The Town FilesLittle Compton, Rhode Island
Town in Newport County · population 3,616 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $783,400
- Household income
- $134,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 38 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 60.3
Little Compton is a town of 3,616 people in Newport County, Rhode Island. The median home is worth $783,400, above the typical Rhode Island town ($432,850). It ranks quieter than 97% of Rhode Island towns, better for a vacation home than 97% of Rhode Island towns, better for retirees than 95% of Rhode Island towns.
- #1 in The 10 Quietest Small Towns in Rhode Island
- #20 in The 50 Best Vacation-Home Small Towns in America
- #21 in The 50 Best Vacation-Home Places in America
- #40 in The 50 Best Small Towns to Retire in America With the Fewest Tornadoes
- #46 in The 50 Best Places to Retire in America With the Fewest Tornadoes
How Little Compton 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 Little Compton is worth $783,400, above the typical Rhode Island town ($432,850). Homes cost about 5.8 times the median household income of $134,750, which is more affordable than 11% of Rhode Island towns. 93.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Little Compton | Typical Rhode Island town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $783,400 | $432,850 |
| Median rent | — | $1,362 |
| Median household income | $134,750 | $102,946 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.8× | 4.3× |
| Homeownership | 93.8% | 75.9% |
| Median year built | 1969 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 31.4% | — |
Who lives in Little Compton
| People | Little Compton | Typical Rhode Island town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 60.3 | 43.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 39.5% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 13.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 60.0% | 40.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.9% | 6.2% |
| Veterans | 7.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.3% | — |
| Work from home | 20.5% | 12.4% |
| Average commute | 33.7 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.5% | 93.3% |
Weather in Little Compton
July highs average 79.6°F and January lows 24.1°F. About 42.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.1 inches of snow (typical Rhode Island town: 36.6 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 98 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Little Compton since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical Rhode Island town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on October 2, 2019 about 7.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 2, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 6 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 22, 1997.
Severe weather in Newport County since 1996
Newport County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for hurricane, snowstorm, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4766: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| May 12, 2022 | Snowstorm | DR-4653: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| August 21, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3563: Hurricane Henri |
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4505: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3440: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Newport County
Newport County had 42,622 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $68,656 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Little Compton itself the ACS puts it at 4.6%.
Public schools in Little Compton
1 public school with 210 students, about 7.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilbur and McMahon Schools | PK-8 | 210 | 7.5 |
Towns near Little Compton
- Middletown, RI6.0 mi · 17,075 people · home $563,300
- Newport East, RI6.3 mi · 12,337 people · home $485,400
- Westport, MA6.9 mi · 16,339 people · home $521,900
- Tiverton, RI7.2 mi · 16,359 people · home $411,900
- Newport, RI8.2 mi · 25,163 people · home $746,900
- Portsmouth, RI8.7 mi · 17,871 people · home $597,000
- Tiverton, RI10.6 mi · 7,809 people · home $407,200
- Jamestown, RI10.7 mi · 5,559 people · home $842,400
Little Compton questions
Is Little Compton, Rhode Island a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Little Compton scores better for retirees than 95% of Rhode Island towns and quieter than 97%. 39.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 60.3).
How much does a house cost in Little Compton?
The median owner-occupied home in Little Compton is valued at $783,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $134,750, so homes cost about 5.8 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Little Compton?
July highs average 79.6°F and January lows 24.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.2 inches of precipitation a year and 38.1 inches of snow.
Does Little Compton get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Little Compton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on October 2, 2019. 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)