Living in
South County Rhode Island
Big things come in small packages,
for Rhode Island it should be the state
motto in their PR campaigns, not”
Cooler and Warmer”. As the smallest
state in the U.S. Rhode Island has always been one of the most popular
destinations for travelers across the
globe. Living in Rhode Island offers
residents a multitude of choices from
rural country living to historic communities and a number of the best seaside communities in the country.
You could say that South County,
Rhode Island is full of history, but
that would be an understatement.
The notable houses and museums
in each town tell a unique and
fascinating story about Southern
Rhode Island. It is here where you
can find the Homestead of General Nathanael Greene in Coventry, arguably George Washington’s
youngest, most loyal and trusted
general during the Revolutionary
War. South County is blessed by
nature, this scenic area is filled with
wildlife preserves, protected parks,
and forests that spill down to hundreds of miles of sandy beaches.
The impressive coastline stretches
from the seaside resort of Watch
Hill, in the west, past Narragansett,
in the east, and continues north to
East Greenwich.
DEMOGRAPHICS: The population
of South County is 176,647, with the
total population of Rhode Island at
1,076,164. South County measures a
total of 449 square miles with a total of
20 protected beaches, 26 forests and
wildlife preserves throughout our region,
as well as 16 public golf courses.
ACCESSIBILITY: Conveniently nestled about 30 minutes outside of Providence by car, South County is the
epitome of a classic New England living. South County is 80 miles south of
Boston (roughly an hour and a half car
ride) and 160 miles from New York City
(about two and a half hours by car). different markets across the country. The
Today Show has called South County
Rhode Island the New Hamptons.
BEACHES: South County’s reputation
for coastal beauty precedes itself. With
100 miles of breathtaking coastline, our
variety of beaches are the jewels in
Southern Rhode Island’s crown. In 1960
only 50,000 people resided in South
County RI and over 35% of that population was seasonal. Today the region
has over 175,000 year round residents
as well as a large contingent of summer
residents from across the northeast.
HOMEBUYERS: have a lot to choose
from in the region from rural country
homes to magnificent seaside properties. The great thing about south
county is you don’t have to live on the
beach to enjoy it. South County RI has
more public access to beaches and
waterfront state parks than just about
anywhere in the northeast and the are
magnificent. Home values range from
the median statewide price of $235,000
to oceanfront estates in the millions
but there are plenty of great areas to
choose from in New Homes and historic
homes throughout the region.
In South Kingston median prices are
up to about $350,000. There are great
values in the rural communities of Exeter, Hopkinton, Coventry and Charlestown as well which offer easy access
to coastal areas in the South County
region. Rhode Island Monthly Magazine selected 6 communities in South
County as best places to live in Rhode
Island in 2015.
HISTORY: Westerly is located on the
southern tip of Rhode Island, bordering
the southeastern corner of Connecticut. The Town has an atmosphere of an
old New England village, and a unique
history in the annals of U.S. History. The
Indian name for Westerly was Misquamicut, a place for taking salmon. Today
the Misquamicut Golf Club is one of the
most prestigious private golf clubs in the
northeast and this region boast some
the countries most famous celebrities
as property owners.
Westerly was the first town incorporated in the King’s Province on May 13,
1669, and the fifth town in the colony.
On the 23rd of June 1686, the name was
changed from Westerly to Haversham,
but the former name was restored in
1689. The Towns of Charlestown, Hopkinton, and Richmond were later taken
from the Town of Westerly. In 2002, the
National Trust for Historic Preservation
named Westerly as one of the 12 Most
Distinctive Destinations in the country.
The unique, well-preserved architecture downtown, coupled with 55 historic
sites, such as the Babcock-Smith House
and Flying Horse Carousel, makes it no
surprise that Westerly received this outstanding designation.
FIND A REALTOR In each region of
South Country there are realtors who
know all the specifics on buying a
home in Washington County. They can
provide you with current values and
neighborhood specifics on all the communities in the region. Most importantly
they can keep you updated on new
listings daily from the local statewide listing services and cater to your individual
needs as a buyer.