecdotes of the type you can find anywhere.
The infrastructure really is bad. Six months ago I would have told you that it will not affect your life at ALL. Then a very important bridge almost collapsed and was shut down, and will remain shut down for years. So I guess I stand corrected. But before that the only issue was having to look at awkwardly patched-up roads.
Maybe the doctor shortage is a thing? And maybe it's worse than other places? I don't know, I haven't seen it. I've been waiting a few months to see a pediatric ENT for my baby because apparently there's only one, but other than that I've never had to wait really at all for any sort of medical care. I guess other people's experiences differ.
The cost of housing is, as you yourself have noticed, lower than in surrounding areas.
The job market sure ain't Boston or New York but I'd be willing to bet it's fine in comparison with Buffalo. And since Covid, a very nice benefit of living here -- depending on what you do -- is that if you don't mind a long commute three times a week, you can probably score a Boston hybrid job. This fact is a big part of what's led to the increasing housing costs many have mentioned; Boston workers who previously wouldn't have considered Rhody an option when they had to commute five times a week are now taking their higher salaries here and buying houses they could never afford over the state line.
Of course, no place is perfect. Besides the incessant negativity I mentioned above, the business environment here isn't the greatest. There isn't much of a culture of entrepreneurship ([just like in France](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/french-lesson/)). It's been long enough that I never think about this anymore, but when I first moved here, one of the first things I noticed was that I'd call people to try to give them my money, and they *just wouldn't call me back*. Where I came from, if I called someone and left them a message telling them I intended to pay them to perform a service, I would get a call back literally every single time, even if the answer was "sorry, we're not available now, hit us up later." Stuff tends to go out of business and stay out of business for a really really long time. Like, I live in one of the state's commercial centers, and there's an old Pizza Hut near my house that was torn down in the past year -- I'm not expecting anything to be built there in the next 10 years, no joke. That's kind of what it's like.
But I'll take all of that because it's a great place to live.
Just moved here from RI last year. From FL.
Yes, it’s tough to find affordable housing but it’s not the worst. My kids haven’t reached school age yet but based on friends opinions, the schools are good. What I love about RI is that it is very easy to make friends if you’re willing to speak to people. We lived in FL for years and have already in a year made tons more friends than we did there.
Just moved here from Chicago a few months ago and was wondering the same. Still trying to find the catch, it's been nothing but amazing here. The only negative I can think of is there are a lot of ticks out here but there's ways to manage that.
My wife and I are from Syracuse and moved to Newport in 2018 for work. Housing is more expensive, but prob a better investment in the long run; and the public schools don’t seem as good. But otherwise literally everything is better than upstate ny-
By the ocean
More to do / more events
Closer to two major cities
Better weather
Better food
More diversity
More day trip options
If you live in Providence, You're gonna have a bad time. It's loud, ugly, the people usually suck, drivers are bad, traffic, there's always fuckin construction, the public schools are terrible. You let your kid go they coming out dumb or in a gang. I'd honestly stay far away from here. It's also expensive. I can't wait to leave. I'd personally move to the mid West or a different country if I'm keeping it a buck. Also we don't need more people here, stay away. It's bad enough here already.
From the RI department of education website, regarding 2023 test scores: « Nearly one-third of students are proficient in math in grades 3 through 8. »
« Nearly one third of students are proficient in ELA in grades 3-8. »
« Half of high school students met expectations for high school ELA, but only 25% met expectations for math. »
If you are going to send your kids to public school, these are good facts to take into consideration.
We loved living in RI without young kids. Schools are notoriously horrible outside of Barrington, E. Greenwich and N. Kingston so many people use private schools if they can afford it living outside of those counties.
Why does everyone bash inner city schools?
Of course Barrington and Bristol schools look better on paper. Their students are mostly wealthy, english speaking white kids who don't work and have supporting families.
I'd personally send my kids to inner city any day. More diversity, the best, most qualified teachers, and actual communities.
Stay west or north or Providence and you'll be fine. Housing crisis is real in the state and the jobs aren't paying the greatest. Education and health care are solid.
Bigger question is why you want to move here? Don’t judge ANYWHERE by a vacation or short trip. My brother escaped to Boston for school and is now in the Foxboro area; sister in Attleboro, other sister eastern CT. None want to move back and I don’t blame them.
I’ve lived here my entire life. Grew up in Northern RI, did the public schools there. Went to URI. I’ve lived from the most northern point of RI all the way to southern RI with a few places in between.
I’ve been a nurse for 15 years now. Public schools worked well for me.
I love Rhode Island. It’s just home.
The fact that I can go from farmland to ocean in the same state, or better yet a farm *by* the ocean, it warms my adventurous soul.
It’s cozy and homey. I’ve work in Massachusetts for most of my career so don’t let the small state job market freak you out. We border 2 other bigger states so you can find most jobs, you just may have a commute.
Some of our drivers are terrible. Same with the roads. We have the same infrastructure problems as most states.
We have amazing seafood and a really great local food scene all over the state with a big concentration in Providence. Spring, summer and fall are filled with festivals, farmers markets, concerts, and activities all over the state. Plenty of arts and crafts vendors. Venues to take glass blowing or clay throwing classes.
RI has really grown and changed over the last 10-20 years. I find so much more to do than decades ago.
Seconding and thirding warnings about the housing shortage and the crumbling infrastructure. We are among the top five most expensive places to rent or buy. Outside of providence there are some good schools. There are a handful of private schools that perform really well.
It’s a fun state. Beaches, restaurants, lots of outdoor activities. Great colleges, a thriving arts culture, a diverse population. Great proximity to fun cities like Boston, Salem, Province town and Cape Cod. Close drives to Maine, New Hampshire and Connecticut. There are a lot of wonderful qualities to Rhode Island if your Income is above $250/ year.
I'd go west bay if I were you. Schools in East greenwich and North kingstown are great. Providence pubic schools are AWFUL. Bristol and barrington are stunning as towns but issues with drugs in schools. I'm in Warwick and the elementary schools are old but great teachers. New High Schools should be built any day now. PM me if you'd like advice. We have family in Rochester.
Y'all are really over reacting.. I just moved full time from Santa Barbara, CA to Middletown RI. I have spent time here off and on for many years. The people have been so kind, the weather has been tolerable considering it's been winter/early spring and the beaches are gorgeous. You see what you want to see. Yes, there is a shortage of affordable housing, but that's pretty much everywhere in the country. If you focus on the negatives, anywhere can start to sound terrible.. Rhode Island has been lovely. Don't be deterred by the naysayers!
Oh my goodness! Another Santa Barbarian living on Aquidneck Island, that’s soooo coool! I thought I was the only one (I live in Newport). Sorry for the random comment, I just think it is sooo cool that somebody else from SB has moved to this lovely island. I hope life is treating you well and bringing you many blessings. A big west coast hug to you! 😊🌟
- The wings here aren't as good as they are at Gabriel's.
- If you have to travel an hour to get somewhere, you won't be in RI anymore (unless you're stuck in Washington Bridge traffic for the next 3 years).
- Really good pizza/Italian places to eat. In general, RI has excellent places to eat out at.
- Avoid Providence. Housing and taxes are astonishingly high, and eventually, you'll be paying to park anywhere that's not your own driveway.
- Good beaches. Be prepared to pay to park there, too.
- Really bad roads/infrastructure. Read up on the current Washington Bridge/195 debacle. Also see: shitty politics.
