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Providence's neighborhoods conjure up too many stereotypes to count. You've got hipster areas, preppy places, neighborhoods where college kids thrive, and of course, ghettos.
It seems as if there's a neighborhood for everyone in Providence.
And while the city consistently ranks as one of the best places to live in the country thanks in part to a strong economy and tons of entertainment, it's not all rainbows and sunshine in Providence. Some neighborhoods aren't as great as others.
So the question arises, which Providence neighborhoods are the worst, and which are the best?
Today, we'll use science and data to determine which Providence hoods need a little tender loving care - the sore thumbs of the Providence area if you will. Realistically, you can't expect all the neighborhoods to be amazing, although Wayland ranks way above the rest.
We examined 24 of Providence's neighborhoods to find out the worst places to live. These places don't quite measure up to Providence's reputation.
The Worst Neighborhoods In Providence For 2022
So what's the worst neighborhood to live in Providence for 2022? According to the most recent census data, Lower South Providence looks to be the worst neighborhood in Providence.
Read on to see how we determined the places around Providence that need a pick-me-up. And remember, don't blame the messenger.
Once you're done, you can look at the bottom of the story for a complete chart of every neighborhood we looked at from worst to best. Looking for places to avoid outside of the city? You can also check out the worst suburbs of Providence.
For more Rhode Island reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Rhode Island
- Cheapest Places To Live In Rhode Island
- Most Dangerous Cities In Rhode Island
The 10 Worst Neighborhoods In Providence For 2022
/10
Population: 6,027
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $116,600 (5th worst)
Median Income: $29,100 (2nd worst)
More on Lower South Providence: Data
/10
Population: 7,046
Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $97,227 (worst)
Median Income: $23,139 (worst)
More on Olneyville: Data
/10
Population: 5,372
Rank Last Year: 3 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $118,683 (6th worst)
Median Income: $32,772 (4th worst)
More on Smith Hill: Data
/10
Population: 6,442
Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $111,962 (4th worst)
Median Income: $34,186 (6th worst)
More on Hartford: Data
/10
Population: 7,430
Rank Last Year: 5 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $129,414 (10th worst)
Median Income: $37,408 (10th worst)
More on Washington Park: Data
/10
Population: 10,557
Rank Last Year: 5 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $99,289 (2nd worst)
Median Income: $31,619 (3rd worst)
More on Elmwood: Data
/10
Population: 17,375
Rank Last Year: 7 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $100,407 (3rd worst)
Median Income: $33,856 (5th worst)
More on West End: Data
/10
Population: 2,308
Rank Last Year: 8 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $155,550 (14th worst)
Median Income: $47,276 (14th worst)
More on South Elmwood: Data
/10
Population: 6,312
Rank Last Year: 8 (Down 1)
Median Home Value: $130,200 (11th worst)
Median Income: $38,446 (11th worst)
More on Charles: Data
/10
Population: 11,863
Rank Last Year: 10 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $124,646 (7th worst)
Median Income: $34,790 (7th worst)
More on Silverlake: Data
Methodology: How we determined the worst Providence neighborhoods in 2022
To figure out how bad a place is to live in, we only needed to know what kinds of things people like and then decide what places have the least amount of those things. We threw the following criteria into this analysis in order to get the best, most complete results possible. We used this set of criteria for each neighborhood in Providence:
- High unemployment (Less jobs)
- Low median income (Less pay)
- Low population density (No things to do)
- Low home values (No one's willing to pay to live here)
- High crime (Estimated)
Then, we ranked each neighborhood in Providence, Rhode Island for each of these criteria from worst to best.
Next, we averaged the individual rankings for each criteria into a "Worst Score".
The neighborhood with the lowest "Worst Score" ranks as the worst neighborhood of Providence.
Read on below to learn more about these terrible places around Providence to live. Or skip to the end to see the list of all 24 neighborhoods ranked from worst to best.
This list is a scientific analysis based on real data and is completely unbiased. Hold on to your pants.
Summary: The Worst Neighborhoods Around Providence
Well there you have it -- the worst of the neighborhoods in Providence with Lower South Providence landing at the bottom of the pack.
As we mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Providence aren't all bad. Wayland takes the cake as the best place to live in Providence.
We ranked the neighborhoods from worst to best in the chart below.
For more Rhode Island reading, check out:
Where Are The Worst Neighborhoods To Live In Providence For 2022?
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lower South Providence | 6,027 |
| 2 | Olneyville | 7,046 |
| 3 | Smith Hill | 5,372 |
| 4 | Hartford | 6,442 |
| 5 | Washington Park | 7,430 |
| 6 | Elmwood | 10,557 |
| 7 | West End | 17,375 |
| 8 | South Elmwood | 2,308 |
| 9 | Charles | 6,312 |
| 10 | Silverlake | 11,863 |
| 11 | Reservoir | 2,944 |
| 12 | Federal Hill | 6,992 |
| 13 | Downtown | 4,196 |
| 14 | Valley | 5,683 |
| 15 | Wanskuck | 12,204 |
| 16 | Mount Hope | 6,083 |
| 17 | Fox Point | 3,418 |
| 18 | Mount Pleasant | 9,950 |
| 19 | Hope | 3,060 |
| 20 | Manton | 4,362 |
| 21 | Blackstone | 6,336 |
| 22 | Elmhurst | 10,503 |
| 23 | College Hill | 9,005 |
| 24 | Wayland | 3,028 |
