East Providence, Rhode Island

East Providence is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 47,139 at the 2020 census, making it the fifth-largest city in the state.

East Providence, Rhode Island
City
City of East Providence
World War I Memorial and Taunton Plaza
World War I Memorial and Taunton Plaza
Flag of East Providence, Rhode Island
Flag
Official seal of East Providence, Rhode Island
Seal
Location in Providence County and the state of Rhode Island.
Location in Providence County and the state of Rhode Island.
East Providence is located in Rhode Island
East Providence
East Providence
Location in Rhode Island
East Providence is located in the United States
East Providence
East Providence
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 41°48′49″N 71°22′12″W
Country United States
State Rhode Island
CountyProvidence County
Incorporated (town)1862
Incorporated (city)1958
Government
 • TypeMayor-council
 • MayorRoberto DaSilva
 • City CouncilRobert Britto: Ward 1 (Council President)
Robert Rodericks: At-Large (Council Vice-President): Ward 1
Anna M. Sousa: Ward 2
Nathan Cahoon: Ward 3
Ricardo Mourato: Ward 4
Area
[1]
 • Total16.61 sq mi (43.01 km2)
 • Land13.28 sq mi (34.41 km2)
 • Water3.32 sq mi (8.60 km2)
Elevation
[2]
62 ft (19 m)
Population
 (2020)[3]
 • Total47,139
 • Density3,548.55/sq mi (1,370.08/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (Eastern)
ZIP code
02914, 02915, 02916
Area code401
FIPS code44-22960[4]
GNIS feature ID1219590[2]
Websiteeastprovidenceri.net

Geography

East Providence is located between the Providence and Seekonk Rivers on the west and the Seekonk area of Massachusetts on the east. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 16.6 square miles (43 km2), of which, 13.4 square miles (35 km2) of it is land and 3.2 square miles (8.3 km2) of it (19.33%) is water.

The following villages are located in East Providence:[5]

Governance
City Hall
Police station, Waterman Avenue
Fire station, 913 Broadway

The city of East Providence is governed by an elected mayor and a five-member city council, with the mayor and counselors elected every four years. City council members are elected one each from four wards and one elected at-large.

Executive branch

The mayor is both the ceremonial leader of the city and the chief executive officer. The mayor runs the daily operations of the city, enforces the charter and ordinances of the city and appoints all department heads except the city clerk. The current mayor of East Providence is Roberto DaSilva, who took office on January 9, 2019.

Until January 9, 2019, the day-to-day operations were managed by a professional city manager appointed by the city council, and the mayor was the president of the city council, acting ceremonially.

Legislative branch

The city council sets all city ordinances, sets the budget of the city (with recommendation from the mayor) and provides legislative oversight for city operations.

The city council elects a council president and council vice-president to preside over meetings. The city council also appoints the city clerk.

Up until 2019, The city council served two-year terms, and the city council oversaw the entire city government under a council-manager system.

As of 2019, the members of the East Providence City Council are:

  • Robert Rodericks—At-Large (council vice-president)
  • Robert Britto—Ward 1 (council president)
  • Anna Sousa—Ward 2
  • Nathan Cahoon—Ward 3
  • Ricardo Mourato—Ward 4

Judicial branch

The city of East Providence has a municipal court, which hears cases regarding violations of municipal ordinances, housing code violations and minor traffic violations. The city also has a probate court, which handles estates, name changes, guardianships and related matters. Judges for both courts are appointed by the mayor with confirmation by the city council for a term of two years.

Education governance

The city also has an elected school committee, elected for two-year terms by the same ward system as the city council. The school committee has broad authority to manage the school system, including setting all school system policies, setting the school system budget (within the general appropriation by the city, state and federal government) as well as selecting and overseeing the Superintendent of Schools.

Other boards and commissions

The city has an appointed library board of trustees which governs the city's library system and various other appointed governing and advisory boards and commissions.

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18702,668—
18805,05689.5%
18908,42266.6%
190012,13844.1%
191015,80830.2%
192021,79337.9%
193029,99537.6%
194032,1657.2%
195035,87111.5%
196041,95517.0%
197048,20714.9%
198050,9805.8%
199050,380−1.2%
200048,688−3.4%
201047,037−3.4%
202047,1390.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[6][3]

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 48,688 people, 20,530 households, and 12,851 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,632.1 inhabitants per square mile (1,402.4/km2). There were 21,309 housing units at an average density of 1,589.6 per square mile (613.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 86.49% White, 5.02% African American, 0.46% Native American, 1.15% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 2.80% from other races, and 4.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.89% of the population.

Portuguese Bodo de Leite parade on Orchard Street

There were 20,530 households, out of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.3% were married couples living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.4% were non-families. 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.7% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $39,108, and the median income for a family was $48,463. Males had a median income of $34,342 versus $26,423 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,527. About 6.3% of families and 8.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.7% of those under age 18 and 11.0% of those aged 65 or over.

Ancestry

The population has large immigrant communities from Portugal, the Azores, Madeira and Cape Verde. Approximately 24% of East Providence residents report Portuguese ancestry, followed by Irish at 18%, and Italian with 11%.[7]

Education
A.B. Hennessey School on Fort Street

East Providence has 13 public and 5 non-public schools:

Elementary
  • Agnes B. "Hennessey"
  • Alice M. "Waddington" – built 1954
  • Emma G. "Whiteknact"
  • James R.D. "Oldham"
  • Kent Heights
  • Myron J. "Francis" - built 1989
  • Orlo Avenue School
  • Silver Spring

Middle schools
  • Edward R. Martin Middle School – built 1977
  • Riverside Middle School

High school

Non-public elementary and junior-high schools
  • St. Mary "Bayview" Academy
  • Sacred Heart School
  • St. Margaret School
  • The Gordon School
  • Providence Country Day (P.C.D.).

Non-public high schools
  • St. Mary "Bayview" Academy
  • Providence Country Day (P.C.D.).

Health and medicine
Bradley Hospital

Bradley Hospital, the nation's first psychiatric facility exclusively for children, was founded in 1931. It is a teaching hospital for the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.[8]

National Register of Historic Places listings in East Providence

Media

Weekly
  • The East Providence Post

Monthly
  • The East Providence Reporter

AM
  • 1110/WPMZ: Spanish-language “Poder”.

Notable people

See also

References
  1. "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
  2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: East Providence, Rhode Island
  3. "Census Population API". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
  4. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  5. RIGIS Villages data layer Archived 2006-05-09 at the Wayback Machine
  6. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  7. "East Providence, RI Zip Code Map & Characteristics". Zip Atlas. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  8. "Bradley Hospital". Lifespan. Lifespan. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  9. Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 1963.
  10. Anonymous. "Claudia Jordan". Miss USA. Miss Universe L.P., LLLP. Retrieved June 27, 2013.

Further reading
  • Our Heritage: A History of East Providence, Joseph Conforti
Wikimedia Commons has media related to East Providence, Rhode Island.
Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article "East Providence".
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.