Rhode Island Fall Yard Work Index: All 39 Cities and Towns Ranked (2026)
Foster, Glocester and West Greenwich top the list. Analysis by My Green Robot using U.S. Census and USDA Forest Service data.
Published · Data retrieved
Top 10
In which Rhode Island towns does a typical home face the most fall yard work (leaves to clear, a yard of its own to look after, room to cover)? The index measures intensity per home, not total volume, so small towns can rank high. Coventry and Hopkinton tie at 10th.
| Rank | Town | Index (0–100) | Tree canopy over developed land | Owner-occupied single-family detached share | Land acres per housing unit | Owner-occupied detached homes (± MOE) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Foster | 99.0 | 50.7% | 91.3% | 20.57 | 1,373 (±125) |
| 2 | Glocester | 90.0 | 48.0% | 82.0% | 8.06 | 3,174 (±227) |
| 3 | West Greenwich | 89.5 | 41.6% | 83.2% | 12.27 | 2,092 (±219) |
| 4 | Scituate | 86.3 | 45.1% | 81.5% | 7.00 | 3,427 (±399) |
| 5 | Exeter | 85.8 | 43.0% | 73.4% | 14.54 | 1,774 (±282) |
| 6 | Richmond | 82.1 | 36.6% | 84.2% | 8.03 | 2,522 (±192) |
| 7 | Jamestown | 77.4 | 36.6% | 85.1% | 1.95 | 2,128 (±153) |
| 8 | Barrington | 75.8 | 37.7% | 86.8% | 0.81 | 5,407 (±284) |
| 9 | Charlestown | 73.7 | 35.5% | 83.1% | 4.29 | 2,903 (±219) |
| 10 | Coventry | 73.2 | 39.0% | 73.0% | 2.45 | 10,587 (±498) |
| 10 | Hopkinton | 73.2 | 36.3% | 73.2% | 7.41 | 2,501 (±223) |
Volume view
Count of owner-occupied single-family detached homes, ACS 2020–2024, ±90% MOE: Warwick 23,419 (±719), Cranston 19,125 (±721), Providence 16,668 (±1,114), Coventry 10,587 (±498), East Providence 10,503 (±524), Pawtucket 10,004 (±629). Pawtucket ranks 37th of 39 on the index but has about 10,000 owner-occupied detached homes, among the most of any RI municipality (6th by point estimate; MOE overlaps 4th–5th).
Full table: all 39 cities and towns
| Rank | Town | Index | Canopy, developed land % | Canopy, all land % | Owner-occ. detached share % | Land acres / housing unit | Owner-occ. detached homes (±MOE) | Rank by count | Occupied units | Housing units | Land sq mi | Median year built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Foster town | 99.0 | 50.7 | 74.5 | 91.3 | 20.57 | 1,373 (±125) | 37 | 1,503 | 1,579 | 50.8 | 1975 |
| 2 | Glocester town | 90.0 | 48.0 | 73.0 | 82.0 | 8.06 | 3,174 (±227) | 28 | 3,873 | 4,306 | 54.2 | 1975 |
| 3 | West Greenwich town | 89.5 | 41.6 | 71.9 | 83.2 | 12.27 | 2,092 (±219) | 34 | 2,514 | 2,624 | 50.3 | 1991 |
| 4 | Scituate town | 86.3 | 45.1 | 71.6 | 81.5 | 7.00 | 3,427 (±399) | 25 | 4,204 | 4,401 | 48.1 | 1966 |
| 5 | Exeter town | 85.8 | 43.0 | 70.6 | 73.4 | 14.54 | 1,774 (±282) | 35 | 2,416 | 2,528 | 57.5 | 1987 |
| 6 | Richmond town | 82.1 | 36.6 | 60.0 | 84.2 | 8.03 | 2,522 (±192) | 30 | 2,997 | 3,214 | 40.3 | 1985 |
