slides: The Top 10: RI’s Best Communities 2012

#10 Glocester

It's going on ancient, and not the least bit horrible, according to the 2012 rankings. This small town in the quiet western flank of Rhode Island that posts the best Affordability ranking in the state is a 3-time Top 10 Best Community. For more about Glocester, go here.

Glocester by the numbers

Established: 1639
Population: 9,746
Median household income: $79,127
Median housing price: $199,000

2012 Best Communities rankings

Overall ranking: 10
Affordability ranking: 1
Education ranking: 21
Economic condition ranking: 18
Safety ranking: 1
Arts & Culture ranking: 17
Restaurants & Bars ranking: 35

#9 Richmond

This might be the country mouse that roared. Richmond, a profoundly rural town that is 60% uninhabited woodlands and host of one of Rhode Island's most popular old-style entertainments, the Washington County Fair, rose 12 whole spots from 2011 to break into the Top 10 Best Communities. Let's hear it for the old-fashioned life in South County. For more about Richmond, go here.

Richmond by the numbers

Established: 1669
Population: 7,708
Median household income: $72,819
Median housing price: $239,000

2012 Best Communities rankings

Overall ranking: 9
Affordability ranking: 9
Education ranking: 3
Economic condition ranking: 15
Safety ranking: 7
Arts & Culture ranking: 17
Restaurants & Bars ranking: 34

#8 Portsmouth

It's stiff competition for Best Community on Aquidneck Island, but this neighbor of beachy Middetown and mansioned Newport took top honors for the island, and #8 statewide, for 2012. That's a move up from its #10 ranking a year ago. For more about Portsmouth, go here.

Portsmouth by the numbers

Established: 1638
Population: 17,389
Median household income: $77,712
Median housing price: $285,000

2012 Best Communities rankings

Overall ranking: 8
Affordability ranking: 15
Education ranking: 12
Economic condition ranking: 7
Safety ranking: 20
Arts & Culture ranking: 10
Restaurants & Bars ranking: 24

#7 Barrington

If ever a suburb were a town, a town a suburb, a place where everyone moves so children can ride bicycles in cul-de-sacs, and play on soccer teams, and attend top-notch public schools, it's this town. And that never-ending surge of upwardly mobile families has helped keep this East Bay star in the Top 10 for 3 years in a row. This year, Barrington moves down from its #3 finish in 2011 to finish at #7 Best Community for 2012. For more about Barrington, go here.

Barrington by the numbers

Established: 1653
Population: 16,310
Median household income: $94,300
Median housing price: $359,900

2012 Best Communities rankings

Overall ranking: 7
Affordability ranking: 21
Education ranking: 1
Economic condition ranking: 6
Safety ranking: 8
Arts & Culture ranking: 29
Restaurants & Bars ranking: 28

#6 Hopkinton

Is anyone detecting a trend? Both Richmond and this lovely southern town, quiet and rural, have both taken up residence in GoLocal's Best Communities Top 10. Something is happening in South County--and much of it has to do with combining quiet, old-fashioned town life with excellent public schools. For more about Hopkinton, go here.

Hopkinton by the numbers

Established: 1669
Population: 8,188
Median household income: $71,104
Median housing price: $225,000

2012 Best Communities rankings

Overall ranking: 6
Affordability ranking: 7
Education ranking: 3
Economic condition ranking: 22
Safety ranking: 3
Arts & Culture ranking: 14
Restaurants & Bars ranking: 37

#5 North Kingstown

Few communities in Rhode Island combine small waterfront villages and military/industrial sites with historic homes.  Fold in the birthplace of perhaps the most famous early American portrait artist with the state's most famous doughnut shop, and you're getting at the chemistry that places this South County star in the Top 5 for 2012. For more about North Kingstown, go here.

North Kingstown by the numbers

Established: 1641
Population: 26,486
Median household income: $76,316
Median housing price: $304,505

2012 Best Communities rankings

Overall ranking: 5
Affordability ranking: 28
Education ranking: 14
Economic condition ranking: 19
Safety ranking: 19
Arts & Culture ranking: 3
Restaurants & Bars ranking: 18

#4 Warwick

The state's 2nd-largest city combines industry, commercial zones, and varied residential neighborhoods both wooded and waterfront, offering affordable living to Rhode Islanders working there and elsewhere in the state. The result? It's the #4 Best Community for 2012, and the only Top 10 community to stay at the same level as in 2011. It's also Warwick's 3rd appearance in the Top 10 in a row. For more about Warwick, go here.

Warwick by the numbers

Established: 1642
Population: 82,762
Median household income: $59,497
Median housing price: $167,889

2012 Best Communities rankings

Overall ranking: 4
Affordability ranking: 5
Education ranking: 28
Economic condition ranking: 28
Safety ranking: 33
Arts & Culture ranking: 3
Restaurants & Bars ranking: 2

#3 Providence

It's been an annus horribilis for Providence, with bankruptcy looming, but a bright spot for the Capital City arrives today with a new and higher ranking on GoLocalProv's Best Communities 2012 list: up to #3, from #6 in 2011.

It's both a blessing and a curse to be Rhode Island's biggest community when it comes to the rankings. On one hand, Providence's tremendous diversity of 25 neighborhoods' populations and housing makes it more affordable overall that many tonier spots; on the other, the city continues to struggle with crime and education, and wealth that is centered in a few neighborhoods. For more about Providence, go here.

Providence by the numbers

Established: 1636
Population: 178,042
Median household income: $36,925
Median housing price: $115,000

2012 Best Communities rankings

Overall ranking: 3
Affordability ranking: 23
Education ranking: 38
Economic condition ranking: 39
Safety ranking: 39
Arts & Culture ranking: 1
Restaurants & Bars ranking: 1

#2 East Greenwich

It's one of a select handful of Rhode Island communities that lure away young, aspirational Providence families who seek small-town life and top-shelf schools. This town, the West Bay heavyweight with a quaint main street and its own underappreciated waterfront, has not only ruled GoLocalProv's Top High Schools rankings for 3 years, but uses its overall educational performance to muscle into the Top 3 in 2012's Best Community line-up, up 3 spots from last year. For more about East Greenwich, go here.

East Greenwich by the numbers

Established: 1677
Population: 13,146
Median household income: $93,636
Median housing price: $433,750

2012 Best Communities rankings

Overall ranking: 2
Affordability ranking: 34
Education ranking: 2
Economic condition ranking: 8
Safety ranking: 12
Arts & Culture ranking: 13
Restaurants & Bars ranking: 10

#1 South Kingstown

It took three years, but this varied, beautiful South County gem has made its way to the very top of the rankings, as it arrives in 2012 at the #1 spot. What's working here, besides an ever-growing university culture courtesy of URI? How about 10 miles of unspoiled beaches, historic villages, nearly a third of the town's land preserved as open space, plus high test scores, lower taxes, and a strong arts & culture quotient? That's pretty much everything you want in a town. Plus, piping plovers. For more about South Kingstown, go here.

South Kingstown by the numbers

Established: 1657
Population: 30,639
Median household income: $71,192
Median housing price: $290,000

2012 Best Communities rankings

Overall ranking: 1
Affordability ranking: 26
Education ranking: 9
Economic condition ranking: 13
Safety ranking: 6
Arts & Culture ranking: 5
Restaurants & Bars ranking: 5