Jobs, pay and daily life in Charlestown, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Charlestown is a city in Rhode Island with 1,499 residents. The median household earns $108,563 a year and the median rent is $1,159 a month, which is 12.8% of the median household income. It is part of the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metropolitan area, where BLS counts 714,120 jobs.
How Charlestown compares. Among the 30 largest places in Rhode Island, Charlestown is #25 by population, #3 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #7 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #7 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Washington County, is #4 of 5 counties for average pay ($62,700).
Charlestown has 1,499 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.1% of the population of Rhode Island. It covers 2 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 662 people per square mile. The median age is 65.4, 61% older than the state median (65.4 against 40.6). It is a census-designated place: a community the Census Bureau counts as a unit, without a city government of its own, so services such as police, roads and zoning usually come from the county.
The median gross rent is $1,159 a month (rent plus utilities), 14% below the state median ($1,159 against $1,342). Over a year that is 12.8% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $583,200, which is 5.4 times the median household income ($108,563); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 87.7% of households own their home, 38% above the state average (87.7% against 63.6%).
The Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metropolitan area has 714,120 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $53,680 a year, 5% above the national median ($53,680 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (75,750 jobs, median $49,530); food preparation and serving related (74,270 jobs, median $35,090); sales and related (62,070 jobs, median $38,030). The area is most specialised in community and social service (1.4 times) and educational instruction and library (1.2 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($124,810) and computer and mathematical ($104,650). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Washington County was 2.2%. 44.7% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Washington County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 76.0% drive alone, 1.6% use public transit, 4.4% walk, 15.3% work from home. 19.2% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 30% above the state average (19.2% against 14.8%).
57.5% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 52% above the state share (57.5% against 37.7%). 2.5% of residents were born outside the United States, 84% below the state share (2.5% against 15.3%). The poverty rate is 4.2%, 62% below the state rate (4.2% against 11.2%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 73°F (22.7°C), and the coolest is Jan at 29°F (-1.6°C). About 1,179 mm (46 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Oct is the wettest month (121 mm) and Jan the driest (82 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Quonochontaug (5 miles); Carolina (6 miles); Bradford (7 miles); Weekapaug (8 miles). Rent differences are against Charlestown; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Rhode Island (98) →State guide: Rhode IslandCountry guideWashington CountyRhode Island rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 98 federal postings open in Rhode Island (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Rhode Island →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 21,530 | 1.22 | $33,700 | $31,200 | $36,700 | +8% |
| Retail Salespersons | 20,910 | 1.17 | $35,230 | $31,200 | $46,570 | -1% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 15,670 | 0.79 | $40,890 | $35,960 | $46,620 | +14% |
| Registered Nurses | 15,180 | 0.98 | $99,880 | $77,410 | $135,240 | +2% |
| Cashiers | 14,440 | 1.02 | $34,540 | $31,200 | $44,840 | +5% |
| General and Operations Managers | 14,110 | 0.88 | $110,360 | $60,420 | $227,770 | +4% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 13,600 | 1.30 | $35,750 | $31,200 | $62,680 | +1% |
| Nursing Assistants | 13,030 | 1.96 | $46,330 | $39,220 | $54,880 | +10% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 12,020 | 0.92 | $36,640 | $31,510 | $47,380 | -2% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 10,900 | 0.80 | $40,370 | $33,640 | $57,150 | +0% |
| Office Clerks, General | 10,690 | 0.94 | $47,450 | $34,510 | $65,810 | +5% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 10,620 | 0.89 | $47,170 | $35,200 | $64,240 | +5% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 9,660 | 0.95 | $38,160 | $31,450 | $52,520 | +4% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 8,850 | 1.37 | $37,460 | $31,840 | $49,660 | +0% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 8,400 | 1.29 | $38,060 | $31,200 | $49,050 | +3% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 8,250 | 1.24 | $95,020 | $60,620 | $149,540 | +14% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 7,030 | 0.74 | $60,610 | $45,560 | $74,970 | +3% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 7,020 | 0.89 | $51,800 | $37,970 | $72,740 | +9% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 6,930 | 1.05 | $74,470 | $50,360 | $102,200 | +7% |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 6,770 | 1.38 | $92,110 | $52,510 | $100,370 | +28% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Executives | 650 | 0.69 | $243,620 | $113,970 | $552,750 | +14% |
| Physicians, All Other | 1,290 | 0.82 | $234,000 | $80,860 | $351,580 | -12% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 620 | 0.61 | $172,640 | $124,390 | $254,650 | +1% |
