Census study finds significant differences between Providence and state

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Providence residents are more likely to be younger,rent housing, reside in single-parent families and be of mixed races, accordingto a study of census figures by researchers at Brown University.

The study of recently released U.S. census figures was conducted at BrownUniversity by Darrell M. West, director of the Taubman Center for Public Policy,and Jack Combs, the Center's research director. It compared census figuresfor the city of Providence to the state as a whole in order to develop a profileof the capital city.

The median age of Providence residents is 28.1 years, compared to 36.7statewide. The age gap is larger for females (median age of 29.1 in Providenceversus 38.0 for Rhode Island) than males (median age of 27.0 in Providenceversus 35.4 in Rhode Island). Forty-five percent of the residents of Providenceare under the age of 25 years, compared to 33.9 percent for the state.

There are significant differences in median age by various groups within thecity. While the average age of whites within Providence is 32.2, it is 25.2years for African-Americans, 22.7 for Asian-Americans, and 23.1 percent forHispanics.

Providence has a much higher percentage of individuals who rent housing thanthe state as a whole. While 63.4 percent of people in the capital city rent,35.4 percent do so in the state as a whole. Within Providence, Hispanics are themost likely to rent (76.9 percent), followed by African-Americans (68.4percent), Asian-Americans (67.3 percent), and whites (56.0 percent). The raceand ethnicity gap in renting is even more pronounced when looking at the entirestate. While 30.1 percent of whites in Rhode Island live in rental housing, 75.8percent of Hispanics, 67.1 percent of African-Americans, and 52.4 percent ofAsian-Americans live in rental housing.

Forty percent of Providence households consist of single-parent families,compared to 22.9 percent in Rhode Island. Within Providence, African-Americansare most likely to live in single-parent households (55.1 percent), followed by50.0 percent for Hispanics, 37 percent for whites, and 31.9 percent forAsian-Americans. In the state as a whole, 53.1 percent of African-Americansreside in single-parent families, compared to 49 percent of Hispanics, 23.2percent of Asian-Americans, and 22.1 percent of whites.

Six percent of people in Providence report that they are of mixed race,meaning two or more races, compared to 3 percent for Rhode Island.

Eight percent of people in Providence reside in some type of group quarters,such as a college dormitory, nursing home or group facility. The vast majorityof this segment (11,213 individuals) lives in college dorms. Statewide, fourpercent live in group quarters. This consists of 3,576 people in correctionalfacilities, 9,222 in nursing homes, 20,551 in college dorms, and 870 people inmilitary quarters.