| 7 | Jamestown town | 77.4 | 36.6 | 47.5 | 85.1 | 1.95 | 2,128 (±153) | 33 | 2,500 | 3,103 | 9.4 | 1975 |
| 8 | Barrington town | 75.8 | 37.7 | 40.2 | 86.8 | 0.81 | 5,407 (±284) | 14 | 6,228 | 6,498 | 8.2 | 1956 |
| 9 | Charlestown town | 73.7 | 35.5 | 64.6 | 83.1 | 4.29 | 2,903 (±219) | 29 | 3,493 | 5,458 | 36.5 | 1980 |
| 10 | Coventry town | 73.2 | 39.0 | 65.8 | 73.0 | 2.45 | 10,587 (±498) | 4 | 14,505 | 15,430 | 59.1 | 1973 |
| 10 | Hopkinton town | 73.2 | 36.3 | 66.3 | 73.2 | 7.41 | 2,501 (±223) | 32 | 3,416 | 3,715 | 43.0 | 1977 |
| 12 | Burrillville town | 72.6 | 38.5 | 70.5 | 68.6 | 5.54 | 4,158 (±403) | 21 | 6,058 | 6,344 | 54.9 | 1970 |
| 12 | East Greenwich town | 72.6 | 41.5 | 59.9 | 73.1 | 1.84 | 3,950 (±252) | 23 | 5,404 | 5,690 | 16.4 | 1976 |
| 14 | Little Compton town | 69.0 | 26.2 | 44.8 | 93.3 | 5.62 | 1,452 (±112) | 36 | 1,557 | 2,340 | 20.6 | 1969 |
| 15 | North Smithfield town | 62.6 | 36.8 | 60.3 | 65.8 | 2.92 | 3,302 (±291) | 27 | 5,015 | 5,240 | 23.9 | 1972 |
| 16 | South Kingstown town | 61.6 | 35.5 | 58.0 | 68.1 | 2.58 | 7,736 (±457) | 9 | 11,360 | 13,993 | 56.4 | 1978 |
| 17 | Cumberland town | 56.3 | 36.3 | 56.9 | 68.0 | 1.14 | 9,718 (±498) | 7 | 14,297 | 14,918 | 26.5 | 1972 |
| 18 | Smithfield town | 53.7 | 34.6 | 57.7 | 66.7 | 2.04 | 5,295 (±418) | 15 | 7,934 | 8,220 | 26.2 | 1976 |
| 19 | Tiverton town | 52.6 | 31.4 | 54.9 | 66.2 | 2.38 | 4,632 (±360) | 20 | 6,995 | 7,831 | 29.1 | 1972 |
| 20 | Johnston town | 51.6 | 29.5 | 48.4 | 70.6 | 1.22 | 8,245 (±597) | 8 | 11,675 | 12,328 | 23.5 | 1968 |
| 21 | North Kingstown town | 48.9 | 31.1 | 54.3 | 65.3 | 2.19 | 7,640 (±395) | 10 | 11,694 | 12,641 | 43.2 | 1973 |
| 22 | New Shoreham town | 46.3 | 11.5 | 27.6 | 74.0 | 2.92 | 305 (±80) | 39 | 412 | 1,989 | 9.1 | 1972 |
| 23 | Lincoln town | 43.7 | 35.2 | 52.9 | 58.1 | 1.28 | 5,110 (±442) | 16 | 8,795 | 9,006 | 18.1 | 1970 |
| 24 | Portsmouth town | 41.6 | 25.1 | 37.7 | 67.2 | 1.71 | 5,064 (±398) | 17 | 7,541 | 8,612 | 23.0 | 1973 |
| 25 | Narragansett town | 38.4 | 29.1 | 42.5 | 64.6 | 0.91 | 4,045 (±321) | 22 | 6,263 | 9,757 | 13.9 | 1975 |
| 26 | Westerly town | 36.8 | 27.2 | 47.9 | 63.9 | 1.44 | 6,704 (±393) | 12 | 10,498 | 13,090 | 29.5 | 1973 |
| 27 | Warwick city | 35.3 | 27.9 | 34.4 | 65.0 | 0.60 | 23,419 (±719) | 1 | 36,055 | 37,516 | 35.0 | 1961 |
| 28 | Bristol town | 34.7 | 29.7 | 39.5 | 55.3 | 0.66 | 4,828 (±394) | 18 | 8,731 | 9,510 | 9.8 | 1964 |
| 29 | Warren town | 25.8 | 25.6 | 32.0 | 48.9 | 0.70 | 2,517 (±235) | 31 | 5,145 | 5,607 | 6.2 | 1950 |
| 30 | Cranston city | 25.3 | 24.6 | 36.6 | 58.7 | 0.54 | 19,125 (±721) | 2 | 32,595 | 33,834 | 28.4 | 1958 |
| 31 | West Warwick town | 23.7 | 29.0 | 36.9 | 43.2 | 0.33 | 6,211 (±553) | 13 | 14,361 | 15,269 | 7.8 | 1968 |
