Neighborhood
Downtown
Providence, Rhode Island US
Downtown, Providence, Rhode Island is a higher-priced investment profile, with pricing about 25% above Providence and about 34% above Rhode Island, a gross yield of 4.7, and prices down 13.9% over the past year. The main strength is walkability of 96. The main risk is a Red Flag score of 70, and education in the 4th percentile is a notable weakness on the school-district test-score measure.
AI Summary•Updated May 2026
Area
0.79 mi²
ZIP Code
02903
County
Providence County
State
Rhode Island
Redfin — median sale & volumeZillow ZORI — asking rentFEMA National Risk Index v1.20OpenStreetMap — POIFBI UCR — state crimeEPA — radon zonesEPA FRS / BTS — hazard screeningUS Census ACS / TIGER 2024
Verified Price · Median Sale
$629,813
YoY-13.8%
Gross Rental Yield
4.7%
Listed rent · ZORI annualized
Red Flag Index
High
70 / 100
Walkability Score
96
OpenStreetMap POI density · national percentile
Education Score
4 / 100
Pre-pandemic SEDA (2018/19) · district proxy
AI Score
40
DistrictScore attractiveness · national model
Downtown Property Prices & Rental Yield
Verified Redfin sale data and Zillow ZORI asking rent for Downtown, Providence.
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Sign in to view — freeMarket Economics Snapshot
May 2026| Metric | Value | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Median Sale Price | $629,813 | -13.8% |
| Price / Sq Ft (Verified) | $393/sqft | -11.5% |
| Asking Rent (Median) | $2,477/mo | +9.2% |
| Gross Rental Yield | 4.7% | — |
| Liquidity Score | 19 / 100 | Low |
| Homes Sold (Period) | 34 | -27.7% |
Is Downtown Safe? Natural-Hazard Risk
FEMA National Risk Index composite across eight hazards, plus inherited Rhode Island crime context.
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Sign in to view — free What Stands Out AI Insight
Highly walkable neighborhood — score 96/100
Dense amenities — 101 dining & 8 grocery options nearby
Flood risk is Very High (100/100)
Hurricane risk is Very High (100/100)
Insights are generated from Downtown's live DistrictScore metrics.
Downtown Environment & Safety
Satellite PM2.5 air-quality history, FBI UCR crime trend (Rhode Island-level, the finest official aggregation), EPA radon potential and point-source hazard screening.
Rhode Island Crime Trend
FBI UCR20132024
All crimes / 1k
Violent / 1k
| Year | Crimes / 1k | Violent / 1k | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 11.9 | 1.5 | -6.8% |
| 2023 | 12.8 | 1.7 | -11.4% |
| 2022 | 14.6 | 1.7 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 14.3 | 2.0 | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 14.8 | 2.3 | -16.4% |
| 2019 | 17.6 | 2.2 | — |
Reported at the state level — the finest official US crime aggregation; Downtown inherits the Rhode Island figures.
Radon Potential
EPAZone 2
Zone 2 — Moderate potential · Downtown
EPA radon zones estimate indoor radon potential county-wide (Zone 1 highest, Zone 3 lowest). Testing is recommended in all zones.
Environmental Hazards
EPA / BTSIndustrial odor4 nearbyVery High
Point-source screening near Downtown: EPA Superfund National Priorities List & Facility Registry (2026), BTS aviation noise (2020, 24-hour average level). Superfund shows distance to the nearest listed site; odor shows detected sources within the screening radius. Only detected sources are listed; the bar shows severity vs. all U.S. neighborhoods.
Walkability & Amenities in Downtown
Amenity density and pedestrian access from OpenStreetMap points of interest.
Walkability & Amenities
OpenStreetMap POI96
Walker's Paradise
Walkability Score
8
Grocery
101
Dining
7
Schools
5
Universities
5
Hospitals
1
Pharmacies
27
Parks
3
Rail Transit
0
Coworking
POI counts are amenities within Downtown's boundary plus a 400 m walk buffer. Rail transit excludes bus stops.
Downtown vs Providence vs Rhode Island
How Downtown benchmarks against its city and state medians.
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Sign in to view — freeBuying Property in the US as a Foreigner
Federal & Rhode Island tax facts for non-resident buyers, plus the latest local market news.
Buying as a Foreigner
US Tax & OwnershipApplies to everyone7
Capital Gains (Federal)
Long-term capital gains taxed federally at 0/15/20%, plus a 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax on higher incomes (2026).
Property Tax
Property tax: ~1.00% average effective rate (statewide average; set and collected locally).
State Income Tax
State income tax up to 5.99%; rental income is taxed at these rates.
State Capital Gains
Capital gains are taxed as ordinary income at state rates.
Transfer Tax
Real estate transfer tax: transfer tax with a high-value surcharge.
Assessment Cap
No Proposition 13-style assessment cap; property is reassessed at market value.
Mansion Tax / Rent Control
A surcharge applies to high-value home sales.
US citizens & tax residents7
Primary-Home Exclusion
Selling your main home: exclude up to $250k of gain (single) / $500k (married) if you owned and lived there 2 of the last 5 years.
1031 Like-Kind Exchange
A 1031 like-kind exchange defers capital gains tax on investment property; 45 days to identify, 180 to close. Real estate only.
Depreciation Recapture
Residential rentals depreciate over 27.5 years; on sale, recaptured depreciation is taxed up to 25% (Section 1250).
Mortgage Interest Deduction
Mortgage interest is deductible on up to $750k of home debt. The SALT cap rose to $40,000 for 2025-2029 (reverts to $10k in 2030).
Opportunity Zones
Opportunity Zones are now permanent (2025): reinvested capital gains get deferral plus a basis step-up, and are tax-free after 10 years.
Rental Income (Resident)
Rental income is reported on Schedule E; passive-loss rules (Section 469) limit deducting rental losses against other income.
1031 State Conformity
The state conforms to the federal 1031 like-kind exchange rules.
Foreign buyers (non-residents)5
FIRPTA (Foreign Sellers)
FIRPTA: the buyer withholds 15% of the gross sale price when a nonresident sells US property. It is an advance deposit, not the final tax.
Non-Resident Capital Gains
Nonresident sellers pay US capital gains tax (generally 15-20%) on the net gain via Form 1040-NR; FIRPTA withholding is credited.
Non-Resident Rental Tax
Nonresident rental income is taxed at 30% of gross by default, or on net income at graduated rates via a Section 871(d) election (W-8ECI).
Estate Tax (Non-Resident)
Nonresidents get only a $60,000 US estate-tax exemption (vs $13.99M for residents); US property above it is taxed up to 40%. Treaties may help.
ITIN Requirement
Nonresidents without an SSN need an ITIN (Form W-7) to file US tax returns, claim FIRPTA refunds, and report rental income.
Talk to a US real-estate tax advisor
FIRPTA, ITIN & Rhode Island property-tax guidance for foreign buyers
Downtown Real Estate FAQ
Downtown, Providence, Rhode Island has a higher-priced profile, with pricing about 25% above Providence and about 34% above Rhode Island. Gross yield is 4.7, prices are down 13.9% over the past year, walkability is 96, education is in the 4th percentile, and the Red Flag score is 70.
Neighborhoods near Downtown
Compare Downtown with nearby neighborhoods in Providence.
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