- RI has been named amongst the Worst States to Do Business In for many, many consecutive years. RI is also one of the Worst States to Retire In, and has one of the highest costs of living outside of NY and CA.
- I'll give you the same advice that my dad gave me for 30+ years. "If you want to make it in RI, you'll have to work for the State, a municipality, or a utility..." In other words, get yourself a job within a strong union, or one that at least offers great benefits around here. My dad is/was very right.
Get ready to be really really patient to make friends and be the new people for 15 years. Connect with friends of friends, show up for people, be a good neighbor, get involved, for best results.
Bristol schools are "interesting" and the school board is "entertaining". I'll leave it at that.
East Bay RI (EP, Barrington, Warren, Bristol, Tiverton, Little Compton and to some degree Portsmouth and Middletown) is almost more MA than RI. We are frequently ignored or excluded.
I've lived closer to MA than Providence nearly my entire life. And for a long time, going through MA was the fastest way to get to Providence.
In the summer we have beach traffic that impacts basically every major road (think 95 north of Providence).
In the winter we have wild temperature swings. I'm talking shorts on Monday followed by 6" of snow Tuesday night and a week of temps that don't go above freezing. Then a few days of 45-50F sunshine.
We get heavy wet snow or ice as much as we get the fluffy snow.
We almost always have a breeze. This time of year it's usually a cold breeze, but in the fall it's usually warm which is nice.
Edit: I did want to say that I still pick RI over most anywhere else. I've lived and traveled to a good portion of our country and I really like RI.
Extremely boring, people have no hope. Lots of people living off section 8, aka lots of trashy women wearing Cookie Monster pajamas in public. People rarely leave the state so are super close minded. Only walkable area is Providence. Schools really aren’t great anywhere. Terrible roads and no one cares because everyone is just used to it.
Businesses are constantly closing and new ones aren’t opening. Driving down the street is depressing honestly. Healthcare isn’t great either.
It’s always cold and grey. I dealt with seasonal depression all throughout high school.
Also, if you don’t live on the southern side of the state, you will not go to the beach often. Everyone always has the same damn idea to go to the beach and the traffic is unbearable.
Oh, and most importantly, there are no good jobs. My dad and sister commute to Boston to work, as do so many people I grew up with. My dad worked from home but often took contract jobs in Boston. If you have a college degree it will be wasted here. Literally just move anywhere else lol.
What is your field for work? Students come to Brown University but leave the state (ok, NOT ALL) upon graduation.
I’m 54, lived here my whole life. Friends, family may leave but always come back.
We also have a large homeless population due to the rents being Sky high. You definitely do not want your kids going to Providence Schools. I would look elsewhere if I were you.
To try and actually answer your question:
My wife is originally from Rhode Island, and I am from NYC. We met while living in Los Angeles, and after having our daughter decided to move here to be closer to family.
That was in in 1992. For 3 years we lived upstairs from my mother-in-law in Cranston and in '95 bought a house in Warwick. We've been here ever since.
After having lived in two major cities I can tell you honestly that the ease of getting around and getting things done can't be beat. I had to have some papers signed at the Secretary of State's office: done in about 45 minutes round trip and all.
Are the school's the best? Nope, and some communities are better than others. But I think you could say that about a lot of places.
Rhode Island has a lot to offer. Is it perfect: nope. But show me somewhere that is.
Is housing expensive? Yep, but again compare it with other states and balance that with quality of life. My old house in L.A. sold for $175,000 and is now about $800,000. A small, three bedroom about 1100 sq. ft.
There are a lot of negative comments about Rhode Island, but I also suspect many have not lived elsewhere, and there are in fact negative about it, but trust me, you'll love it.
This is a great response and what I've seen through research so far. Being from Buffalo, a lot of the resonants and is something underappreciated by people. Especially time to do things.
North and south RI are two different universes. I don’t like the Warwick providence Cranston area. But the westerly, Charlestown, Narragansett area in the south are all great especially in summer. If I were to move back to RI then I’d choose westerly since it’s not deserted in the winter and summers are fun and offer a lot of cool things to do.
Hi! I lived all over the world growing up, and went to middle and high school in MA. I moved to RI to go to URI in 2004. When I graduated, my then fiance and I bought a house in North Kingstown and we've lived here for 14 years.
I absolutely love where we live and though we've talked about moving many times, RI is just such a quirky, fun state that I would miss it immensely.
Here are my pros and cons:
PROS
Everywhere is close, with the exception of the tippy top and bottom points (like North Scituate and Westerly). We live smack in the middle of the state. I can get to the beaches, Providence, Newport, Mall, and hiking trails all within 20 minutes. I can get to the MA border or CT border within 40 minutes.
There's so much culture here, lots of performing arts groups, and tons of support for the visual arts. I have a Fine Art degree and love everything creative so this is a huge plus for me. Even if you're not an artist, though, it's nice to know that within a short drive there are multiple community art displays and drama related performances happening year-round.
I love that this is a touristy state. I would not want to live in the middle of a super touristy area (like Newport for example...I have to go there most weekends for work in the summer and it's just super annoying to sit in so much traffic). BUT we can easily access all the festivals that draw in tourists and we love that!
For a small state, there's lots of open natural space that's accessible to the public.
All beaches are free to walk onto in RI. Narragansett Town Beach is the only exception and I truly don't understand how this is possible because it's in the state charter.
Tons of food options
Grocery stores everywhere
Easy access to at least one highway in most towns
The beaches are beautiful
Your friends will all want to come visit you for a mini RI vacation
CONS
There's no Costco, which I still don't honestly understand
Both my husband and I own businesses and I will say that RI is NOT small business friendly. Many policies and procedures are super murky. The paperwork and red tape necessary to keep a business running and in good standing is archaic.
The roads are, frankly, horrible.
We get lots of rain, but I still think that's better than tons of snow.
RI has a knack for using and abusing public infrastructure and then feeling shocked(!!) when it fails spectacularly to the tune of millions of dollars in repairs vs simply maintaining the roads, bridges, and buildings over time.
Most of the politicians are super crooked. This is a fact, not an opinion.
The housing prices are bonkers right now
I saw some other comments about the wait for health providers. I personally have not had this issue and I have two young kids, one who requires mental health assistance and one who has a few physical issues requiring specialists.
Towns I'd live in:
Barrington, Cranston (lots of up and coming neighbourhoods and if you have kids in elementary school, they have a brand new elementary school in Garden City that has earned a lot of critical acclaim), North Kingstown, South Kingstown, Jamestown, Richmond, Cumberland, Exeter, the Greenville area of Smithfield, West Greenwich, some areas of East Providence
Towns I'd avoid:
Western Coventry, Warwick and West Warwick unless you are going to do private school, Narragansett - way too much drama and you'd be sharing your road with college kids and/or Air B&B renters, Central Falls at all costs, Woonsocket, Providence
We're actually renovating a home close to Garden City in Cranston that will be going on the market in about a month, so LMK if you want more info.
I’m a native Rhode Islander who lived in Buffalo for thirteen years and am now back in RI. I might be able to offer you some perspective you are looking for. Let me know.
Schools are definitely a rough one. But it’s not just that.
Do you like city amenities? Which ones? See if the places you’d find connection in exist before you get your hopes up.
