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

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

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

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

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

Corporate changes since 1900

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

1900

County Total: 328,683

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

1910

County Total: 424,353

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

1920

County Total: 475,190

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

1930

County Total: 540,016

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

1940

County Total: 550,298

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

1950

County Total: 574,973

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

1960

County Total: 568,778

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

1970

County Total: 581,470

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

1980

County Total: 571,349

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

1990

County Total: 596,270

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

2000

County Total: 621,602

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

2010

County Total: 626,667

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

Notes

1970 Census

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