The city you live in can make a big difference in daily life. Access to housing, health care, jobs and community spaces all matter.
A new report from WalletHub ranked 182 U.S. cities based on 33 measures of disability-friendliness, including housing, employment, health care, accessibility and quality of life.
Source: WalletHub
So where did Rhode Island fall?
Providence ranked 117th in the country this year.
That is a big change from where the city ranked in previous years. Providence was the third-worst city in 2017, ranked 169th in 2024 and 126th in 2025.
Providence ranked highest on quality of life and poor in areas like the economy and health care. The quality of life category looks at things like accessible restaurants and grocery stores, parks, walkability, arts and recreation and accessible housing. The city has made significant and steady progress, but still ranks well outside the top half.
Warwick ranked 154th in the country in 2026, down from 138th last year.
Warwick’s quality-of-life ranking was much lower (one of the worst in the nation) than its rankings for health care and the economy.
These rankings are only one way to look at how cities work for people with disabilities. They do, however, give us a snapshot of where Rhode Island cities stand and where there is still work to do.
This article includes information from WalletHub.