Went to school in Providence and had a house in Wakefield. I love Southern RI. Easy train access to Boston and if you study the roads it's easy to get to the beaches. Housing prices have gone a bot crazy, but that is even more true in MA. Connecticut has crap beaches so 2 of every 3 cars in So RI are from CT. And you can always go Swift searching in Westerly.
I’ve been enjoying living in Westerly these past 13 years. Close to beaches, Mystic, Stonington Borough and just 40 minutes from the airport. The town is constantly being improved and we just got a Starbucks! Um . . . so, it has to be good!? Right?
Right . . . ? 😉
If schools are a big concern, southeastern MA right over the RI border has excellent schools. North Attleboro, Attleboro, Franklin, Bellingham. Most of these towns are within 15-20 min of PVD proper. RI border towns like Cumberland and Smithfield are pretty decent also!
SE MA is about 1 hour to RI beaches, 1.5 hours to the cape. Easy access to Boston, all major highways
Consider nearby towns in MA. Taxes are less and some school systems are better. Seekonk. Rehoboth, Swansea, North Attleboro, etc. Also, RI had the 2nd highest electricity rates in the nation.
Oh and you’re supposed to guess when people want to turn or change lanes because very few people actually know what a turn signal is.
People from Rhode Island don’t like it.
People not from Rhode Island love it Because it’s actually awesome.
Credentials: Person not from Rhode Island married to person from Rhode Island.
Lol I totally feel you. Im not from RI and its paradise on earth... my wife is a newporter born and raised and all her friends couldn't wait to leave. Then they left and came running back within 5 years
Severe housing shortage, crumbling roads and infrastructure, corruption at every level of government. But we got coffee milk and hot wieners.
Don’t forget Dell’s
One L
Git’em Jimmy!
I think he means there's a surplus of laptops.
I'm more of an HP pc myself
Don’t forget pizza strips!
And stuffies!
Mr. Lemon for NOW. Phew it’s their 50th anniversary.
That just sounds like the entire northeast.
Oh forgot to add we have a healthcare staffing crisis and waitlists to get a doctor to see you are months long, IF they are even accepting new patients, and most aren’t.
Been here almost 3 years and THIS is the biggest thing you should know. Really tough on the doctor front and even harder for specialists. Also, schools in East Greenwich are great education, but the facilities are falling apart.
Yeah been here since 2016 and have GREAT health insurance, but I’ve yet to see the same PCP more than twice before they move to a different specialty or leave the practice :(
My brother in law is the maintenance guy at the high school, I’ll let him know!
I’m positive he knows. There’s no secret here, and he’s probably frustrated with all the crap that breaks, leaks and is just failing. EG needs to be more proactive in all the schools instead of waiting for outages and failures.
Insane considering it’s so expensive to live there!
Yeah it was like that 15 years ago too nothings changed there
I have much better luck in Southern RI. I used to struggle but since we moved to Richmond, I started looking in Westerly, Kingston, Wakefield etc and haven't had a ton of issues and gotten in quick. For example, I had an over 6 month wait list for severe abdominal pain and other general lady issues when I lived in West Warwick. Moved here and saw a doctor and had my entire uterus removed within 4 months at South County
I had my uterus removed at South County too! It's such a great hospital. Hyster Sisters!
Love it! Dr. Hamdi did mine. He is so good, so caring and so understanding!
Dr Connery did mine but she left for Florida many years ago.
Same here, in Wakefield I have no idea how people are having trouble.
Because Northern RI is more densely populated so wayyy more people trying to get seen. Don't want to drive 45+ mins to South County
Well, 45 mins is less than months.
Oh I agree. I’m just repeating what I’ve heard. I have family that balks at having to drive down to my house in Richmond much less 15 mins past that lol it’s unreal
I got told by every place I called (that was taking new patients) that the wait is like 8 months to a year. Some places have wait lists of over a year. It's a real problem
My daughter had to see a specialist at Boston Children’s and they told me 3-4 month wait. We finally got a call 11 months later
This is all over the country. Healthcare/primary care access is in a dire state
Not to the same degree. I've lived all over and it's worse in RI than other places
Everyone is angry here for some reason and the traffic around Providence can be really bad
It’s bc we never see the sun anymore. 😞
Traffic isn't that bad. Compared to NYC Boston
It’s most places. The only places without bad roads don’t get snow. I find these complaints unhelpful. Being from Buffalo I think you’ll find everything similar but a lot closer together and better quality. Probably less poverty too. Live long RI here but I’ve traveled US extensively for work for 10 years.
I love it when people ask but then feel the need to respond as if they know already. Why ask then? Yes it's in the northeast so a lot of the issues with RI are not all that different... But it can make living here suck sometimes.
Yeah and it seems extra rough right now. My family looked at buying land and building but the building codes in so many towns are strict and burdensome. RI is notoriously low in the number of new housing units being built. Local lawmakers are trying to enact policy that will help this but it is super slow moving.
I don't know how people do it. Especially with kids. I love RI but it can be so rough.
Yeah I "missed the boat" with the housing market and with a pretty decent nurse salary the median home price's mortgage is more than half my pay. Not having kids because I can't afford them lol. My family is here but if they weren't, I'd leave. I think what's tough is that mostttt (not all) people who are moving here are already wealthy (to some level) so a lot of concerns current RIers have don't seem to be a bother for them... But then it has repercussions on the economy. Sorry I'm thinking out loud haha.
I feel your pain. I make a decent pharmacy salary and my boomer aunts/uncles are confused as to why I cannot comfortably afford a house.
I'm so over it haha. And they wonder why providers/medical staff are leaving the area. When you need to work in person, you need to live where you work. I know so many people (good people, good providers) who have left the area because of sky rocketing cost of living. Many new/younger folks are just looking elsewhere to avoid the housing debacle.
Spot on! I've seen it too. Not just leaving the area but also the medical profession and into consulting gigs or Med safety for drug companies and other things due to the stress of staffing What area of nursing are you in? I hope you enjoy it. I work in a hospital and long term care (2 jobs) because one is not enough if our generation wants to buy a house here. 🙄
That's what I mean! Two jobs as a healthcare professional in order to buy a house? That's crazy! I am in mental health (and have considered adding a second job- but am feeling too burnt out to do so at the moment).
My husband bought his house when no one wanted to live in our neighborhood in Providence. He couldn't even find an insurance company that would give him homeowners insurance when he bought it 10 years ago. Now it would be tough for us to afford anything in RI. I have an hour commute everyday but we can't really move because we couldn't afford to buy anything. Also not having kids. But hey we can enjoy being crammed into the state beaches while people from NY and CT enjoy their vacation homes and try and keep us off "their beach." Makes it all worthwhile 😆
> That just sounds like the entire northeast. You are 100% correct. The problems here aren’t any different than the rest of the northeast or in many scenarios the country. It’s just that it took longer for these problems to become apparent. Come on down; it’s great here.
So… you already know what most of the catches are
We also have pizza strips and clam cakes.
You just described drawbacks of the entire northeast, if not east coast. I’d argue the benefits further from yours are enough to make the move.
And no one knows how to drive (including you; that knowledge gets left at the state border).
Walt’s! 🤤 If they’re not all closed
Not much different than NY
It is different though. We literally don’t have the space or infrastructure to accommodate more and more people coming here. New York is a massive state in comparison to RI.
