Washington County, Rhode Island

"Narragansett Country" redirects here. For the Narragansett tribals lands, see Narragansett Indian Reservation.

Washington County
County
Former Washington County Courthouse in West Kingston
Former Washington County Courthouse in West Kingston
Map
Map
Map
Coordinates: 41°23′N 71°37′W / 41.39°N 71.62°W / 41.39; -71.62
Country United States
State Rhode Island
RegionNew England
Metro areaProvidence
FormedJune 3, 1729; 295 years ago (1729-06-03)
Named forGeorge Washington
County townSouth Kingstown
Largest townSouth Kingstown
Incorporated municipalities9 towns
Area
 • Total
563 sq mi (1,460 km2)
 • Land329 sq mi (850 km2)
 • Water234 sq mi (610 km2)  41%
Highest elevation
[1]
567 ft (173 m)
Lowest elevation
[2]
0 ft (0 m)
Population
 (April 1, 2020)
 • Total
129,839 Increase
 • Density230/sq mi (90/km2)
GDP
[3]
 • Total$8.636 billion (2022)
Time zoneUTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Code format
028xx
Area code401
FIPS code44-009
GNIS feature ID1219782
Congressional district2nd

Washington County, known locally as South County, is a county located in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. As of the 2020 census, the population was 129,839.[4] Rhode Island counties have no governmental functions other than as court administrative boundaries, which are part of the state government.[5]

History

The area today known as Washington County was part of the ancestral lands of the Narragansett Indian Tribe.[6] During the second half of the 17th Century, about a dozen English colonists from Newport and Massachusetts colonies moved to the area to establish farms; the larger of these were known as "Narragansett Planters."[6]

By the mid-18th century, there were 25 to 30 large plantations in the county, and their owners became very wealthy.[6] The labor for these farms came from enslaved people; it is estimated that about 15% and 25% of Washington County’s population was enslaved.[6]

Washington County was created as Kings County in 1729 within the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. It was renamed Washington County on October 29, 1781, in honor of George Washington. At the earliest stage of colonial settlement, the area was called "The Narragansett Country",[citation needed] named after the Naragansett tribe and its tributary tribe the Niantics, both of whom lived in the area.

Early land purchases in the Narragansett Country were effected by settlers after the establishment of Indian trading posts at Fort Neck in Charlestown, and at Smith's Castle in Wickford. A series of conflicts involving the Manisseans on Block Island gave that island to the Massachusetts Bay Colony for a number of years, before being transferred to the Rhode Island Colony under Newport County, and then finally to Washington County in 1959.

The borders of the Narragansett country were disputed for nearly 100 years among the colonies of Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. The Narragansetts had pledged their fealty to King Charles, and the area was known as "The King's Province" and was placed under the authority of Rhode Island "until the King's pleasure was further known". In 1664, a royal commission under Charles II stepped in to adjudicate these conflicting claims. The commission extinguished the claims of Massachusetts, and Rhode Island was granted jurisdiction until the commission finished processing Connecticut's appeals, which were not ended until 1726. Settlements of King's Province were named to reflect the English Restoration, in honor of King Charles II. Towns reflecting this history include the two Kingstowns and Charlestown, as well as the villages of Kingston and West Kingston.

Washington County is also known in Rhode Island as "South County",[7][8] though some definitions of South County include outside towns, such as East Greenwich in neighboring Kent County, and exclude towns within Washington County, such as New Shoreham.[9]

Geography

Historic Downtown Westerly, Rhode Island

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 563 square miles (1,460 km2), of which 329 square miles (850 km2) is land and 234 square miles (610 km2) (41%) is water.[10] It is the largest county in Rhode Island by total area. The county's topography ranges from flat along the shoreline to gently rolling hills farther inland. The highest point is a large area approximately 560 feet (170 m) above sea level in the Exeter neighborhood of Black Plain;[11] the lowest point is sea level along the coast. The northern boundary west of Davisville is approximately 41.60°N. The western boundary north of Westerly is approximately 71.79°W.

National protected areas

Major highways

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
179018,323—
180016,135−11.9%
181014,962−7.3%
182015,6874.8%
183015,411−1.8%
184014,324−7.1%
185016,43014.7%
186018,71513.9%
187020,0977.4%
188022,49511.9%
189023,6495.1%
190024,1542.1%
191024,9423.3%
192024,9320.0%
193029,33417.7%
194032,49310.8%
195048,54249.4%
196059,05421.7%
197083,58641.5%
198093,31711.6%
1990110,00617.9%
2000123,54612.3%
2010126,9792.8%
2020129,8392.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[12]
1790-1960[13] 1900-1990[14]
1990-2000[15] 2010-2019[16]

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 126,979 people, 49,177 households, and 32,297 families residing in the county.[17] The population density was 385.7 inhabitants per square mile (148.9/km2). There were 62,206 housing units at an average density of 188.9 per square mile (72.9/km2).[18] The racial makeup of the county was 93.8% white, 1.6% Asian, 1.2% black or African American, 0.9% American Indian, 0.7% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.4% of the population.[17]

The largest ancestry groups were:[19]

