PlainZIP

Kingston, RI · standard

ZIP Code 02881

Washington County, Rhode Island - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

7,841
838/sq mi
$56,472
Median income
$575,000
Median home value
80.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Kingston pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with top-decile home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

23th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 10%
home value, US ZIPs
838
people per sq mi
44%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 02881 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 02881 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Kingston, Washington County, Rhode Island, home to 7,841 residents across 9.4 square miles, a density of 838 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 02881 reports a modest median household income of $56,472 (45% below the Rhode Island average), while per-capita income is $15,788. 26.7% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 10.2%. Housing costs here run $575,000 for a typical home value (26% above the state average), with rent averaging $1,642 a month; 44.0% of homes are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 80.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 19.7, and the average commute is 19 minutes. To put 02881 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Washington County, for a geography-aware comparison.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 02881

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Kingston, RI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 02881.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 02881, Kingston, RI · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

7,841

Population

9.4

Area (sq mi)

838

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 02881?

19.7

Median Age

41.9%

Male

58.1%

Female

13.7%

Foreign-Born

White 71.5%
African American 8.0%
Asian 10.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.4%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.8%
Hispanic or Latino 9.3%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$56,472

Median Household Income

-45% vs state

$15,788

Per Capita Income

26.7%

Poverty Rate

10.2%

Unemployment Rate

18.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 02881 ranks nationally

Kingston, RI household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$56,472 23rd percentile higher than 23% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 92.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 80.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

1,331

Total Housing Units

1,106

Occupied Units

225

Vacant Units

1.94

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 44.0%
Renter 56.0%

$575,000

Median Home Value

+26% vs state

$1,642

Median Rent

1976

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+34.3%

YoY Change (2022)

291

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+191%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 02881 have increased 34.3% over the past year (2022). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +191% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2018 +13.7% 195
2019 +1.0% 197
2020 +2.3% 202
2021 +7.5% 217
2022 +34.3% 291

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2022. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 89 business establishments in ZIP 02881, employing approximately 749 people with a combined annual payroll of $31,431,000.

89

Businesses

749

Employees

$31.4M

Annual Payroll

9

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Accommodation and food services 26 29.2%
Other services (except public administration) 25 28.1%
Information 7 7.9%
Retail trade 6 6.7%
Health care and social assistance 6 6.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 5 5.6%
Educational services 4 4.5%
Construction 3 3.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 3 3.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 02881 vs 02879 →

ZIP 02881 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 02881 ranks #4 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 02881 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 02881 ranks #9 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
02879 Wakefield, RI 20,371 3.7 mi
02892 West Kingston, RI 4,988 4.0 mi
02874 Saunderstown, RI 5,860 3.8 mi
02882 Narragansett, RI 14,184 4.7 mi
02836 Kenyon, RI 136 5.4 mi
02812 Carolina, RI 1,497 6.8 mi
02875 Shannock, RI 307 6.2 mi
02852 North Kingstown, RI 22,551 8.2 mi
02835 Jamestown, RI 5,405 8.0 mi
02822 Exeter, RI 6,111 8.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Washington County

02852 standard
North Kingstown, RI
Pop: 22,551
02891 standard
Westerly, RI
Pop: 21,198
02879 standard
Wakefield, RI
Pop: 20,371
02882 standard
Narragansett, RI
Pop: 14,184
02813 standard
Charlestown, RI
Pop: 7,831
02822 standard
Exeter, RI
Pop: 6,111

Related Areas

Washington County Kingston, RI Rhode Island

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 02881 in? ▼
ZIP code 02881 (Kingston) is located in Washington County, Rhode Island. Washington County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/washington-ri.
What is the population of ZIP code 02881? ▼
ZIP code 02881 in Kingston, RI has a population of 7,841 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 02881? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 02881 is $56,472, which is 26% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 02881? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 02881 is $575,000, which is 107% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 02881? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 02881 is White at 71.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 9.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 02881? ▼
ZIP code 02881 has 89 business establishments employing approximately 749 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 02881? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 02881 are: Accommodation and food services (26), Other services (except public administration) (25), Information (7). There are 9 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 02881? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 02881 increased by 34.3% in 2022. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 191%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 02881? ▼
In ZIP code 02881, 92.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 80.6% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 02881? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 02881 is 18.6 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 02881? ▼
In ZIP code 02881, approximately 44.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 56.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 02881? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 02881 is 26.7% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.