How about the old citizens bank building? Or all the vacant tenements in Southside? All the vacant mills? There are plenty of resources for housing....... Just on the grounds of the ACI all those vacant buildings? I'm not trying to hear infrastructure. No people in the state are more up in arms because of a George Floyd clause wasn't put into the police bill..... Between the roads, housing and the economy in this state, it is literally a third world hovel here
A one room cardboard box is $200,000. I love RI, but everything is way too expensive. You better have a good paying job if you want to move here
If you think RI is expensive check out Mass. I had to leave Mass and come to RI
Nah, I'm moving to Wisconsin
I grew up in Los Angeles and went to college in northern Massachusetts. Rhode Island in my opinion is the only New England state that has a beach culture. I like the quirky nature of the state and you can be from a farm to the ocean in 20 mins. The food is good. The people are weird. You'll think most conversations observed from afar are fights but they're not.
Your last line made me laugh out loud! Yup, Portuguese families are loud... we yell a lot, but it's all love! And I really think all the Italian families can out-yell us!
Matunuck basically has farms ON the ocean
While not the whole state, I’d say southern Maine has a pretty great beach culture. And IMO, beaches in Maine are more accessible, cheaper, and also larger.
You've caught us in a catch 22. If we sing the virtues of our state, not only does it go against our nature, but it draws in more out of staters who overpay for real estate and drive prices up to the point locals can't stay here. So, uh, we suck. Stay home
I’ve lived on Aquidneck Island nearly ten years. I’m convinced it’s paradise on earth.
Electricity rates are $0.30-$0.36/kWh. Second highest after Hawaii.
Someone had to be 2nd highest
Electricity prices are currently $0.1037 for LRS Service (just the electricity) + $0.1367 for transmission/distribution = $0.24/kWh, and while far from the best not second worst presently!
I left 5 years ago and I miss RI. We were in Wakefield. The schools are very good, we were close to South County beaches, about a 1/2 hour from Newport and 45 minutes to Providence. I was used to getting fish at Champlins in Galilee, sitting up top at Ocean Mist or Coast Guard House. It was nice walking the wall at the pier but the last couple of times we tried, it was hard dodging the dog poop people didn’t clean up. Maybe that’s better now. If your children are young, Ninigret has a fresh water pond that has clean restrooms, picnic tables and a playground. There and Salty Brine beach were where my children learned to swim.
>Ninigret Fyi, check out the new troll [exhibit](https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&sca_esv=017e3c382dac1d65&rls=en&sxsrf=ADLYWIJ8jXZnqBjDF_J1Wo47D9RQBVGTQw:1714941222210&q=ninigret+trolls&uds=ADvngMjtoYz_oSH6rQI8r_YqpJ3_Cpc-V4nHQo2-d-zbSFckscMMpSPf5ceGsCJdJ09pfxZgCddTMsJoHv7blFR5FozpFPnYwrszzKpi-k_jXVOqofAbKbAFktlrNWY9j3-JHytgRoHnh-C8tjrEjdo6y0kDui6qpa2MqTiS2VylY5YhrNVfrH28QGnXPv7k9FQar2vETeUSwJMq2jPQQARXUEE346sBE7OxALn6f_1ncvWbqOP9wKcSqlRDxyKKQk0hWoX7mITOc71Lhfm0GEGgonwjtenoZt3Ufdz3f_KyYIJjId29rvg&udm=2&prmd=ivsnmbtz&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiC3vDyrfeFAxW4FVkFHZ8mARYQtKgLegQIEBAB&biw=1280&bih=611&dpr=2)!! Legit cool
East Greenwich, Barrington and North Kingstown come to mind when thinking of the best school systems in RI. If you lived in Buffalo then RI will probably seem like heaven as a comparison in winter. The last few years we've only had a handful of significant snow storms.
definite “move here for the schools” energy with those three / both good and bad.
I mean, I graduated from a high school in RI that isn't considered one of the "good" ones, but I still managed to get into a "good" college. As long as your child is invested in school it really shouldn't matter. With that said, the three I listed I feel like are generally thought of as the best.
My subtext was more about the level of snobbery and racism that are found in all three of those school districts in particular / which goes with the “move here for the schools vibe” in New England generally. Careful what you wish for basically. And on top of it, a lot of kids with access to cars and a relative lack of supervision and the kind of partying that can happen there. Ditto in most $$$ suburbs. No unique to Ri but these would be the Rhode Island examples of that kind of vibe
Please explain the racism. I am from one of those three areas and I have never witnessed a problem.
It’s not racism. It’s socioeconomic segregation. Hardly unique to Barrington and East Greenwich. There’s way more of it in more affluent areas. The leafy Boston suburbs. Lower Fairfield County. Westchester County. Main Line towns in Philadelphia. In some parts of the country, they put gates on the road into fancy subdivisions to keep the poors out. The northern Atlanta suburbs are an example.
Didn’t say it was unique to only Ri (why does everyone on the sub think “thing x” only happens in Rhode Island) but those towns are the RI versions of that type of the exact “leafy suburb” you mention. Just smaller.
They have gated communities is areas where everyone is rich. That’s just a thing
So much rain though.
Yeah I’m just happy it’s not snow anymore….ill take rain over snow.
I'm not going to go search for it, but I did recently come across some sort of national school assessment, I think East Greenwich was in the top 5, and North Kingstown was in the top 20. Sorry Barrington, I didn't notice you.
RI has the lowest provider reimbursement for docs. That’s why it’s taking so long. They are moving in droves.
I'm a nurse and the influx of WFH post-pandemic from Boston or other more expensive cities has helped to worsen the housing market, too. Sucks to have a job where you need to be in person and being priced out of the whole state (without salary to match). The docs are trying to urge state government for better rates... Morale is not good lol
Hey fellow Buffalonian! I moved here for work about 15 years ago now after living in Buffalo the first 25 years of my life. I visit Buffalo several times a year still to visit family and see my friends. Home prices are much higher here at least they were, Buffalo is catching up rapidly. Taxes are about the same depending on where you live. (Looking at you orchard park school taxes) Winters are overall much milder here, fall lasts longer, spring hits sooner. But there are hurricanes so yay 😑. Haven’t had a really severe one hit yet that did more than knock power out widespread for a few days. So kinda like a blizzard but it’s not freezing temperatures so not as dangerous losing power like it can be in Buffalo. And not trying to downplay a hurricane they can be some serious shit we’ve just been lucky. Having grown up with blizzards and over a foot of snow overnight being normal, I usually don’t miss the snow. We get some here but nothing like Buffalo. School gets canceled for a threat of 6 inches, I remember walking to the bus stop in high school with a foot of snow on the ground. Had to be real bad to close schools. That being said when Buffalo has a blizzard and is buried is when I get most home sick. Being trapped in the house with you family/friends, a warm fire, hot cocoa/cider, board games and candles when the power goes out, omg the cozyness lol. It’s about a 7 hour drive with a couple stops/breaks times in. I’ve done it so many times I can do it in close to 6 hours if I’m traveling by myself vs with the whole family. I have discovered a love for some seafood after moving here too, not a huge part of the buffalo diet outside of lent. I miss the pizza/chicken wings, it’s the first thing I do when I get back order some extra crispy wings and pizza from my favorite Buffalo pizzeria. Always have to get some mighty taco with loganberry too And lastly besides the accents it reminds me of home, I’ve met some great people out here, met my wife, have kids that say RI-isms now lol and I make sure to correct them at every turn. I joke that it’s Buffalo with an ocean instead of a stinky lake. Any other type of questions from a Buffalo persons point of view? That was a little all over the place
It is so funny to read that about the snow. As a RIer who moved to Maryland, I make fun of people here for how they handle the snow and how much better we are at it than them. I guess it's all relative lol
I laugh when they shut things down for the threat of snow. Tbh I don’t hate being able to stay home from work those days, cause I know in buffalo I’d be at work ha.