  • 27.8% Irish
  • 21.4% Italian
  • 19.9% English
  • 11.4% French
  • 10.8% German
  • 4.9% Portuguese
  • 4.8% Polish
  • 4.3% French Canadian
  • 3.5% Scottish
  • 2.9% Swedish
  • 2.7% American
  • 2.5% Scotch-Irish
  • 1.4% Russian

Of the 49,177 households, 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.2% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.3% were non-families, and 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.95. The median age was 42.3 years.[17]

The median income for a household in the county was $70,285 and the median income for a family was $87,999. Males had a median income of $59,598 versus $44,851 for females. The per capita income for the county was $34,737. About 3.4% of families and 7.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.[20]

Communities

Map of Washington County, Rhode Island showing towns, census-designated places, and Narragansett tribal lands

Towns

Census-designated places

Other villages

Politics

Similar to other counties in Rhode Island, Washington County votes Democratic in presidential elections, having last voted Republican in 1984.

United States presidential election results for Washington County, Rhode Island[21][22]
Year Republican / Whig Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 31,247 41.10% 42,589 56.01% 2,200 2.89%
2020 29,818 39.20% 44,549 58.57% 1,693 2.23%
2016 27,230 41.03% 33,741 50.84% 5,398 8.13%
2012 25,366 40.34% 35,888 57.07% 1,625 2.58%
2008 25,624 38.73% 39,082 59.07% 1,454 2.20%
2004 26,533 42.36% 34,679 55.37% 1,422 2.27%
2000 21,253 37.80% 29,560 52.58% 5,411 9.62%
1996 16,302 32.71% 25,958 52.09% 7,572 15.20%
1992 16,211 30.62% 23,009 43.46% 13,724 25.92%
1988 21,650 48.04% 23,210 51.51% 202 0.45%
1984 24,365 57.59% 17,793 42.06% 147 0.35%
1980 16,932 41.47% 16,429 40.24% 7,466 18.29%
1976 17,856 49.57% 17,980 49.91% 186 0.52%
1972 19,280 58.46% 13,637 41.35% 62 0.19%
1968 11,639 43.40% 13,851 51.65% 1,328 4.95%
1964 7,342 29.63% 17,434 70.37% 0 0.00%
1960 12,651 52.21% 11,580 47.79% 0 0.00%
1956 14,278 65.71% 7,450 34.29% 0 0.00%
1952 13,389 61.29% 8,448 38.67% 9 0.04%
1948 9,522 55.88% 7,379 43.30% 140 0.82%
1944 8,233 56.12% 6,419 43.76% 18 0.12%
1940 9,233 60.54% 6,001 39.35% 17 0.11%
1936 8,764 58.21% 5,956 39.56% 336 2.23%
1932 7,307 58.42% 5,047 40.35% 153 1.22%
1928 7,793 68.84% 3,500 30.92% 27 0.24%
1924 8,038 75.21% 2,366 22.14% 283 2.65%
1920 6,420 74.93% 2,012 23.48% 136 1.59%
1916 2,837 55.17% 2,224 43.25% 81 1.58%
1912 2,129 44.91% 1,691 35.67% 921 19.43%
1908 3,043 66.46% 1,278 27.91% 258 5.63%
1904 3,189 70.63% 1,197 26.51% 129 2.86%
1900 2,421 66.35% 960 26.31% 268 7.34%
1896 3,040 72.05% 654 15.50% 525 12.44%
1892 2,183 52.83% 1,501 36.33% 448 10.84%
1888 2,346 57.54% 1,492 36.60% 239 5.86%
1884 2,014 60.08% 1,155 34.46% 183 5.46%
1880 2,017 62.02% 1,229 37.79% 6 0.18%
1852 1,022 46.71% 1,086 49.63% 80 3.66%
1844 967 57.59% 712 42.41% 0 0.00%

See also

References

  1. ^ "Washington County High Point, Rhode Island". peakbagger.com.
  2. ^ Sea level at the Atlantic Ocean.
  3. ^ "Gross Domestic Product: All Industries in Washington County, RI". fred.stlouisfed.org.
  4. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Washington County, Rhode Island". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
  5. ^ "National Associations of Counties listing for Washington County, Rhode Island". naco.org. Archived from the original on May 7, 2003. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  6. ^ a b c d "What did southern Rhode Island's Colonial economy look like?". Slavery in Southern Rhode Island. South County History Center. Archived from the original on February 19, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
  7. ^ "South County isn't an official Rhode Island county. So why does everyone call it that?". The Providence Journal. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
  8. ^ "About South County".
  9. ^ "Towns". South County RI. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  10. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  11. ^ 41°35′09″N 71°39′16″W / 41.58583°N 71.65444°W / 41.58583; -71.65444
  12. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  13. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  14. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on November 9, 2014. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  15. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 18, 2014. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  16. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 3, 2011. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  17. ^ a b c "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  18. ^ "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  19. ^ "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  20. ^ "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  21. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Archived from the original on March 23, 2018. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  22. ^ "The Popular Vote of the United States, in the Presidential Election of 1844". New York Daily Herald. No. 5270. November 7, 1848. p. 1. Retrieved August 2, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for South County.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Washington County, Rhode Island.

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