Providence-Warwick, RI-MA Metro Area
The Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area is made up of 6 counties in Rhode Island and Massachusetts: Providence, Bristol, Kent, Washington, Newport, and Bristol, largest first. About 1,708,161 people lived there on July 1, 2025 (Census estimate), 1.9% more than in April 2020.
- Population, July 2025
- 1,708,161 1.9% more than in April 2020
- Type
- Metropolitan statistical area
- Counties
- 6, all central
- Land area
- 1,587 sq mi (4,110 km²)
- Time zone
- Eastern TimeUTC-05:00 in January; UTC-04:00 in July
- States
- Rhode Island, Massachusetts
- Combined statistical area
- Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH
- CBSA code
- 39300
Counties in the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area, largest first
| County | Role | Population, July 2025 | Share of the area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providence CountyRhode Island | Central | 678,179 | 39.7% |
| Bristol CountyMassachusetts | Central | 593,640 | 34.8% |
| Kent CountyRhode Island | Central | 173,495 | 10.2% |
| Washington CountyRhode Island | Central | 129,795 | 7.6% |
| Newport CountyRhode Island | Central | 83,051 | 4.9% |
| Bristol CountyRhode Island | Central | 50,001 | 2.9% |
A central county holds the area’s core, an urban area of at least 50,000 people. This area has no outlying counties: no neighboring county sends enough commuters to join it. A county belongs to one metro or micro area at most, and it counts whole, countryside included.
Principal cities, largest first
- Providence191,767 people
- Warwick83,175 people
OMB names the area after its largest principal cities. A principal city is the area’s largest city, plus any other city that is very large or a big job center, and smaller ones with at least as many jobs as working residents (2020 Census and commuting figures). People counts are American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates.
Part of the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH combined statistical area
OMB joins neighboring metro and micro areas into a combined statistical area when enough people commute between them. The other 6 areas in this one, largest first:
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Metro Area5,034,221 people
- Worcester, MA Metro Area888,502 people
- Manchester-Nashua, NH Metro Area433,415 people
- Barnstable Town, MA Metro Area233,539 people
- Concord, NH Micro Area158,078 people
- Laconia, NH Micro Area65,147 people
Bordering metro and micro areas, nearest first
Areas with a county on this area’s edge. Distances are straight lines between the areas’ largest cities.
- Putnam, CT Micro Area26 mi west
- Worcester, MA Metro Area37 mi northwest
- Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT Metro Area39 mi southwest
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Metro Area41 mi northeast
- Vineyard Haven, MA Micro Area49 mi southeast
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ Metro Area154 mi southwest
Before using this answer on a form
A metro or micro area is a statistical area that OMB draws for federal statistics. It is not a city, a local government or a mailing address, and it is not a measure of urban and rural: whole counties count, rural parts included. Programs that use metro areas, such as housing income limits or wage rates, can use their own version of these lists; check the program’s own list for an address.
Find the metro area where you are now, find your county, or see every metro and micro area by population.