| 32 | Middletown town | 20.0 | 20.2 | 22.9 | 47.3 | 0.99 | 3,415 (±339) | 26 | 7,226 | 8,225 | 12.7 | 1969 |
| 33 | East Providence city | 18.4 | 19.8 | 27.7 | 50.4 | 0.39 | 10,503 (±524) | 5 | 20,836 | 21,921 | 13.3 | 1958 |
| 33 | North Providence town | 18.4 | 24.7 | 27.4 | 48.0 | 0.23 | 7,212 (±570) | 11 | 15,029 | 15,555 | 5.6 | 1970 |
| 35 | Newport city | 11.6 | 19.1 | 21.7 | 34.6 | 0.36 | 3,825 (±408) | 24 | 11,049 | 13,552 | 7.7 | 1938 |
| 35 | Woonsocket city | 11.6 | 23.4 | 31.2 | 26.4 | 0.26 | 4,652 (±470) | 19 | 17,618 | 19,429 | 7.8 | 1952 |
| 37 | Pawtucket city | 6.3 | 11.7 | 15.4 | 32.7 | 0.17 | 10,004 (±629) | 6 | 30,598 | 32,810 | 8.7 | 1947 |
| 38 | Providence city | 4.7 | 13.5 | 15.0 | 23.3 | 0.15 | 16,668 (±1,114) | 3 | 71,497 | 79,423 | 18.4 | 1938 |
| 39 | Central Falls city | 0.0 | 8.7 | 11.3 | 8.3 | 0.09 | 641 (±267) | 38 | 7,683 | 8,426 | 1.2 | 1944 |
On a phone, swipe the table sideways to see every column. The town name stays in view.
Canopy columns: % mean NLCD tree canopy. Shares and acres computed by My Green Robot from the sources below. MOE = ACS 90% margin of error. Equal index values share a rank.
Methodology
Question: In which Rhode Island towns does a typical home face the most fall yard work (leaves to clear, a yard of its own to look after, room to cover)?
The index measures intensity per home, not total volume, so small towns can rank high. A separate column gives the number of owner-occupied single-family detached homes (volume).
1. Tree canopy over developed land (%)
Weight 40%- What it stands for
- Leaves falling where people live
- Definition
- Mean NLCD 2021 tree canopy cover (0–100%) over 30 m pixels inside the town that NLCD 2021 Land Cover classifies as Developed (classes 21, 22, 23, 24)
- Source
- USFS/MRLC NLCD Tree Canopy Cover CONUS 2021 v2021-4 + MRLC NLCD 2021 Land Cover L48
2. Owner-occupied single-family detached share (%)
Weight 40%- What it stands for
- Homeowners responsible for their own yard
- Definition
- ACS B25032_003 (owner-occupied, 1-unit detached) ÷ B25032_001 (all occupied housing units)
- Source
- US Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 5-year, table B25032
3. Land acres per housing unit
Weight 20%- What it stands for
- Room for yards (lower housing density)
- Definition
- Census land area (TIGER ALAND, m² → acres) ÷ ACS B25001_001 (total housing units)
- Source
- TIGER/Line 2024 county subdivisions + ACS 2020–2024 5-year B25001
Normalization: each metric is converted to a percentile rank among the 39 towns (lowest = 0, highest = 100; ties share the average rank). Index = 0.40 × canopy score + 0.40 × detached-owner score + 0.20 × land-per-unit score (0–100). Towns are ranked by the index; equal index values share a rank (Coventry and Hopkinton tie at 10th).
