Providence-Warwick MSA vs. Rhode Island
Comparative Trends Analysis:
Population Growth and Change, 1969-2022
Introduction
Providence-Warwick MSA vs. Rhode Island
Providence-Warwick MSA:
2022 Population = 1,673,802
2022 Percent of State = 0.58%
Rhode Island:
2022 Population = 1,093,734
2022 Percent of U.S. = 0.33%
Attracting and retaining people to live, work, raise a family, and retire underlies the economic vitality of any region. Population growth is both a cause--and a consequence--of economic growth. Patterns of population growth and change reflect differences among regions to attract and retain people both as producers and consumers in their economy.
The following graphs offer a broad overview of trends in the pattern of population growth and change of the Providence-Warwick MSA with comparisons to Rhode Island and the nation at large. This analysis features alternative approaches toward discussing, diagnosing and comparing the Providence-Warwick MSA vs. Rhode Island's population growth over 1969-2022. The data used are those compiled by the Regional Income and Product Divisions of the Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce.
Population, 1969-2022
Population, 1969-2022
Figure 1.
Figure 1 traces the Providence-Warwick MSA's annual population for the period 1969-2022 to illustrate population patterns over time. During this 54-year period, the Providence-Warwick MSA's population rose from 1,373,193 in 1969 to 1,673,802 in 2022, for a net gain of 300,609, or 21.89%.
NOTE: The county and state population totals reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) are from the Bureau of Census midyear (July 1) estimates. These estimates may differ from those prepared independently in some states by various agencies and/or universities.
Population, 1969-2022
Population, 1969-2022
Figure 2.
Figure 2 tracks Rhode Island's annual population for the period 1969-2022 to illustrate population patterns over time. During this 54-year period, Rhode Island's population rose from 932,000 in 1969 to 1,093,734 in 2022, for a net gain of 161,734, or 17.35%.
NOTE: The county and state population totals reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) are from the Bureau of Census midyear (July 1) estimates. These estimates may differ from those prepared independently in some states by various agencies and/or universities.
Population Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Population Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Figure 3.
Figure 3 shows the Providence-Warwick MSA's population growth in a broader context by offering direct comparisons across time with Rhode Island, the United States. The growth indices shown here express each region's population in 1969 as a base figure of 100, and the populations in later years as a percentage of the 1969 base figure. This method allows for more direct comparison of differences in population growth between regions that may differ vastly in size.
The Providence-Warwick MSA's overall population growth was 21.89% over 1969-2022 outpaced Rhode Island's increase of 17.35%, and fell below the United States' increase of 65.57%.
Population as a Percent of the Rhode Island Total: 1969-2022
Population as a Percent of the Rhode Island Total: 1969-2022
Figure 4.
Another interesting and insightful way of contrasting the population growth of the Providence-Warwick MSA is to trace its individual percentage contributions to Rhode Island's statewide population over time, as shown in Figure 4. A rising share means a region's population grew faster, or declined less, than Rhode Island's population, while a declining share shows it grew more slowly.
In 1969, the Providence-Warwick MSA's population comprised 147.34% of Rhode Island's population, while in 2022 it totaled 153.04% thereby yielding a +5.70% share-shift.
   
 
Population Share-Shift
2022 vs. 1969
 
Share-
Shift*
 
2022
vs.
1969
+5.70%
=
153.04%
-
147.34%
 
   
Providence-Warwick MSA Population:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Providence-Warwick MSA Population:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Figure 5 highlights the short-run pattern of the Providence-Warwick MSA's population growth by tracking the year-to-year percent change over 1970-2022. The average annual percent change for the entire 53-year period is also traced on this chart to provide a benchmark for gauging periods of relative high--and relative low--growth against the backdrop of the long-term average.
On average, the Providence-Warwick MSA's population grew at an annual rate of 0.38% over 1970-2022. The Providence-Warwick MSA recorded its highest growth in 1970 (1.67%) and posted its lowest growth in 1974 (-1.72%). In 2022, the Providence-Warwick MSA's population declined by -0.18%
Providence-Warwick MSA Population:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Providence-Warwick MSA Population:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Figure 6.
Over the past five decades some msas have experienced extreme swings in growth, and often such swings have tended to coincide with the decades themselves. Figure 6 again illustrates the annual percent change in the Providence-Warwick MSA's population since 1970, but this time they are overlayed with average growth rates for the decade of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020-2022.
During the 1970s, the Providence-Warwick MSA's annual population growth rate averaged 0.41%. It averaged 0.50% during the 1980s, 0.44% in the 1990s, 0.19% during the 2000s, 0.43% throughout the 2010s, 0.05% thus far this decade (2020-2022).
Population Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Population Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Figure 7.
Figure 7 compares the decade average growth rates for the Providence-Warwick MSA noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for Rhode Island and the nation. As the chart reveals, the Providence-Warwick MSA's average annual population growth topped Rhode Island's average in the 1970s (0.41% vs. 0.27%), registered above Rhode Island's average throughout the 1980s (0.50% vs. 0.45%), registered above Rhode Island's average during the 1990s (0.44% vs. 0.39%), outpaced Rhode Island's average during the 2000s (0.19% vs. 0.13%), topped Rhode Island's average during the 2010s (0.43% vs. 0.38%), and led Rhode Island's average over the 3 year period of the current decade, 2020-2022 (0.05% vs. -0.02%).
Finally, relative to nationwide population growth trends, the Providence-Warwick MSA fell under the nation during the 1970s (0.41% vs. 1.10%), trailed the nation throughout the 1980s (0.50% vs. 0.95%), recorded underneath the nation in the 1990s (0.44% vs. 1.23%), trailed the nation in the 2000s (0.19% vs. 0.95%), fell under the nation over the 2010s (0.43% vs. 0.74%), and fell below the nation over 2020-2022 (0.05% vs. 0.31%).
   