| Dentists, General | 580 | 1.02 | $172,310 | $95,460 | $326,350 | +1% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 1,600 | 0.52 | $171,220 | $104,700 | $264,980 | -2% |
| Financial Managers | 3,280 | 0.85 | $167,570 | $97,560 | $300,520 | +1% |
| Human Resources Managers | 730 | 0.73 | $163,290 | $103,380 | $265,010 | +9% |
| Managers, All Other | 1,000 | 0.35 | $160,040 | $85,520 | $269,870 | +13% |
| Sales Managers | 1,770 | 0.61 | $148,880 | $80,860 | $258,950 | +0% |
| Physician Assistants | 950 | 1.28 | $139,930 | $96,870 | $187,080 | +3% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 1,540 | 1.04 | $135,520 | $106,020 | $174,650 | +2% |
| Lawyers | 2,380 | 0.69 | $133,000 | $80,200 | $268,330 | -17% |
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | 1,080 | 2.43 | $132,870 | $89,540 | $195,190 | +2% |
| Computer Network Architects | 520 | 0.63 | $131,320 | $79,800 | $184,090 | -2% |
| Pharmacists | 1,880 | 1.27 | $130,840 | $86,620 | $159,280 | -7% |
| Software Developers | 5,020 | 0.65 | $130,690 | $84,130 | $172,090 | -4% |
| Veterinarians | 520 | 1.35 | $129,390 | $102,960 | $199,240 | -1% |
| Computer Systems Analysts | 2,050 | 0.86 | $128,580 | $75,650 | $173,900 | +21% |
| Industrial Production Managers | 1,230 | 1.09 | $124,810 | $79,870 | $202,500 | -1% |
| Computer and Information Research Scientists | 510 | 3.01 | $123,390 | $91,230 | $174,630 | -12% |
These figures are for the whole Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $53,680 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.5% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 24.1% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 12.6% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 11.6% |
| Retail trade | 11.3% |
| Construction | 11.1% |
| Manufacturing | 10.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 8.9% |
| Information | 3.4% |
| Public administration | 3.4% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 2.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.0% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 0.0% |
| Other services | 0.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Charlestown lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County | 130,344 | $9,768 million | $74,940 | 59,183 | 5,814 | $62,700 | +3.4% | 2.2% | 68,079 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 11,815 | 23.4% | $75,841 | 2.43 |
| Health care and social assistance | 7,511 | 14.9% | $55,976 | 0.89 |
| Accommodation and food services | 7,105 | 14.1% | $31,358 | 1.32 |
| Retail trade | 6,609 | 13.1% | $40,539 | 1.12 |
| Construction | 2,759 | 5.5% | $81,980 | 0.89 |
| Administrative and waste services | 2,267 | 4.5% | $56,696 | 0.65 |
| Professional and technical services | 2,110 | 4.2% | $102,538 | 0.51 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,780 | 3.5% | $42,672 | 1.00 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 1,709 | 3.4% | $35,806 | 1.72 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,491 | 2.9% | $103,105 | 0.64 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,438 | 2.8% | $54,823 | 0.57 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,109 | 2.2% | $99,797 | 0.46 |
| Real estate and rental | 881 | 1.7% | $49,014 | 0.96 |
| Educational services | 748 | 1.5% | $43,369 | 0.61 |
| Management of companies | 701 | 1.4% | $94,543 | 0.70 |
| Information | 419 | 0.8% | $131,816 | 0.38 |
| Utilities | 105 | 0.2% | $127,157 | 0.47 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 76.0% |
| Public transit | 1.6% |
| Walk | 4.4% |
| Work from home | 15.3% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 19.2% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $108,563 |
| Income per person | $90,527 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,159 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 12.8% |
| Median home value | $583,200 |
| Homeowners | 87.7% |
| Poverty rate | 4.2% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 101.8 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $53,680 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 5.99%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 65.4 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 100.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 57.5% |
| Born abroad | 2.5% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 44.7% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -1.6 | 29 | 82 |
| Feb | -1.0 | 30 | 83 |
| Mar | 2.4 | 36 | 108 |
| Apr | 7.9 | 46 | 107 |
| May | 13.6 | 56 | 88 |
| Jun | 18.8 | 66 | 104 |
| Jul | 22.7 | 73 | 88 |
| Aug | 22.5 | 72 | 87 |
| Sep | 19.0 | 66 | 100 |
| Oct | 12.8 | 55 | 121 |
| Nov | 7.0 | 45 | 96 |
| Dec | 1.9 | 35 | 115 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quonochontaug | RI | 5 mi | 610 | $86,071 | n/a |
| Carolina | RI | 6 mi | 1,048 | $140,196 | n/a |
| Bradford | RI | 7 mi | 1,511 | $120,250 | n/a |
| Weekapaug | RI | 8 mi | 541 | $137,917 | n/a |
| Wakefield-Peace Dale | RI | 8 mi | 9,302 | $106,551 | $1,258 |
| Kingston | RI | 8 mi | 7,332 | $107,404 | n/a |
| Narragansett Pier | RI | 9 mi | 3,167 | $82,192 | $1,649 |
| Ashaway | RI | 9 mi | 1,722 | $103,707 | $1,604 |
| Westerly | RI | 9 mi | 18,411 | $95,207 | $1,260 |
| Hope Valley | RI | 11 mi | 2,297 | $101,932 | n/a |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
1,499 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,159 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 12.8% of the median household income.
$108,563 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.2% (BLS county, Washington County (latest month 2026M09)).
Rhode Island. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.