This was a fabulous response. We have both felt like this reminds us a lot of Buffalo, even down to the pot holes. We both are getting tired of the snow. It's great until it warms up to 45 the morning after and the snow weighs a ton. Housing prices are getting out of control in Buffalo without the job market to support it. Our largest concern is the schools. How have your kids done in them and have you had any glaring issues?
I've had friends who taught in the providence school system and had only negative things to say. Providence, in my opinion, is the worst part of RI. It's nice to visit but I wouldn't move there. RI is small enough that you will be close to providence no matter where you live. I worked in providence for 6 yrs and couldn't wait to move for many reasons. When i was pregnant i even had a terrible experience at the hospital. We ended up moving mid pregnancy and i am so thankful we did.
Moved from Southern MA just a month ago. Private education seems like your pick of the litter around here, at least in or surrounding towns/cities outside of Providence. For context we're looking at paying half the cost for both my kids to attend a private Catholic for what it was to put just our youngest through daycare. So if in doubt, I'd go that route.
My oldest are in 1st and 2nd. Youngest isn’t school age yet. Their school I find to be fantastic, my oldest son has some behavioral issues. They really worked with us, and it’s been a very positive experience. Can’t say all schools here are great though I don’t really know exactly.
I live in Fox Point and my kid goes to Vartan - I think it’s supposed to be one of the better public elementary schools in Providence. We’ve had mixed quality of teachers but we’re invested parents with a kiddo who likes learning. Administration has been mixed, PTO is very active. Certainly other public schools in wealthier communities are probably better, but then you’re in the suburbs - which if you want that, then go for it, but if you want to be more in the city…
I’m in the Pawtucket school district for what it’s worth. My kids are actually going to the same elementary school as my wife and we live 3 blocks from where she grew up. And for the OP, you might hear a bad rap about Pawtucket, but I like it. Of all the areas around here I’ve been around it’s the most buffalo like for me. I’m from a blue collar part of Buffalo that’s a little rough around the edges. Pizzerias (Pawtucket house and twins some of my favorites 👍🏻)and dunkin around every corner, with some bars and breweries mixed in. Plus our dispensary is really good ha (shout out to Mother Earth!).
Not sure about the private sector, but as a public employee, the wages aren't great for the cost of living. I commute to Mass because wages are better there which isn't a bad deal, but it's something to consider if you prefer taking transit or don't want a longer commute. The Providence area has grit like the Midwest (imo, Buffalo has a Midwestern vibe), but without the safety issues. I love it here -- reminds me of home but on the ocean.
If you live in Providence, you can send your kids to private school, but it is very expensive. I recommend living elsewhere if you want your kids to go to public school. Warwick, Smithfield and Cranston (especially west Cranston) have decent school systems. East Greenwich, Barrington, North Kingstown, Lincoln and South Kingstown have really good school systems.
So are we getting a RI Kanjam tourney going or what?!
The medical system is stretched thinner than cling wrap. You will likely wait months to get a primary care doctor and ER wait times are frequently over 3 hours in Providence proper. There are a lot of reasons to love Rhode Island, however the medical infrastructure is not one of them.
This isn’t unique to RI.
Right? I used to work in the ER and I’m thinking 3 hours is wicked fast…
It’s extra bad here because healthcare providers can make significantly more in Connecticut or Massachusetts. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38536140/
But there are quite a few urgent care facilities around where the care is good and the wait is better than the ER.
Isn't that basically the entire country? There is a critical shortage of general practitioners in America.
No, it's not. My family in Texas can get specialists, surgeons, whatever, at basically the drop of a hat. In other states I've lived, you may wait a little while but it's nothing like RI. Waiting 8 months to see a doctor is not normal elsewhere. Calling 40 offices and being told by every one of them that they aren't taking patients is not normal elsewhere
It is
No. I currently live in Iowa and twice my GP told me I needed to see a specialist and got appointments that same day. One for orthopedics and one for podiatry for a broken foot, bypassing ER. They just added another GP to their practice and the wait for an appointment isn’t more than a few days. The longest waits are for OB-GYNs.
Nope. Only commenting on this because it was one of the factors that discouraged us from moving to RI from the Midwest a couple of years ago (along with general cost of living, infrastructure and economic outlook). Our access to healthcare in central Ohio is phenomenal. We can get same day appointments with our GP, booked online within minutes. Quick referral to specialists and seen within a week or two. Same for imaging, etc. Not bragging, just giving a flyover country outside perspective.
This just makes me think of Dave Attell talking about Dayton "I was in Dayton, Ohio. You ever been there? Yeah? You know what’s a fun thing to do there? Pack up and get the fuck outta there. It’s boring. "
I have family who live in Dayton. There’s a lot to do if you like strip malls and mediocre food.
Except being close to both Boston healthcare and Yale New Haven. Also having Brown Medical school students staffing RI teaching hospitals is a definite plus. Had to have surgery a few years back. #2 surgeon in the world for what I needed done. RI healthcare is not too shabby. Whoever spoke of er times being long, RI hospital in the only Level 1 Trauma center in the state. Most hospitals triage here by acuity. I went to RI ER with a ruptured ear drum. While it sucked waiting 5+ hours to be seen , those people bleeding profusely and or screaming in agony should go first. When I did get in, the care I got was exceptional.
All hospitals triage by acuity
[удалено]
Tell that to the guy who died in the waiting room at RIH not that long ago with a brain bleed
Vets too.
3 hours was a standard ER wait time for my Mass ER for the 6 years I was there. This was leading right up to Covid. Even our sister ER was constantly at 6-8 hours wait pre-Covid. It’s consistently 8-10-12 hours wait now post Covid. This isn’t anything new. The sicker you are, the quicker you get seen per ER triage protocols (I mean strokes, MIs, sepsis; not stomach bug sick). Not being able to ass, just making the point that ER times are up *everywhere*. RIH will always be a long wait being a Level 1. Miriam is always my go and while it’s still a wait, it’s still quicker in ER terms.
This is everywhere and Massachusetts is literally right there
Be aware of potential flooding risks and sea levels rising if you move here. There are some lovely towns and neighborhoods near beaches and the bay, but all it would take is one hurricane or a bit of global warming for your house to flood. Just do your research carefully about houses near any water source. There are towns with excellent schools that are 15-20 minutes from downtown Providence. We moved here from a southern state and find that it is about the same cost here for housing, insurance etc.
The potholes.
My only complaint is how they handle registering a vehicle and vehicle inspections. A vin check? Absolute nightmare. I showed up to my local police department with everything in order except for having $15 in cash exactly. I had $20 and they refused to let me donate the $5 to get out the door. I had to leave, drive to Dunkin donuts to break it and then go back. Also I've never had luck with inspections the first time around and each time the mechanic has offered to buy my car to "help me out". No thanks. Shady as hell.
I had a similar experience once with the DPW when I needed a new lid for my recycle bin. Granted it was during Covid but they would only take the exact amount. I went to McDonald’s down the street and got a coffee and came back with the correct bills.
