Most African American cities in Rhode Island research summary. We used Saturday Night Science to analyze Rhode Island’s most recent Census data to determine the blackest cities in Rhode Island based on the percentage of Black residents. Here are the results of our analysis:
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The city with the largest African American population in Rhode Island is Pawtucket based on the most recent Census data.
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Pawtucket is 11.01% Black.
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The least African American city in Rhode Island is Warwick.
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Warwick is 2.52% Black.
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Rhode Island is 4.9% Black.
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Rhode Island is the 31st blackest state in the United States.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The Black community is one of the fastest-growing communities in America this decade.
Roughly 42 million people identifying as Black or African American live in the United States, making up 12% of the total population. According to the most recent American Community Survey, the Black population in Rhode Island is 54,225 – at 4.9% of the total population of Rhode Island.
The percentage growth of Blacks in America is the third largest percentage change for any race according to the Census’s race and ethnicity definition. Most scholars and historians agree that increasing diversity in America is a good thing.
We agree.
But how has the increase in the black population impacted Rhode Island? Which cities and towns in Rhode Island have seen the greatest increase in its Black population?
We broke down the most recent census data to determine the cities in Rhode Island with the largest African American population in 2026:
Most African American Places In Rhode Island
What’s the blackest city in Rhode Island? The city with the largest Black population in Rhode Island for 2026 is Pawtucket. See if Pawtucket ranked as one of the most african american places in America.
And if you already knew these places were Black, check out the best places to live in Rhode Island or the most diverse places in Rhode Island.
The 10 Blackest Cities In Rhode Island For 2026
1. Pawtucket
/10
Population: 75,893
% African American: 11.01%
# Of African American Residents: 8,358
Percent Change Since 2010: -28.08%
More on Pawtucket: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
2. Providence
/10
Population: 191,767
% African American: 10.24%
# Of African American Residents: 19,632
Percent Change Since 2010: -16.21%
More on Providence: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
3. Central Falls
/10
Population: 22,701
% African American: 9.67%
# Of African American Residents: 2,196
Percent Change Since 2010: 24.0%
More on Central Falls: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
4. Woonsocket
/10
Population: 43,521
% African American: 6.0%
# Of African American Residents: 2,610
Percent Change Since 2010: 67.74%
More on Woonsocket: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
5. Newport
/10
Population: 24,874
% African American: 5.91%
# Of African American Residents: 1,470
Percent Change Since 2010: -11.98%
More on Newport: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
6. East Providence
/10
Population: 47,281
% African American: 5.88%
# Of African American Residents: 2,778
Percent Change Since 2010: 20.94%
More on East Providence: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
7. Cranston
/10
Population: 83,250
% African American: 5.3%
# Of African American Residents: 4,413
Percent Change Since 2010: 40.99%
More on Cranston: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
8. Warwick
/10
Population: 83,175
% African American: 2.52%
# Of African American Residents: 2,099
Percent Change Since 2010: 57.35%
More on Warwick: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How We Determined The Cities In Rhode Island With The Largest Black Population For 2026
We still believe in the accuracy of data — especially from the Census. So that’s where we went to get the race breakdown across Rhode Island.
That leads us to the Census’s most recently available data, the 2020-2024 American Community Survey data from the US Census.
Specifically, we looked at table B03002: Hispanic OR LATINO ORIGIN BY RACE. Here are the category names as defined by the Census:
- Hispanic or Latino
- White alone*
- Black or African American alone*
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone*
- Asian alone*
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone*
- Some other race alone*
- Two or more races*
Our particular column of interest was the number of people who identified as Black or African American.
We limited our analysis to non-CDPs with a population greater than 22,000 people in Rhode Island. That left us with 8 cities.
We then calculated the percentage of residents that are Black or African American. The percentages ranked from 11.0% to 2.5%.
Finally, we ranked each city based on the percentage of the Black population, with a higher score being more Black than a lower score. Pawtucket took the distinction of being the most Black, while Warwick was the least African American city.
We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the cities in Rhode Island with the largest African American population.
Read on for more information on how the cities in Rhode Island ranked by population of African American residents or, for a more general take on diversity in America, head over to our ranking of the most diverse cities in America.
Summary: Black Populations Across Rhode Island
If you’re looking for a breakdown of African American populations across Rhode Island according to the most recent data, this is an accurate list.
The blackest cities in Rhode Island are Pawtucket, Providence, Central Falls, and Woonsocket.
If you’re curious enough, here are the least African American places in Rhode Island:
- Warwick
- Cranston
- East Providence
For more Rhode Island reading, check out:
- Cheapest Places To Live In Rhode Island
- Best Places To Live In Rhode Island
- Worst Places To Live In Rhode Island
African American Population By City In Rhode Island
| Rank | City | Population | African American Population | % African American |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pawtucket | 75,893 | 8,358 | 11.01% |
| 2 | Providence | 191,767 | 19,632 | 10.24% |
| 3 | Central Falls | 22,701 | 2,196 | 9.67% |
| 4 | Woonsocket | 43,521 | 2,610 | 6.0% |
| 5 | Newport | 24,874 | 1,470 | 5.91% |
| 6 | East Providence | 47,281 | 2,778 | 5.88% |
| 7 | Cranston | 83,250 | 4,413 | 5.3% |
| 8 | Warwick | 83,175 | 2,099 | 2.52% |
Rhode Island does not have a high black American population. In fact, its immigrant black population consist of West Africans and black Hispanics in urban centers.