Population 9,604 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in College Hill
Household size in College Hill
| Period | College Hill | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.33 | 2.53 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.05 | 2.54 | 2.52 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.22 | 2.53 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.95 | 2.49 | 2.49 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.38 | −0.05 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
College Hill is a place of small households, averaging 1.95 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.33 in 2006–10, 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 College Hill
| Period | College Hill | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.9 | 39.5 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 23.2 | 40.5 | 40.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 23.9 | 41.4 | 41.4 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 23.4 | 41.7 | 41.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.4 | +2.2 | +2.2 | +2.3 |
College Hill is young: half of its residents are under 23.4, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults in their twenties. The median age has edged down from 23.9 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. College Hill has the youngest population of any Providence neighborhood.
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 College Hill
| Period | College Hill | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.8% | 12.5% | 12.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.5% | 12.4% | 12.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 3.0% | 11.9% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.5% | 12.1% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 3.5% of households in College Hill, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 1.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Few Providence neighborhoods have a lower share of single-parent households: only two of 28.
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 College Hill
Renters in College Hill
| Period | College Hill | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 64.6% | 37.0% | 37.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 71.1% | 39.0% | 39.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 67.3% | 38.6% | 39.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 47.7% | 36.8% | 36.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −16.9 pts | −0.1 pts | −1.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in College Hill than nationally: 47.7% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 31.9% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the northwest; owners are most common in the south. The renter share is down 16.9 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 College Hill
| Period | College Hill | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.3% | 10.3% | 11.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.5% | 10.5% | 11.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 26.8% | 10.7% | 12.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.7% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −7.6 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in College Hill: 18.7% 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. No other Providence neighborhood has a higher vacancy rate.
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 College Hill
| Period | College Hill | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1939 | 1959 | 1957 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1939 | 1959 | 1958 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1939 | 1960 | 1959 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1939 | 1962 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | −0 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
College Hill is a place of older homes: half were built before 1939, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Only one other Providence neighborhood has older homes.
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 College Hill
| Period | College Hill | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,198 | $928 | $941 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,272 | $974 | $988 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,464 | $1,103 | $1,123 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,272 | $1,439 | $1,448 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,074 | +$511 | +$507 | +$606 |
The median renter in College Hill pays $2,272 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,074 a month since 2006–10, up 90%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 33.5% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. College Hill has the highest rents of any Providence neighborhood.
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 College Hill
Bachelor's degrees in College Hill
| Period | College Hill | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 66.8% | 28.5% | 30.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 87.4% | 29.6% | 31.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 83.6% | 32.4% | 34.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 81.9% | 35.2% | 37.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +15.1 pts | +6.7 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in College Hill: 81.9% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 15.1 points, mirroring the country. Only one other Providence neighborhood has a higher share of college graduates.
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 College Hill
| Period | College Hill | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.3% | 82.1% | 83.2% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.2% | 83.9% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.6% | 87.5% | 88.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.1% | 88.3% | 89.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +6.2 pts | +6.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in College Hill: 98.1% 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 3.8 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College Hill has the highest share of high school graduates of any Providence neighborhood.
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 College Hill
| Period | College Hill | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.2% | 8.5% | 8.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.9% | 10.0% | 9.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.0% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.6% | 5.8% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | +3.4 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in College Hill runs well above the national rate: 8.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Unemployment is up 3.4 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
College Hill compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| College Hill | 1.95 | 23.4 | 3.5% | 47.7% | 18.7% | 1939 | $2,272 | 81.9% | 98.1% | 8.6% |
| Fox Point | 2.10 | 30.4 | 1.9% | 68.2% | 8.1% | 1940 | $1,830 | 73.6% | 95.7% | 3.2% |
| Downtown | 1.44 | 32.3 | 2.2% | 87.9% | 10.9% | 1972 | $2,115 | 68.3% | 92.3% | 2.3% |
| Mount Hope | 1.98 | 36.3 | 6.7% | 67.4% | 8.4% | 1943 | $1,820 | 58.2% | 90.0% | 7.0% |
| Blackstone | 2.20 | 43.6 | 4.0% | 31.1% | 6.6% | 1941 | $1,881 | 83.6% | 97.3% | 3.7% |
| Smith Hill | 2.22 | 37.8 | 6.3% | 74.7% | 13.6% | 1945 | $1,404 | 32.4% | 78.3% | 6.7% |
| Upper South Providence | 2.90 | 38.0 | 15.8% | 76.8% | 9.0% | 1952 | $1,268 | 16.8% | 75.4% | 16.8% |
| Federal Hill | 1.92 | 39.3 | 5.0% | 79.5% | 13.4% | 1944 | $1,507 | 46.2% | 87.4% | 8.5% |
| Six Corners | 2.30 | 44.1 | 11.0% | 52.2% | 12.5% | 1952 | $1,206 | 31.2% | 77.7% | 1.7% |
| Ingrams Corner | 2.05 | 43.9 | 13.8% | 45.5% | 7.8% | 1949 | $1,297 | 21.7% | 85.3% | 6.1% |
| Hope | 1.92 | 42.3 | 9.9% | 42.5% | 8.8% | 1944 | $1,585 | 67.8% | 96.1% | 7.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Oceanway, Jacksonville, FL · Cathedral Park, Portland, OR · Airport-Pines Road, Shreveport, LA · Sunnyside, Clackamas, OR · Cleveland Park, Washington, DC · Yorkshire, Charlotte, NC · South 48th Street, Lincoln, NE · Shawnee, Louisville, KY · Muscoy, San Bernardino, CA · McMurray-Huntingdon, Nashville, TN
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 College Hill. 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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