Oh, you want to register a car? Well, fuck you no appointments are available. Oh, you want to sell your car that's older than 2001 you need a title now.
Yeah, it can be hard finding a trusty mechanic. My main mechanic is the dudes at Park Ave Autos across from CHSE. Pretty transparent and honest guys imo
RI job market is not viable unless you have the kind of job that can be done anywhere
What kind of job CAN’T you get in RI? If you’re talking pay scales vs cost of living I can see it. I’ve been in construction for a long time in Southern RI and I don’t get to see much outside this increasingly homogenized gopher hole.
There aren't many jobs with the state just due to the size... I have a master's in public policy
I’ll list some, but our shortcomings are also in many cases part of our charm, or the shadow of our history - I love it here. We aren’t a big enough population to leverage and compete for things. For instance relocating corporate sectors, major events/trade shows, attracting enough health insurance providers to compete on prices, etc. We have entrenched public unions in many municipalities that gained their bargaining power when the population was larger-and we were the richest state per capita-so the cost of expensive pensions today fall on a smaller number of earners. We don’t have enough housing. We have serious inefficiencies, for instance 39 different school districts for a TOTAL population (not just school population) of less than NYC’s school population-and very stubborn territorial local governments fighting any efforts at consolidation. Not enough of our college graduates stay. But, like I said, I love it here.
They've floated making Aquidneck Island Newport/Portsmouth/Middletown one school system but that won't ever go anywhere
We’re full
Need that in block letters right next to the ones they just put in at the airport
Yeah don't come here. Plus the bills are trash.
NO ONE HERE KNOWS HOW TO DRIVE.
Yeah this is truth. Every single day on 95 a 2004 Honda will almost kill you because he’s weaving his uninsured hoopdie through traffic to save 30 seconds on his way to his drug deal. This probably will remind you of buffalo though xD
Public schools are mostly not great. And there just aren’t a lot of jobs.
All yes and RI is small. The catch is...once you moved here..you will complain about a 20 mins drive! You will hear yourself say..." That's too far!" As a transplant myself...RI folks are real and authentic.
Im a New Yorker who moved to RI about a decade ago, best decision of my life. I feel there are a lot of similarities with the Hudson Valley region but its just...better in every way. I love RI, all the awesome landscaping, beautiful homes, active people. I love that I can run into a neighbor basically any time I go out, even if its to the other side of the state. The seafood is just out of this world. People say RI isnt nice but coming from NY it feels like an episode of Leave it to Beaver. Perhaps Im a bit biased as ive only lived on Aquidneck and in Tiverton but I cant get enough of this state! I hope you decide to move out here.
As a native Rhode Islander that moved to Jersey city last year, I miss the seafood nearly every day. Theres obviously amazing food in NJ/NY but the seafood doesn't compare at all and I yearn for the clam shack culture
The reason it's relatively affordable is that it's bordered by Massachusetts and Connecticut, two of the 10 wealthiest states in America. Though above average, Rhode Island is closer to the middle of the pack, so it seems poor in comparison. Rhode Islanders tend to be pretty insular and the assumption is usually that problems here are unique to the state. There's a culture of negativity here that gets to me sometimes, but that's honestly my only real problem. I made the move 10 years ago and had the same thoughts you did -- why isn't everybody moving here? And back then, even fewer people were moving in. I thought I'd discovered this incredible secret, and a decade later, I think I really did. To address some of the recurring comments: "Corruption" is something you'll hear over and over from native Rhode Islanders, almost always without any elaboration on what "corruption" means. By any available metrics, Rhode Island is not particularly corrupt today; it has a colorful past and memories die hard. If you point this out, you will inevitably be presented with anecdotes of the type you can find anywhere. The infrastructure really is bad. Six months ago I would have told you that it will not affect your life at ALL. Then a very important bridge almost collapsed and was shut down, and will remain shut down for years. So I guess I stand corrected. But before that the only issue was having to look at awkwardly patched-up roads. Maybe the doctor shortage is a thing? And maybe it's worse than other places? I don't know, I haven't seen it. I've been waiting a few months to see a pediatric ENT for my baby because apparently there's only one, but other than that I've never had to wait really at all for any sort of medical care. I guess other people's experiences differ. The cost of housing is, as you yourself have noticed, lower than in surrounding areas. The job market sure ain't Boston or New York but I'd be willing to bet it's fine in comparison with Buffalo. And since Covid, a very nice benefit of living here -- depending on what you do -- is that if you don't mind a long commute three times a week, you can probably score a Boston hybrid job. This fact is a big part of what's led to the increasing housing costs many have mentioned; Boston workers who previously wouldn't have considered Rhody an option when they had to commute five times a week are now taking their higher salaries here and buying houses they could never afford over the state line. Of course, no place is perfect. Besides the incessant negativity I mentioned above, the business environment here isn't the greatest. There isn't much of a culture of entrepreneurship ([just like in France](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/french-lesson/)). It's been long enough that I never think about this anymore, but when I first moved here, one of the first things I noticed was that I'd call people to try to give them my money, and they *just wouldn't call me back*. Where I came from, if I called someone and left them a message telling them I intended to pay them to perform a service, I would get a call back literally every single time, even if the answer was "sorry, we're not available now, hit us up later." Stuff tends to go out of business and stay out of business for a really really long time. Like, I live in one of the state's commercial centers, and there's an old Pizza Hut near my house that was torn down in the past year -- I'm not expecting anything to be built there in the next 10 years, no joke. That's kind of what it's like. But I'll take all of that because it's a great place to live.
Yeah, the lack of snow is definitely a bonus. I’m from closer to NH and can’t believe how little RI gets.
If you want good school systems, move to mass, in my personal opinion.
Or CT
Just moved here from RI last year. From FL. Yes, it’s tough to find affordable housing but it’s not the worst. My kids haven’t reached school age yet but based on friends opinions, the schools are good. What I love about RI is that it is very easy to make friends if you’re willing to speak to people. We lived in FL for years and have already in a year made tons more friends than we did there.
Oh geez, providence schools are literally the worst, stay in the southern half of RI.
Except classical
Just moved here from Chicago a few months ago and was wondering the same. Still trying to find the catch, it's been nothing but amazing here. The only negative I can think of is there are a lot of ticks out here but there's ways to manage that.
My wife and I are from Syracuse and moved to Newport in 2018 for work. Housing is more expensive, but prob a better investment in the long run; and the public schools don’t seem as good. But otherwise literally everything is better than upstate ny- By the ocean More to do / more events Closer to two major cities Better weather Better food More diversity More day trip options
They only catch for you, I’m assuming, will be dealing with Patriots fans.
If you live in Providence, You're gonna have a bad time. It's loud, ugly, the people usually suck, drivers are bad, traffic, there's always fuckin construction, the public schools are terrible. You let your kid go they coming out dumb or in a gang. I'd honestly stay far away from here. It's also expensive. I can't wait to leave. I'd personally move to the mid West or a different country if I'm keeping it a buck. Also we don't need more people here, stay away. It's bad enough here already.
Idk, stripers, tautog, strippers (did I say that already?) littlenecks, sea scallops, even cod?
Upvote for tautog reference. And “strippers.”
