State relocation profile · Federal data
Rhode Island
Rhode Island sits in the dearer third of BEA RPP states, rent, wages, safety, schools and childcare below.
- 102.3
- Cost index (US=100)
- $1,729
- 2BR rent / mo
- $78,208
- Median salary
- 42.9
- Life Score
The verdict
As of June 2026, Rhode Island ranks #39 of 51 scored US states on the composite Life Score (42.9/100, F), with its strongest marks in safety and wages.
- #39 of 51
- Life Score among scored states
- 42.9
- Life Score · F
- 102.3
- Cost of living (US=100)
- $78,208
- Median annual salary (BLS)
Weakest dimension: rent (14/100). State-level figures are a benchmark, individual metros can diverge sharply, so weigh each dimension against your own priorities.
According to PlainRelocate's state Life Score composite (BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, DOL, and EPA inputs), Rhode Island ranks #39 of 51 scored US states by Life Score (highest score = #1). Cost-of-living index 102.3 (100 = national average), median 2-bedroom rent $1,729/mo, median salary $78,208; Life Score 42.9/100 (F), strongest in safety and wages.
Signature: Rhode Island lists 1 MSA; the state average is closer to a single-labor-market read.
Purchasing power tightens: BEA RPP 102.3 lands in the dearer third of US states (cuts at 93.3 / 100.7). HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent averages $1,729/mo statewide, against a BLS median salary of $78,208.
Composite Life Score 42.9/100 (F) puts Rhode Island in the bottom third (#39 of 51).
Metro book is thin (1 MSA); the statewide profile is closer to the labor market you will actually live in.
Life Score plate
Sheet RI · Rhode Island 42.9/100 · F · #39 of 51
LIFE-F · RANK-LOWER · PHOTO-FINISH · RPP-PAR · LEAD-SAFETY · BOOK-FULL
- LIFE-F Life Score F
- RANK-LOWER #39/51
- PHOTO-FINISH ±0.3 pts
- RPP-PAR RPP 102.3
- LEAD-SAFETY Lead · safety
- BOOK-FULL 7/7 dims
Nearest Life Score peer: Delaware ( -0.3 pts)
Instrument codes from this state’s Life Score grade, corpus rank, peer gap, BEA RPP posture, lead dimension, and dimension book, not a moving recommendation.
Life Score neighbourhood around Rhode Island
Lowest/highest poles plus states nearest Rhode Island on composite Life Score. Full ladder: /rankings/.
Rhode Island childcare costs
DOL state-average center rates for Rhode Island (infant $15,433/yr leads the book).
Rhode Island Life Score breakdown
Rhode Island composites to 42.9/100 (F) across 7 of 7 dimensions; corpus place #39 of 51.
Rhode Island - Life Score dimensions
Percentile vs all US states (100 = best in the nation for that dimension)
- Safety
Safety
84 /100
- Wages
Wages
82 /100
- Cost of living 28
Cost of living
28 /100
- Schools 26
Schools
26 /100
- Environment 20
Environment
20 /100
- Childcare 16
Childcare
16 /100
- Rent 14
Rent
14 /100
What this shows Rhode Island's strongest dimensions are safety and wages; its weakest among scored dims is rent at 14/100. Each dimension is a federal-data percentile; the composite folds 7 of 7 into one comparable figure.
States near Rhode Island on cost or Life Score
Nearest neighbors to Rhode Island on BEA RPP or composite Life Score, a different lens than the in-state metro list below.
Similar cost of living (BEA RPP)
Metros in Rhode Island
Explore detailed relocation data for 1 metropolitan area in Rhode Island. Rhode Island contains 1 metropolitan statistical area in our dataset - Providence-Warwick - each with its own rent, wage and crime profile that can diverge sharply from the statewide average.
Providence-Warwick metro · Compare metros · Cost vs quality · Methodology
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026
Rhode Island cost figures follow BEA Regional Price Parities and HUD Fair Market Rents; Rhode Island wages and safety follow BLS OEWS and FBI UCR. Research use only, verify at the agency source before you move.