Providence, Rhode Island
| Providence, Rhode Island | |
 | |
| General information | |
Mayor of Providence Brett Smiley | |
| Last mayoral election: | 2022 |
| Next mayoral election: | 2026 |
| Last city council election: | 2025 |
| Next city council election: | 2026) |
| City council seats: | 15 |
| City website | |
| Composition data | |
| Population: | 190,934 |
| Race: | White 37.7% African American 13.5% Asian 6.1% Native American 1.5% Pacific Islander 0.1% Multiple 14.2% |
| Ethnicity: | Hispanic or Latino origin 43.9% |
| Median household income: | $66,772 |
| High school graduation rate: | 81.9% |
| College graduation rate: | 34.7% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau,2020 census and2023 ACS data. Percentages are rounded to the nearest 0.1%. | |
| Related Providence offices | |
| Rhode Island Congressional Delegation Rhode Island State Legislature Rhode Island state executive offices | |
Providence is a city inProvidence County, Rhode Island. The city's population was 190,934 as of 2020, according to theUnited States Census Bureau.
Click on the links below to learn more about the city's...
- Mayor
- City council
- Other elected officials
- Elections
- Census information
- Budget
- Contact information
- Ballot measures
City government
- See also:Mayor-council government
The city of Providence utilizes a strong mayor and city council system. In this form of municipal government, the city council serves as the city's primary legislative body while the mayor serves as the city's chief executive.[1]
Mayor
The mayor is the chief executive and administrative officer of the city government and is a member of the city council. They are responsible for preparing and implementing the city budget, appointing heads of city departments and agencies, and passing ordinances and resolutions adopted by the city council. The mayor also represents the city on the state, national, and international levels.[1][2]
The current Mayor of Providence isBrett Smiley (D). Smiley assumed office in 2023.
City council
The Providence City Council is the city's primary legislative body. It is responsible for approving and adopting the city budget, making city policy, and voting on ordinances and resolutions.[3]
The city council consists of 15 members. Members are elected by district.[4][5]
Other elected officials
Ballotpedia does not cover any additional city officials in Providence, Rhode Island.
Mayoral partisanship
- See also: Partisanship in United States municipal elections (2026)
Providence has aDemocratic mayor. As of February 2026, the mayors of 33 state capitals are affiliated with the Democratic Party, seven are Republicans, two are independents, and two are nonpartisan. The partisan affiliation of six state capital mayors is unknown. While most mayoral elections in state capital cities are nonpartisan, most officeholders are affiliated with a political party.
Elections
2026
The city ofProvidence, Rhode Island, is holding general elections for mayor and city council on November 3, 2026. A primary is scheduled for September 8, 2026. The filing deadline for this election is June 24, 2026.
2025
The city ofProvidence, Rhode Island, held a special general election for city council Ward 2 on December 2, 2025. A primary was scheduled for November 4, 2025. The filing deadline for this election was September 26, 2025.
2022
The city ofProvidence, Rhode Island, held general elections for mayor and city council on November 8, 2022. A primary was scheduled for September 13, 2022. The filing deadline for this election was July 15, 2022.
2021
The city ofProvidence, Rhode Island, held a special election for the Ward 15 seat on the city council on July 6, 2021. A primary was scheduled for June 8, 2021. The filing deadline for this election was April 30, 2021.[6]
Census information
The table below shows demographic information about the city.
| Demographic Data for Providence | |
|---|---|
| Providence | |
| Population | 190,934 |
| Land area (sq mi) | 18 |
| Race and ethnicity** | |
| White | 40.7% |
| Black/African American | 13.3% |
| Asian | 5.9% |
| Native American | 1% |
| Pacific Islander | 0.5% |
| Other (single race) | 20.4% |
| Multiple | 18.7% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 44.3% |
| Education | |
| High school graduation rate | 81.9% |
| College graduation rate | 34.7% |
| Income | |
| Median household income | $66,772 |
| Persons below poverty level | 20.1% |
| Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau,"Decennial Census" (2020). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau,"American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2018-2023). | |
| **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the censushere. | |
Budget
The city's budget process operates by fiscal years running from July 1 to June 30 of the following year. The city charter names the mayor as responsible for preparing and implementing the proposed budget. The city council reviews the proposal, holds public hearings, and approves the budget.[2][3][7]
Fiscally standardized cities data
The fiscally standardized cities (FiSC) data below was compiled by theLincoln Institute of Land Policy to make municipal budgets comparable across cities in the United States.[8]
| “ | FiSCs are constructed by adding revenues and expenditures of each central city municipal government to a portion of the revenues and expenditures of overlying governments, including counties, independent school districts, and special districts. The allocations to FiSCs are estimates of the revenues collected from and services provided to central city residents and businesses by these overlying independent governments. Thus FiSCs provides a full picture of revenues raised from city residents and businesses and spending on their behalf, whether done by the city government or a separate overlying government.[9] | ” |
| —Lincoln Institute of Land Policy[10] | ||
The tables below show estimated finances within city limits. As such, the revenue and expenses listed may differ from the actual city budget.
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Historical total revenue and expenditure
To see the historical total revenue or expenditures as a rounded amount in this city, hover over the bars.[8]
Contact information
Mayor's office
25 Dorrance Street
Providence, RI 02903
Phone: 401-421-2489
City Clerk's office
25 Dorrance Street
Providence, RI 02903
Phone: 401-680-5248
Clickhere for city council contact information.
Ballot measures
The city of Providence is inProvidence County. A list of ballot measures in Providence County is availablehere.
See also
- Cities in Rhode Island
- Providence County, Rhode Island
- Largest cities in the United States by population
External links
Footnotes
- ↑1.01.1Municode, "Providence, Rhode Island - Code of Ordinances: PART I - HOME RULE CHARTER," accessed September 21, 2021
- ↑2.02.1Municode, "Providence, Rhode Island - Code of Ordinances: PART I - HOME RULE CHARTER: ARTICLE III. - MAYOR," accessed August 23, 2023
- ↑3.03.1Municode, "Providence, Rhode Island - Code of Ordinances: PART I - HOME RULE CHARTER: ARTICLE IV. - CITY COUNCIL," accessed August 23, 2023
- ↑City of Providence, "Council," accessed September 21, 2021
- ↑Municode, "Providence, Rhode Island - Code of Ordinances: PART I - HOME RULE CHARTER: ARTICLE XIX. - ELECTIONS," accessed September 21, 2021
- ↑WPRI.com, "Dates set for special election to replace Matos in Providence Ward 15," April 22, 2021
- ↑Municode, "Providence, Rhode Island - Code of Ordinances: Sec. 21-223. - Annual budget.," accessed August 23, 2023
- ↑8.08.1Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, "Fiscally Standardized Cities database," accessed August 23, 2023
- ↑Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, "Fiscally Standardized Cities," accessed August 23, 2023