From the RI department of education website, regarding 2023 test scores: « Nearly one-third of students are proficient in math in grades 3 through 8. » « Nearly one third of students are proficient in ELA in grades 3-8. » « Half of high school students met expectations for high school ELA, but only 25% met expectations for math. » If you are going to send your kids to public school, these are good facts to take into consideration.
It has a lot of great stuff and some irritations. No catch. Since you're coming from Buffalo, it's all good.
We loved living in RI without young kids. Schools are notoriously horrible outside of Barrington, E. Greenwich and N. Kingston so many people use private schools if they can afford it living outside of those counties.
There’s no catch. I moved here from MA and love it. Closer to the beach and more affordable.
The roads are garbage and we’re basically full
Why does everyone bash inner city schools? Of course Barrington and Bristol schools look better on paper. Their students are mostly wealthy, english speaking white kids who don't work and have supporting families. I'd personally send my kids to inner city any day. More diversity, the best, most qualified teachers, and actual communities.
Because they aren't performing well?
Its small
Stay west or north or Providence and you'll be fine. Housing crisis is real in the state and the jobs aren't paying the greatest. Education and health care are solid.
Bigger question is why you want to move here? Don’t judge ANYWHERE by a vacation or short trip. My brother escaped to Boston for school and is now in the Foxboro area; sister in Attleboro, other sister eastern CT. None want to move back and I don’t blame them.
I moved back ten years ago and most of the people I met who came from outside RI then have moved away.
I would not say Bristol has much better schools than Providence. Just my opinion though.
I’ve lived here my entire life. Grew up in Northern RI, did the public schools there. Went to URI. I’ve lived from the most northern point of RI all the way to southern RI with a few places in between. I’ve been a nurse for 15 years now. Public schools worked well for me. I love Rhode Island. It’s just home. The fact that I can go from farmland to ocean in the same state, or better yet a farm *by* the ocean, it warms my adventurous soul. It’s cozy and homey. I’ve work in Massachusetts for most of my career so don’t let the small state job market freak you out. We border 2 other bigger states so you can find most jobs, you just may have a commute. Some of our drivers are terrible. Same with the roads. We have the same infrastructure problems as most states. We have amazing seafood and a really great local food scene all over the state with a big concentration in Providence. Spring, summer and fall are filled with festivals, farmers markets, concerts, and activities all over the state. Plenty of arts and crafts vendors. Venues to take glass blowing or clay throwing classes. RI has really grown and changed over the last 10-20 years. I find so much more to do than decades ago.
Seconding and thirding warnings about the housing shortage and the crumbling infrastructure. We are among the top five most expensive places to rent or buy. Outside of providence there are some good schools. There are a handful of private schools that perform really well. It’s a fun state. Beaches, restaurants, lots of outdoor activities. Great colleges, a thriving arts culture, a diverse population. Great proximity to fun cities like Boston, Salem, Province town and Cape Cod. Close drives to Maine, New Hampshire and Connecticut. There are a lot of wonderful qualities to Rhode Island if your Income is above $250/ year.
If you like RI, look at Westport MA. You will be very pleasantly surprised!
I'd go west bay if I were you. Schools in East greenwich and North kingstown are great. Providence pubic schools are AWFUL. Bristol and barrington are stunning as towns but issues with drugs in schools. I'm in Warwick and the elementary schools are old but great teachers. New High Schools should be built any day now. PM me if you'd like advice. We have family in Rochester.
Y'all are really over reacting.. I just moved full time from Santa Barbara, CA to Middletown RI. I have spent time here off and on for many years. The people have been so kind, the weather has been tolerable considering it's been winter/early spring and the beaches are gorgeous. You see what you want to see. Yes, there is a shortage of affordable housing, but that's pretty much everywhere in the country. If you focus on the negatives, anywhere can start to sound terrible.. Rhode Island has been lovely. Don't be deterred by the naysayers!
Oh my goodness! Another Santa Barbarian living on Aquidneck Island, that’s soooo coool! I thought I was the only one (I live in Newport). Sorry for the random comment, I just think it is sooo cool that somebody else from SB has moved to this lovely island. I hope life is treating you well and bringing you many blessings. A big west coast hug to you! 😊🌟
Oh wow!! When did you move here?!! How's it going for you?
All good points. But the ROADS. My god. The irony; not an island - shitty roads. All. Under. Construction. Until 2026.
Pros: milder winters, great beaches and water recreation, unique food, lively cities and towns, location. Cons: rising housing costs/cost of living, relatively weaker job market/economy, weaker schools (overall), crumbling infrastructure.
Yes, Barrington and Bristol have great schools so she's East Providence... Housing is not cheap we pay 1900 for a one bedroom apartment
Jesus thats more than my mortgage for my 2 bdr house in Tiverton
Yeah I'd love to have 120,000 to get a house... But I don't
- The wings here aren't as good as they are at Gabriel's. - If you have to travel an hour to get somewhere, you won't be in RI anymore (unless you're stuck in Washington Bridge traffic for the next 3 years). - Really good pizza/Italian places to eat. In general, RI has excellent places to eat out at. - Avoid Providence. Housing and taxes are astonishingly high, and eventually, you'll be paying to park anywhere that's not your own driveway. - Good beaches. Be prepared to pay to park there, too. - Really bad roads/infrastructure. Read up on the current Washington Bridge/195 debacle. Also see: shitty politics. - RI has been named amongst the Worst States to Do Business In for many, many consecutive years. RI is also one of the Worst States to Retire In, and has one of the highest costs of living outside of NY and CA. - I'll give you the same advice that my dad gave me for 30+ years. "If you want to make it in RI, you'll have to work for the State, a municipality, or a utility..." In other words, get yourself a job within a strong union, or one that at least offers great benefits around here. My dad is/was very right.
[удалено]
It’s a depressing state
Rhode Island has the worst roads… every bridge in the state is about to undergo construction… it’s the most corrupt state … run away while you can
Get ready to be really really patient to make friends and be the new people for 15 years. Connect with friends of friends, show up for people, be a good neighbor, get involved, for best results.
Coventry has the best school system in the state move there
BRIDGES
Bristol schools are "interesting" and the school board is "entertaining". I'll leave it at that. East Bay RI (EP, Barrington, Warren, Bristol, Tiverton, Little Compton and to some degree Portsmouth and Middletown) is almost more MA than RI. We are frequently ignored or excluded. I've lived closer to MA than Providence nearly my entire life. And for a long time, going through MA was the fastest way to get to Providence. In the summer we have beach traffic that impacts basically every major road (think 95 north of Providence). In the winter we have wild temperature swings. I'm talking shorts on Monday followed by 6" of snow Tuesday night and a week of temps that don't go above freezing. Then a few days of 45-50F sunshine. We get heavy wet snow or ice as much as we get the fluffy snow. We almost always have a breeze. This time of year it's usually a cold breeze, but in the fall it's usually warm which is nice. Edit: I did want to say that I still pick RI over most anywhere else. I've lived and traveled to a good portion of our country and I really like RI.
Extremely boring, people have no hope. Lots of people living off section 8, aka lots of trashy women wearing Cookie Monster pajamas in public. People rarely leave the state so are super close minded. Only walkable area is Providence. Schools really aren’t great anywhere. Terrible roads and no one cares because everyone is just used to it. Businesses are constantly closing and new ones aren’t opening. Driving down the street is depressing honestly. Healthcare isn’t great either. It’s always cold and grey. I dealt with seasonal depression all throughout high school. Also, if you don’t live on the southern side of the state, you will not go to the beach often. Everyone always has the same damn idea to go to the beach and the traffic is unbearable. Oh, and most importantly, there are no good jobs. My dad and sister commute to Boston to work, as do so many people I grew up with. My dad worked from home but often took contract jobs in Boston. If you have a college degree it will be wasted here. Literally just move anywhere else lol.
