The typical owner-occupied home in Rhode Island is worth about $404,200, 21% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $4,900 a year in property taxes, about 1.21% of their home's value, higher than the national rate of 0.94%. The median household earns $87,796 a year, so the median home costs 4.6 times the median income (4.1 times for the U.S.). 64% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 67% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Rhode Island at a glance
| Rhode Island | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $404,200 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $4,900 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.21% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $87,796 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 64% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 67% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $2,234 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 22.1% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,342 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 29.2% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1962 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 9.1% | 10.1% |
| Population | 1,101,801 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Rhode Island
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Rhode Island home of $404,200 with 20% down costs about $2,751 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $3,425, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $117,911 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 38% of the median Rhode Island household income of $87,796; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $301,000.
The median rent here is $1,342 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,409 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $80,840 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $323,360 |
| Principal and interest | $2,175 |
| Property taxes (1.21% a year) | $408 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $168 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $2,751 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $14,147 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $396,879 |
| Principal and interest | $2,670 |
| Property taxes (1.21% a year) | $408 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $168 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $179 |
| Total per month | $3,425 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Rhode Island
What is the median home value in Rhode Island?
About $404,200 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Rhode Island?
Homeowners pay a median $4,900 a year, which is about 1.21% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Rhode Island?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,751 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $117,911 a year.
More about Rhode Island
- Mortgage Refinance in Rhode Island
- Debt Relief in Rhode Island
- Home Equity Loans in Rhode Island
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data