Is population growing or shrinking?

Updated annually
It grew by 4,100 between 2024 and 2025. Changes in population reflect birth and death rates, immigration patterns, regional shifts, and even the overall health of the economy. Rhode Island’s 0.37% annual increase was primarily driven by immigration to the state. In the decade between 2015 and 2025, Rhode Island’s population grew by 3.4%.

+4.11K

population change (2024 to 2025)

+0.37%

percent change in population (2024 to 2025)
Since 2000, Rhode Island's population increased in 20 of 25 years. The largest increase occurred between 2023 and 2024, when it gained 9,200 residents. The state's largest decline during the 21st century occurred between 2004 and 2005 when it lost 6,700 residents.

Rhode Island gained 4,100 residents between 2024 and 2025.

Annual population change

A state’s population is influenced by three factors:
  • Natural population change: If births outnumber deaths in a given year, natural population growth is positive. If deaths exceed births, it is negative. Between 2024 to 2025 natural population change was negative in Rhode Island, with deaths exceeding births by 304.
  • Immigration: international migration directly into or out of a state. If more people move in than move out, population change from immigration is positive. If more people move out than move in, it’s negative. Rhode Island’s population change from immigration was positive, with about 5,900 more people coming from another country to Rhode Island than leaving.
  • Domestic migration, moving between states: Rhode Island’s population change from domestic migration was negative, with about 1,600 more people leaving for another state than moving in.

Between 2024 and 2025, immigration was the primary driver of population growth in Rhode Island.

Components of population change

Among 5 county equivalents, Providence County had the largest population growth in Rhode Island, welcoming 8,693 new residents. Newport County lost the most, with a loss of 375 residents. County-level population data is available as of 2024.
Providence County led Rhode Island in percent population increase between 2023 and 2024 at 1.3 percent. Newport County ranked last with a 0.45 percent decline.

Between 2023 and 2024, Providence County gained 1.3% in population, the largest increase in Rhode Island.

Population change

Between 2015 and 2025, Rhode Island’s population has increased by 3.4%. During that same period, the US population grew by 6.2%. Rhode Island ranks 31st among states in population growth over that decade.

Rhode Island ranked 31st in population growth between 2015 and 2025.

Percent change in population

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.