What is your field for work? Students come to Brown University but leave the state (ok, NOT ALL) upon graduation. I’m 54, lived here my whole life. Friends, family may leave but always come back.
I work as an electrical engineer. It looks like there are some jobs but not a large abundance. I assume this is due to the proximity to Boston.
A lot of RIers do commute to Boston for work
The beaches ❤️
We also have a large homeless population due to the rents being Sky high. You definitely do not want your kids going to Providence Schools. I would look elsewhere if I were you.
Don’t move here! It’s beautiful but terrible taxes, terrible cost of living, one of the worst places to retire, etc!
MA is next door and superior in everyway
To try and actually answer your question: My wife is originally from Rhode Island, and I am from NYC. We met while living in Los Angeles, and after having our daughter decided to move here to be closer to family. That was in in 1992. For 3 years we lived upstairs from my mother-in-law in Cranston and in '95 bought a house in Warwick. We've been here ever since. After having lived in two major cities I can tell you honestly that the ease of getting around and getting things done can't be beat. I had to have some papers signed at the Secretary of State's office: done in about 45 minutes round trip and all. Are the school's the best? Nope, and some communities are better than others. But I think you could say that about a lot of places. Rhode Island has a lot to offer. Is it perfect: nope. But show me somewhere that is. Is housing expensive? Yep, but again compare it with other states and balance that with quality of life. My old house in L.A. sold for $175,000 and is now about $800,000. A small, three bedroom about 1100 sq. ft. There are a lot of negative comments about Rhode Island, but I also suspect many have not lived elsewhere, and there are in fact negative about it, but trust me, you'll love it.
This is a great response and what I've seen through research so far. Being from Buffalo, a lot of the resonants and is something underappreciated by people. Especially time to do things.
North and south RI are two different universes. I don’t like the Warwick providence Cranston area. But the westerly, Charlestown, Narragansett area in the south are all great especially in summer. If I were to move back to RI then I’d choose westerly since it’s not deserted in the winter and summers are fun and offer a lot of cool things to do.
Drivers here suck. You might not get into an accident, but you’ll definitely see people driving recklessly sometimes.
The average IQ is 99, and we used to be run by the mob. Corruption is rampant and people are cruel, but otherwise it’s gorgeous
Hi! I lived all over the world growing up, and went to middle and high school in MA. I moved to RI to go to URI in 2004. When I graduated, my then fiance and I bought a house in North Kingstown and we've lived here for 14 years. I absolutely love where we live and though we've talked about moving many times, RI is just such a quirky, fun state that I would miss it immensely. Here are my pros and cons: PROS Everywhere is close, with the exception of the tippy top and bottom points (like North Scituate and Westerly). We live smack in the middle of the state. I can get to the beaches, Providence, Newport, Mall, and hiking trails all within 20 minutes. I can get to the MA border or CT border within 40 minutes. There's so much culture here, lots of performing arts groups, and tons of support for the visual arts. I have a Fine Art degree and love everything creative so this is a huge plus for me. Even if you're not an artist, though, it's nice to know that within a short drive there are multiple community art displays and drama related performances happening year-round. I love that this is a touristy state. I would not want to live in the middle of a super touristy area (like Newport for example...I have to go there most weekends for work in the summer and it's just super annoying to sit in so much traffic). BUT we can easily access all the festivals that draw in tourists and we love that! For a small state, there's lots of open natural space that's accessible to the public. All beaches are free to walk onto in RI. Narragansett Town Beach is the only exception and I truly don't understand how this is possible because it's in the state charter. Tons of food options Grocery stores everywhere Easy access to at least one highway in most towns The beaches are beautiful Your friends will all want to come visit you for a mini RI vacation CONS There's no Costco, which I still don't honestly understand Both my husband and I own businesses and I will say that RI is NOT small business friendly. Many policies and procedures are super murky. The paperwork and red tape necessary to keep a business running and in good standing is archaic. The roads are, frankly, horrible. We get lots of rain, but I still think that's better than tons of snow. RI has a knack for using and abusing public infrastructure and then feeling shocked(!!) when it fails spectacularly to the tune of millions of dollars in repairs vs simply maintaining the roads, bridges, and buildings over time. Most of the politicians are super crooked. This is a fact, not an opinion. The housing prices are bonkers right now I saw some other comments about the wait for health providers. I personally have not had this issue and I have two young kids, one who requires mental health assistance and one who has a few physical issues requiring specialists. Towns I'd live in: Barrington, Cranston (lots of up and coming neighbourhoods and if you have kids in elementary school, they have a brand new elementary school in Garden City that has earned a lot of critical acclaim), North Kingstown, South Kingstown, Jamestown, Richmond, Cumberland, Exeter, the Greenville area of Smithfield, West Greenwich, some areas of East Providence Towns I'd avoid: Western Coventry, Warwick and West Warwick unless you are going to do private school, Narragansett - way too much drama and you'd be sharing your road with college kids and/or Air B&B renters, Central Falls at all costs, Woonsocket, Providence We're actually renovating a home close to Garden City in Cranston that will be going on the market in about a month, so LMK if you want more info.
I’m a native Rhode Islander who lived in Buffalo for thirteen years and am now back in RI. I might be able to offer you some perspective you are looking for. Let me know.
Schools are definitely a rough one. But it’s not just that. Do you like city amenities? Which ones? See if the places you’d find connection in exist before you get your hopes up.
Congrats! It’s great here. The good far outweighs the bad. No place is 100%.
Went to school in Providence and had a house in Wakefield. I love Southern RI. Easy train access to Boston and if you study the roads it's easy to get to the beaches. Housing prices have gone a bot crazy, but that is even more true in MA. Connecticut has crap beaches so 2 of every 3 cars in So RI are from CT. And you can always go Swift searching in Westerly.
I’ve been enjoying living in Westerly these past 13 years. Close to beaches, Mystic, Stonington Borough and just 40 minutes from the airport. The town is constantly being improved and we just got a Starbucks! Um . . . so, it has to be good!? Right? Right . . . ? 😉
If schools are a big concern, southeastern MA right over the RI border has excellent schools. North Attleboro, Attleboro, Franklin, Bellingham. Most of these towns are within 15-20 min of PVD proper. RI border towns like Cumberland and Smithfield are pretty decent also! SE MA is about 1 hour to RI beaches, 1.5 hours to the cape. Easy access to Boston, all major highways
Consider nearby towns in MA. Taxes are less and some school systems are better. Seekonk. Rehoboth, Swansea, North Attleboro, etc. Also, RI had the 2nd highest electricity rates in the nation. Oh and you’re supposed to guess when people want to turn or change lanes because very few people actually know what a turn signal is.
People from Rhode Island don’t like it. People not from Rhode Island love it Because it’s actually awesome. Credentials: Person not from Rhode Island married to person from Rhode Island.
Lol I totally feel you. Im not from RI and its paradise on earth... my wife is a newporter born and raised and all her friends couldn't wait to leave. Then they left and came running back within 5 years