 
Population Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
0.38
0.41
0.50
0.44
0.19
0.43
0.05
-0.18
 
0.30
0.27
0.45
0.39
0.13
0.38
-0.02
-0.30
 
0.96
1.10
0.95
1.23
0.95
0.74
0.31
0.38
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
Providence-Warwick MSA:
Population, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
1,373,193
100.0
N
0.83
1970
 
1,396,129
101.7
1.67
0.83
1971
 
1,413,149
102.9
1.22
0.83
1972
 
1,430,040
104.1
1.20
0.83
1973
 
1,437,274
104.7
0.51
0.83
1974
 
1,412,609
102.9
-1.72
0.81
1975
 
1,406,082
102.4
-0.46
0.79
1976
 
1,415,810
103.1
0.69
0.79
1977
 
1,422,032
103.6
0.44
0.79
1978
 
1,425,662
103.8
0.26
0.78
1979
 
1,430,055
104.1
0.31
0.78
1980
 
1,424,092
103.7
-0.42
0.76
1981
 
1,429,942
104.1
0.41
0.76
1982
 
1,431,288
104.2
0.09
0.75
1983
 
1,434,222
104.4
0.20
0.74
1984
 
1,441,812
105.0
0.53
0.74
1985
 
1,451,669
105.7
0.68
0.74
1986
 
1,462,482
106.5
0.74
0.73
1987
 
1,478,976
107.7
1.13
0.73
1988
 
1,493,594
108.8
0.99
0.73
1989
 
1,503,781
109.5
0.68
0.73
1990
 
1,513,216
110.2
0.63
0.72
1991
 
1,519,234
110.6
0.40
0.72
1992
 
1,522,392
110.9
0.21
0.71
1993
 
1,528,117
111.3
0.38
0.70
1994
 
1,532,065
111.6
0.26
0.69
1995
 
1,535,833
111.8
0.25
0.69
1996
 
1,541,702
112.3
0.38
0.68
1997
 
1,548,897
112.8
0.47
0.68
1998
 
1,558,350
113.5
0.61
0.67
1999
 
1,571,610
114.4
0.85
0.67
2000
 
1,586,085
115.5
0.92
0.67
2001
 
1,595,424
116.2
0.59
0.66
2002
 
1,608,716
117.2
0.83
0.66
2003
 
1,617,623
117.8
0.55
0.66
2004
 
1,620,567
118.0
0.18
0.65
2005
 
1,613,353
117.5
-0.45
0.64
2006
 
1,607,583
117.1
-0.36
0.63
2007
 
1,602,603
116.7
-0.31
0.63
2008
 
1,601,459
116.6
-0.07
0.62
2009
 
1,600,970
116.6
-0.03
0.61
2010
 
1,604,429
116.8
0.22
0.61
2011
 
1,609,513
117.2
0.32
0.60
2012
 
1,617,546
117.8
0.50
0.60
2013
 
1,624,636
118.3
0.44
0.60
2014
 
1,633,482
119.0
0.54
0.60
2015
 
1,640,944
119.5
0.46
0.59
2016
 
1,648,427
120.0
0.46
0.59
2017
 
1,655,425
120.6
0.42
0.59
2018
 
1,666,909
121.4
0.69
0.59
2019
 
1,671,265
121.7
0.26
0.59
2020
 
1,673,082
121.8
0.11
0.58
2021
 
1,676,880
122.1
0.23
0.59
2022
 
1,673,802
121.9
-0.18
0.58
Source: Calculations by the Rhode Island Regional Economic Analysis Project (RI-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_100_PSN
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
Rhode Island:
Population, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
932,000
100.0
N
0.46
1970
 
