The Town FilesKingston, Rhode Island
Community in Washington County · population 7,825 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $553,400
- Household income
- $107,404
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 35 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 19.5
Kingston is a community of 7,825 people in Washington County, Rhode Island. The median home is worth $553,400, above the typical Rhode Island town ($432,850). It ranks better for young professionals than 98% of Rhode Island towns, more of a college town than 97% of Rhode Island towns, more walkable than 79% of Rhode Island towns.
How Kingston ranks
Percentile among Rhode Island towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Rhode Island towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Kingston is worth $553,400, above the typical Rhode Island town ($432,850). Homes cost about 5.2 times the median household income of $107,404, which is more affordable than 21% of Rhode Island towns. 81.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Kingston | Typical Rhode Island town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $553,400 | $432,850 |
| Median rent | — | $1,362 |
| Median household income | $107,404 | $102,946 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.2× | 4.3× |
| Homeownership | 81.9% | 75.9% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Kingston
| People | Kingston | Typical Rhode Island town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 19.5 | 43.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 3.6% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 7.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 77.0% | 40.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 1.8% | 6.2% |
| Veterans | 0.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.7% | — |
| Work from home | 11.6% | 12.4% |
| Average commute | 18.4 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 100.0% | 93.3% |
Weather in Kingston
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows 19.3°F. About 51.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 34.5 inches of snow (typical Rhode Island town: 36.6 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 135 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kingston since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical Rhode Island town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on November 13, 2021 about 6.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 13, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 30, 1998.
Severe weather in Washington County since 1996
Washington County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4765: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| March 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4766: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| April 14, 2023 | Fire | FM-5464: Queens River Fire |
| May 12, 2022 | Snowstorm | DR-4653: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| August 21, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3563: Hurricane Henri |
Jobs and pay in Washington County
Washington County had 59,183 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,700 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Kingston itself the ACS puts it at 8.4%.
Public schools in Kingston
3 public schools with 802 students, about 12.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Kingston School | K-5 | 326 | 13.0 |
| Kingston Hill Academy (charter) | K-5 | 260 | 12.4 |
| The Compass School (charter) | K-8 | 216 | 12.7 |
Towns near Kingston
- Wakefield-Peace Dale, RI2.2 mi · 8,925 people · home $494,400
- Narragansett Pier, RI4.4 mi · 3,308 people · home $851,300
- South Kingstown, RI4.5 mi · 31,931 people · home $560,200
- Narragansett, RI5.5 mi · 14,532 people · home $743,500
- Richmond, RI7.7 mi · 8,020 people · home $435,800
- North Kingstown, RI7.8 mi · 27,732 people · home $543,700
- Exeter, RI8.5 mi · 6,460 people · home $509,200
- Jamestown, RI8.5 mi · 5,559 people · home $842,400
Kingston questions
Is Kingston, Rhode Island a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Kingston scores better for retirees than 7% of Rhode Island towns and quieter than 12%. 3.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 19.5).
How much does a house cost in Kingston?
The median owner-occupied home in Kingston is valued at $553,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $107,404, so homes cost about 5.2 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Kingston?
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows 19.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.6 inches of precipitation a year and 34.5 inches of snow.
Does Kingston get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kingston since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on November 13, 2021. The typical Rhode Island town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)