Population 7,234 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Charlestown
Household size in Charlestown
| Period | Charlestown | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.44 | 2.53 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.44 | 2.54 | 2.52 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.39 | 2.53 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.27 | 2.49 | 2.49 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.17 | −0.05 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Charlestown is a place of small households, averaging 2.27 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.44, a much bigger shift than nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the north.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Charlestown
| Period | Charlestown | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.3 | 39.5 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 46.6 | 40.5 | 40.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 48.6 | 41.4 | 41.4 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 54.4 | 41.7 | 41.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +8.1 | +2.2 | +2.2 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 54.4, Charlestown is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 46.3 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other Rhode Island city with 5,000+ people is older.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Charlestown
| Period | Charlestown | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.7% | 12.5% | 12.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.2% | 12.4% | 12.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.9% | 11.9% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.0% | 12.1% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Charlestown: 6.0% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has edged up 1.3 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Charlestown has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of Rhode Island cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Charlestown
Renters in Charlestown
| Period | Charlestown | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.7% | 37.0% | 37.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.9% | 39.0% | 39.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.8% | 38.6% | 39.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 8.0% | 36.8% | 36.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −9.7 pts | −0.1 pts | −1.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 8.0% of households in Charlestown rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 35.9% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 9.7 points, even as the national share rose. Charlestown has the lowest share of renters of any Rhode Island city with 5,000+ people.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Charlestown
| Period | Charlestown | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.9% | 10.3% | 11.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 27.9% | 10.5% | 11.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 28.3% | 10.7% | 12.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 31.2% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Charlestown: 31.2% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy is up 2.2 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Charlestown
| Period | Charlestown | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1959 | 1957 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1978 | 1959 | 1958 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1981 | 1960 | 1959 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1977 | 1962 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | −1 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Charlestown are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1977, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are newer than in the wider Providence area, where the median home dates to 1962. The newest homes are mostly in the north, the oldest in the west.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Charlestown
| Period | Charlestown | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,133 | $928 | $941 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,076 | $974 | $988 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,215 | $1,103 | $1,123 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,473 | $1,439 | $1,448 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$340 | +$511 | +$507 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Charlestown costs $1,473 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $340 a month from 2006–10, a 30% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 50.3% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the northwest and lowest in the east.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Charlestown
Bachelor's degrees in Charlestown
| Period | Charlestown | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.8% | 28.5% | 30.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 37.1% | 29.6% | 31.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.8% | 32.4% | 34.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 41.8% | 35.2% | 37.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.9 pts | +6.7 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a bit more common in Charlestown than nationally: 41.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 5.9 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the north.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Charlestown
| Period | Charlestown | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.1% | 82.1% | 83.2% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.4% | 83.9% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.8% | 87.5% | 88.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.7% | 88.3% | 89.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | +6.2 pts | +6.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Charlestown: 95.7% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 3.6 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Charlestown
| Period | Charlestown | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.4% | 8.5% | 8.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.1% | 10.0% | 9.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.7% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.7% | 5.8% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Charlestown is close to the national rate: 4.7% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is lower than in the Providence area overall (5.8%). Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Charlestown compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlestown | 2.27 | 54.4 | 6.0% | 8.0% | 31.2% | 1977 | $1,473 | 41.8% | 95.7% | 4.7% |
| Wood River Junction | 2.86 | 37.3 | 14.2% | 9.5% | 13.4% | 1974 | $1,587 | 43.9% | 97.4% | 3.8% |
| Kenyon | 2.60 | 46.9 | 6.0% | 7.2% | 11.1% | 1984 | $1,533 | 42.8% | 96.6% | 3.3% |
| Bradford | 2.46 | 37.1 | 8.4% | 24.6% | 13.6% | 1974 | $1,262 | 39.0% | 97.1% | 6.3% |
| Carolina | 2.87 | 40.3 | 13.3% | 5.7% | 9.5% | 1979 | $1,580 | 49.7% | 98.3% | 2.0% |
| South Kingstown | 2.27 | 56.7 | 1.6% | 6.3% | 5.6% | 1986 | $1,379 | 58.3% | 96.1% | 4.7% |
| Richmond | 2.82 | 41.5 | 14.8% | 3.9% | 8.4% | 1982 | $1,580 | 50.8% | 98.4% | 1.7% |
| Ashaway | 2.63 | 45.7 | 14.5% | 17.9% | 10.4% | 1960 | $1,414 | 35.3% | 97.2% | 4.5% |
| Wakefield | 2.27 | 53.7 | 5.5% | 17.0% | 20.3% | 1982 | $1,372 | 59.5% | 96.2% | 6.1% |
| Tuckertown | 2.21 | 59.0 | 2.8% | 5.5% | 10.0% | 1984 | $1,281 | 56.7% | 95.8% | 3.7% |
| Westerly | 2.24 | 51.5 | 6.4% | 25.3% | 14.0% | 1972 | $1,276 | 46.1% | 94.9% | 4.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Pen Argyl, PA · Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, NM · Lovettsville, VA · Lucas, TX · Lutherville, MD · Manchester, PA · Mannford, OK · Mauston, WI · Mechanicstown, NY · Pana, IL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Charlestown. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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