Best Community #23: Beach-Blessed Beauty

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

GoLocalProv Best Communities Team

 

View Larger +

Narragansett

This narrow town on the Bay may be the closest thing to California surf culture anywhere in New England, much less Rhode Island. With two of the state's largest, most wave-driven beaches, Narragansett defines itself more than anything by surf, sun, and playing in both. From grand homes in Saunderstown to funky vacation cottages in Bonnet Shores, and with the old-style culture on the Great Salt Pond, this town of just under 16,000 is truly Bay-driven.

What, then, of the year-round life here in Rhode Island's playground? Beach life doesn't come cheap, and Narragansett sits only above Newport, Jamestown, and New Shoreham on 2011's Affordability ranking. But

View Larger +

unlike those expensive towns, Narragansett placed 5th in its education performance in 2011 (its high school was one of RI's top high schools in the 2011 rankings). With a lively variety of restaurants, museums, and recreational outlets, the town also performed in Arts & Culture rankings, at 8th. 

Narragansett by the numbers

Established: 1888
Population: 15,868
Median household income: $54,423
Median housing price: $337,000

2011 Best Communities rankings

Overall ranking: 23
Affordability ranking: 36
Education ranking: 5
Economic condition ranking: 17
Safety ranking: 29
Arts & Culture ranking: 8

GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST

History in a nutshell:

Narragansett was incorporated as a town in 1901 after it was separated from South Kingston in 1888. And although the two towns were separated, their histories are intertwined. It was in this area that two warring tribes: the Narragansett and Niantic Indians lived, hunted, and fought. When Narrangansett was settled it was primarily a farming community before it developed into a fishing community and a summer resort. The popular beach town has never looked back.

Additional research by Nate Holterman
 

 

Related Articles

 

Enjoy this post? Share it with others.

 
 

Sign Up for the Daily Eblast

I want to follow on Twitter

I want to Like on Facebook