There are all types when it comes to being a snob in Rhode Island. You’ve got your Wine Snobs, Book Snobs, and, of course, Clothes Snobs. Then there are the Technology Snobs, Car Snobs, and yes, even City Snobsas in, I’m better than you because I live in (insert snooty city here).
How can we tell which Rhode Island cities are the snobbiest? By measuring snobby things, that’s how.
We used Saturday Night Science to look at things like expensive homes, high incomes, and overly educated populations by city in Rhode Island. These are the criteria you’d argue with a friend over a foodie dinner about who’s snobbier.
After analyzing 26 of the state’s most populous areas over 1,000 people, we came up with this ranking of the ten snobbiest places in the state of Rhode Island.
The Rhode Islander in these places aren’t snobby, they just know they’re better than you.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Snobbiest Places In Rhode Island
- Kingston
- Cumberland Hill
- Harmony
- Newport
- Newport East
- Narragansett Pier
- Greenville
- Melville
- Greene
- Westerly
Don’t freak out.
What’s the snobbiest place in Rhode Island? The snobbiest place in Rhode Island is Kingston based on the data. If we had their wealth and lifestyle, we’d probably be a little snobby, too.
The most laid back? That would be Central Falls.
We’re not so full of ourselves as to make this ranking up from nowhere. So here’s a look at the top ten and more on how we did it. And if you’re curious, Rhode Island is the 14th snobbiest in the United States.
For more Rhode Island reading, check out:
The 10 Snobbiest Places In Rhode Island For 2024
/10
% Highly Educated: 77.0%
Median Income: $108,056
Median Home Price: $570,961
More on Kingston: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
% Highly Educated: 44.0%
Median Income: $120,365
Median Home Price: $436,265
More on Cumberland Hill: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
3. Harmony
/10
% Highly Educated: 40.0%
Median Income: $103,430
Median Home Price: $432,448
More on Harmony: Real Estate
/10
% Highly Educated: 52.0%
Median Income: $81,330
Median Home Price: $827,429
More on Newport: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
% Highly Educated: 44.0%
Median Income: $90,659
Median Home Price: $565,274
More on Newport East: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
% Highly Educated: 55.0%
Median Income: $76,528
Median Home Price: $868,841
More on Narragansett Pier: Data | Real Estate
/10
% Highly Educated: 38.0%
Median Income: $92,367
Median Home Price: $445,455
More on Greenville: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
8. Melville
/10
% Highly Educated: 60.0%
Median Income: $128,750
Median Home Price: $0
More on Melville: Real Estate
9. Greene
/10
% Highly Educated: 38.0%
Median Income: $96,176
Median Home Price: $423,033
More on Greene: Real Estate
/10
% Highly Educated: 36.0%
Median Income: $86,343
Median Home Price: $529,378
More on Westerly: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How we determined the snobbiest cities in the Ocean State
Do you think wed just come up with this list willy-nilly? Not a chance – we only use Saturday Night Science around here.
We gathered up all of the places in Rhode Island with populations of 1,000 people or more. This left us with a total of 26 places. Then, we looked at each place in terms of these snoot-er-iffic criteria (And no, its not a word. English snob.):
- Median home price (Higher is snobbier)
- Median household income (Higher is snobbier)
- Percent of population with a college degree (Higher is snobbier)
Incomes and college education levels come from the American Community Survey. Home prices come from Zillow.
Turned out this simple criteria was much better at sniffing out the snobby places then more snobby criteria like:
- Libaries per capita (Higher is snobbier)
- Museums per capita (Higher is snobbier)
- Private schools per capita (Higher is snobbier)
From there, we ranked each of our 26 places in each category with scores from one to 26. We then averaged each places ranking into one overall score, where the lowest score went to the snobbiest place in Rhode Island. So lets all flip a table in honor of Kingston (with our pinkies up, of course.)
Before you get upset and ruin your blowout or something drastic here, lets remember that this is all in good fun. Would we live in one of these 10 places if we had the chance? Of course, we would.
And it’s not like your real estate agent would ever point out how snobby the town you’re moving to is. We’re here to keep you grounded, even if you’re wearing a monocle.
There You Have It – Now That You’re On Your High Horse
When it comes to snobbery, these places in Rhode Island are heading ever upward. Residents in these communities are well educated, well paid, and appear to have all the sophisticated culture and entertainment of an Ernst Lubitsch film right at their fingertips.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
The snobbiest cities in Rhode Island are Kingston, Cumberland Hill, Harmony, Newport, Newport East, Narragansett Pier, Greenville, Melville, Greene, and Westerly.
If you’re also curious enough, here are the most laid back places in Rhode Island, according to science:
- Central Falls
- Woonsocket
- Pawtucket
For more Rhode Island reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Rhode Island
- Cheapest Places To Live In Rhode Island
- Most Dangerous Cities In Rhode Island
- Richest Cities In Rhode Island
- Safest Places In Rhode Island
- Worst Places To Live In Rhode Island
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Rhode Island
Table: The Snobbiest Cities In Rhode Island For 2024
Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Prices | Adult Highly Educated |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Kingston, RI | 6,560 | $108,056 | $570,961 | 77.0% |
2 | Cumberland Hill, RI | 8,866 | $120,365 | $436,265 | 44.0% |
3 | Harmony, RI | 1,442 | $103,430 | $432,448 | 40.0% |
4 | Newport, RI | 25,087 | $81,330 | $827,429 | 52.0% |
5 | Newport East, RI | 11,644 | $90,659 | $565,274 | 44.0% |
6 | Narragansett Pier, RI | 2,805 | $76,528 | $868,841 | 55.0% |
7 | Greenville, RI | 8,777 | $92,367 | $445,455 | 38.0% |
8 | Melville, RI | 1,918 | $128,750 | $0 | 60.0% |
9 | Greene, RI | 1,070 | $96,176 | $423,033 | 38.0% |
10 | Westerly, RI | 18,272 | $86,343 | $529,378 | 36.0% |
11 | Tiverton, RI | 8,101 | $86,102 | $477,304 | 38.0% |
12 | Carolina, RI | 1,165 | $92,419 | $440,209 | 33.0% |
13 | Hope Valley, RI | 2,209 | $93,888 | $546,063 | 25.0% |
14 | Valley Falls, RI | 12,072 | $93,901 | $410,692 | 28.0% |
15 | Cranston, RI | 82,691 | $83,123 | $392,034 | 34.0% |
16 | Pascoag, RI | 4,527 | $97,064 | $374,050 | 24.0% |
17 | Ashaway, RI | 1,662 | $98,875 | $362,981 | 24.0% |
18 | Chepachet, RI | 1,755 | $92,228 | $358,910 | 32.0% |
19 | Warwick, RI | 82,783 | $81,009 | $364,360 | 32.0% |
20 | East Providence, RI | 47,012 | $71,736 | $381,790 | 30.0% |
21 | Bradford, RI | 1,189 | $72,383 | $380,982 | 29.0% |
22 | Providence, RI | 189,715 | $61,365 | $365,946 | 34.0% |
23 | Harrisville, RI | 1,515 | $62,750 | $431,939 | 17.0% |
24 | Pawtucket, RI | 75,176 | $62,799 | $343,911 | 22.0% |
25 | Woonsocket, RI | 43,029 | $54,398 | $338,485 | 18.0% |
26 | Central Falls, RI | 22,359 | $43,092 | $313,807 | 9.0% |
You forgot to list Barrington, Bristol and they are both snobby places. I know I had to live and work in both.