Why percentile ranks: land per housing unit is highly skewed (Foster 20.6 acres vs Central Falls 0.09), and min–max scaling would let one value dominate. Ranks are easy to explain and robust to that.
Geography: the 39 RI municipalities = Census county subdivisions (TIGER/Line 2024 + ACS summary level 060). The water-only "County subdivisions not defined" record is dropped. Canopy is computed inside TIGER boundaries; open-water pixels (NLCD class 11) and canopy codes 254/255 (non-processing/background) are excluded.
Context only (not scored): ACS B25035 median year structure built is kept in the full table.
Limits
- This is an index, not a measurement of hours or tons of leaves. It combines three proxies; the weights (40/40/20) are an editorial choice. Different weights would reorder some towns.
- Canopy year: NLCD Tree Canopy 2021 is the newest CONUS year listed on the MRLC WCS download service (GetCapabilities checked 2026-10-21); a newer release may exist elsewhere. It is modeled from satellite imagery (30 m), not a street-tree inventory; the NLCD version also smooths small year-to-year changes. "Developed" includes roads and commercial land, not only yards.
- ACS figures are 5-year survey estimates (2020–2024) with margins of error (90% level), which are large for small towns (e.g., New Shoreham 305 ± 80 owner-occupied detached homes). Shares are not tested for statistically significant differences; neighbouring ranks may not differ meaningfully. Count ranks (e.g., Coventry, East Providence and Pawtucket at ~10,000–10,600) overlap within MOE.
- Land acres per housing unit includes forest, farms, parks and commercial land, so it overstates yard size in rural towns. It is a density proxy, not lot size.
- Housing counts come from ACS occupied/total units; seasonal homes (e.g., New Shoreham, Charlestown, Narragansett) are in B25001 but not in the occupied totals.
Data gaps: metrics wanted but dropped
- Lot size per town: no public, per-town single-family lot-size dataset found. The statewide RIDEM Tax Parcels layer (risegis.ri.gov) has parcel acres and town code but no land-use field to isolate single-family lots; third-party parcel sites (LandBrief, CountyOffice) are not primary sources and don't cover all 39 towns. Dropped; replaced only by the density proxy above, labeled as such.
- Town leaf-collection schedules: not standardized or machine-readable across 39 towns. Dropped.
- Snowfall / first-frost dates by town: no per-town official series retrieved (NOAA normals are per weather station, not per town). Dropped.
- Newer canopy (2022+): not on the MRLC WCS as of retrieval. Used 2021.
- Census API (api.census.gov) required a key; the same ACS tables were taken from the Census Bureau's official table-based summary files instead (identical estimates).
Sources
All retrieved 2026-10-21 (ET).
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, table-based summary file
- B25032 Tenure by Units in Structure (B25032_E001, B25032_E002, B25032_E003, B25032_M001, B25032_M003)
- B25001 Housing Units (B25001_E001, B25001_M001)
- B25035 Median Year Structure Built (B25035_E001, context only)
- Table shells and geography names (ACS20245YR_Table_Shells.txt, Geos20245YR.txt). Geography: summary level 060 (county subdivision), GEO_ID prefix 0600000US44.
- U.S. Census Bureau, TIGER/Line Shapefiles 2024, County Subdivisions, Rhode Island (boundaries; ALAND/AWATER)
- USDA Forest Service / MRLC, NLCD Tree Canopy Cover CONUS 2021 (v2021-4), clipped via MRLC WCS (coverage mrlc_download__nlcd_tcc_conus_2021_v2021-4, EPSG:5070, X 1968000–2044000, Y 2268000–2375000)
- MRLC, NLCD 2021 Land Cover (L48), same clip (coverage mrlc_download__NLCD_2021_Land_Cover_L48), used to keep Developed classes 21–24 and drop open water (11)
- Checked for lot size (not used): RIDEM Tax Parcels service fields
- Format inspiration only (no data used): LawnStarter studies
How to cite
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates (tables B25032, B25001); U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024; USDA Forest Service / MRLC NLCD Tree Canopy Cover 2021 and NLCD 2021 Land Cover. Analysis by My Green Robot.
Questions or press: Rafael Escobar, Founder, My Green Robot, jobs@mygreenrobot.com.
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