950,561
102.0
1.99
0.47
1971
 
963,974
103.4
1.41
0.47
1972
 
976,365
104.8
1.29
0.47
1973
 
978,010
104.9
0.17
0.46
1974
 
953,503
102.3
-2.51
0.45
1975
 
946,339
101.5
-0.75
0.44
1976
 
950,321
102.0
0.42
0.44
1977
 
955,128
102.5
0.51
0.43
1978
 
957,237
102.7
0.22
0.43
1979
 
956,643
102.6
-0.06
0.43
1980
 
948,773
101.8
-0.82
0.42
1981
 
953,012
102.3
0.45
0.42
1982
 
954,170
102.4
0.12
0.41
1983
 
956,382
102.6
0.23
0.41
1984
 
961,895
103.2
0.58
0.41
1985
 
968,956
104.0
0.73
0.41
1986
 
977,340
104.9
0.87
0.41
1987
 
989,605
106.2
1.25
0.41
1988
 
996,407
106.9
0.69
0.41
1989
 
1,000,666
107.4
0.43
0.41
1990
 
1,005,995
107.9
0.53
0.40
1991
 
1,010,649
108.4
0.46
0.40
1992
 
1,012,581
108.6
0.19
0.39
1993
 
1,015,112
108.9
0.25
0.39
1994
 
1,015,960
109.0
0.08
0.39
1995
 
1,017,002
109.1
0.10
0.38
1996
 
1,020,893
109.5
0.38
0.38
1997
 
1,025,353
110.0
0.44
0.38
1998
 
1,031,155
110.6
0.57
0.37
1999
 
1,040,402
111.6
0.90
0.37
2000
 
1,050,268
112.7
0.95
0.37
2001
 
1,057,142
113.4
0.65
0.37
2002
 
1,065,995
114.4
0.84
0.37
2003
 
1,071,342
115.0
0.50
0.37
2004
 
1,074,579
115.3
0.30
0.37
2005
 
1,067,916
114.6
-0.62
0.36
2006
 
1,063,096
114.1
-0.45
0.36
2007
 
1,057,315
113.4
-0.54
0.35
2008
 
1,055,003
113.2
-0.22
0.35
2009
 
1,053,646
113.1
-0.13
0.34
2010
 
1,054,954
113.2
0.12
0.34
2011
 
1,058,647
113.6
0.35
0.34
2012
 
1,063,602
114.1
0.47
0.34
2013
 
1,068,168
114.6
0.43
0.34
2014
 
1,073,041
115.1
0.46
0.34
2015
 
1,077,348
115.6
0.40
0.33
2016
 
1,082,251
116.1
0.46
0.33
2017
 
1,084,914
116.4
0.25
0.33
2018
 
1,091,751
117.1
0.63
0.33
2019
 
1,094,524
117.4
0.25
0.33
2020
 
1,096,345
117.6
0.17
0.33
2021
 
1,096,985
117.7
0.06
0.33
2022
 
1,093,734
117.4
-0.30
0.33
Source: Calculations by the Rhode Island Regional Economic Analysis Project (RI-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_100_PSN
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
United States:
Population, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
201,298,000
100.0
N
1970
 
203,798,722
101.2
1.24
1971
 
206,817,509
102.7
1.48
1972
 
209,274,882
104.0
1.19
1973
 
211,349,205
105.0
0.99
1974
 
213,333,635
106.0
0.94
1975
 
215,456,585
107.0
1.00
1976
 
217,553,859
108.1
0.97
1977
 
219,760,875
109.2
1.01
1978
 
222,098,244
110.3
1.06
1979
 
224,568,579
111.6
1.11
1980
 
227,224,719
112.9
1.18
1981
 
229,465,744
114.0
0.99
1982
 
231,664,432
115.1
0.96
1983
 
233,792,014
116.1
0.92
1984
 
235,824,907
117.2
0.87
1985
 
237,923,734
118.2
0.89
1986
 
240,132,831
119.3
0.93
1987
 
242,288,936
120.4
0.90
1988
 
244,499,004
121.5
0.91
1989
 
246,819,222
122.6
0.95
1990
 
249,622,814
124.0
1.14
1991
 
252,980,941
125.7
1.35
1992
 
256,514,224
127.4
1.40
1993
 
259,918,588
129.1
1.33
1994
 
263,125,821
130.7
1.23
1995
 
266,278,393
132.3
1.20
1996
 
269,394,284
133.8
1.17
1997
 
272,646,925
135.4
1.21
1998
 
275,854,104
137.0
1.18
1999
 
279,040,168
138.6
1.15
2000
 
282,162,411
140.2
1.12
2001
 
284,968,955
141.6
0.99
2002
 
287,625,193
142.9
0.93
2003
 
290,107,933
144.1
0.86
2004
 
292,805,298
145.5
0.93
2005
 
295,516,599
146.8
0.93
2006
 
298,379,912
148.2
0.97
2007
 
301,231,207
149.6
0.96
2008
 
304,093,966
151.1
0.95
2009
 
306,771,529
152.4
0.88
2010
 
309,378,433
153.7
0.85
2011
 
311,841,632
154.9
0.80
2012
 
314,344,331
156.2
0.80
2013
 
316,735,375
157.3
0.76
2014
 
319,270,047
158.6
0.80
2015
 
321,829,327
159.9
0.80
2016
 
324,367,742
161.1
0.79
2017
 
326,623,063
162.3
0.70
2018
 
328,542,157
163.2
0.59
2019
 
330,233,102
164.1
0.51
2020
 
331,511,512
164.7
0.39
2021
 
332,031,554
164.9
0.16
2022
 
333,287,557
165.6
0.38
Source: Calculations by the Rhode Island Regional Economic Analysis Project (RI-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_100_PN
 
   
Copyright © 2024. Pacific Northwest Regional Economic Analysis Project (PNREAP). All Rights Reserved.

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