

Massachusetts vs Rhode Island
Massachusetts comes out ahead of Rhode Island on 484 of 789 statistics where one end is better, to 285 with 20 ties. Massachusetts leads on Travel, Population and Education and 13 more categories.
789 statistics with a better end, compared
Each counts once for the place that ranks better; 20 ties. Totals that mostly track population are left out.
- Wins
- 484
- Avg. percentile
- 61
- Categories led
- 16
- Wins
- 285
- Avg. percentile
- 53
- Categories led
- 0
At a glance
Headline statistics, each ranked among all US states.
| Statistic | Massachusetts | Rhode Island |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 7,169,608 16th of 51 | 1,118,627 44th of 51 |
| Median Household IncomeHousing, Income and Commutes by State (Census) | $103,960 2nd of 51 | $87,796 15th of 51 |
| Unemployment Rate (%)Unemployment Rate by State (BLS) | 4.5% tied 37th of 51 | 4.5% tied 37th of 51 |
| Poverty Rate (%)Housing, Income and Commutes by State (Census) | 10.0% 10th of 51 | 11.2% 22nd of 51 |
| Price Level (All Items)Cost of Living by State (Regional Price Parities) | 105.8 45th of 51 | 102.3 37th of 51 |
| Real Personal Income per Person (2017 Dollars)Real Personal Income by State | $71,629 4th of 51 | $55,878 35th of 51 |
| Average Annual Wage, All JobsAverage Wage by State (BLS) | $85,610 2nd of 51 | $71,900 13th of 51 |
| Median Rent (Monthly, Capped at $3,501)Housing, Income and Commutes by State (Census) | $1,762 48th of 51 | $1,342 30th of 51 |
| Violent Crime Rate (per 100K)Crime Rates by State (FBI) | 302.7 27th of 51 | 144.1 4th of 51 |
| Heating Degree Days per YearClimate by State (1991–2020 Averages) | 6,134 33rd of 48 | 5,761 29th of 48 |
By category
Average percentile on each category's widely ranked statistics.
- TravelMassachusetts · 28 statistics
- PopulationMassachusetts · 122 statistics
- EducationMassachusetts · 51 statistics
- Infrastructure & EnergyMassachusetts · 36 statistics
- CultureMassachusetts · 79 statistics
- Facts & TriviaMassachusetts · 18 statistics
- GeographyMassachusetts · 25 statistics
- LawMassachusetts · 66 statistics
- AgricultureMassachusetts · 17 statistics
- HealthMassachusetts · 180 statistics
- SportsMassachusetts · 17 statistics
- EconomicsMassachusetts · 286 statistics
- Tech & BusinessMassachusetts · 48 statistics
- Crime & SafetyMassachusetts · 69 statistics
- EnvironmentMassachusetts · 37 statistics
- Politics & GovernmentMassachusetts · 122 statistics
Biggest differences
The 30 statistics where their rankings differ most, among rankings of at least 26 US states.
| Statistic | Massachusetts | Rhode Island |
|---|---|---|
| Veteran Unemployment RateVeterans Unemployment Benefits by State | 6.94 48th of 50 | 3.22 5th of 50 |
| Avg. Annual Retirement Income (MZ)Average Retirement Income by State | $33,116 9th of 51 | $17,583 51st of 51 |
| Avg. Monthly Retirement Income (MZ)Average Retirement Income by State | $2,760 9th of 51 | $1,465 51st of 51 |
| Polio 3 DosesVaccination Rates by State | 96.3% 3rd of 51 | 91.3% 44th of 51 |
| Speeding IncidentsWorst Drivers by State | 0.3 per 1k drivers 2nd of 51 | 4.2 per 1k drivers tied 42nd of 51 |
| Dental Services Cost per CapitaHealth Care Costs by State | $558 44th of 51 | $366 4th of 51 |
| # Change in Prison Pop. 2021-2022Prison Population by State | -2.4 5th of 50 | 6.9 44th of 50 |
| Insured DriversWorst Drivers by State | 96.5 2nd of 50 | 83.5 41st of 50 |
| Overall ScorePension-Friendly States | 24 43rd of 49 | 73.3 5th of 49 |
| Driving Fatalities Involving AlcoholAlcohol Consumption by State | 27.8% 10th of 50 | 40.4% 48th of 50 |
| Quality of LifeWorst States to Retire | 50th best of 50 | 12th 12th worst of 50 |
| Poor Roads ScoreRoad Quality by State | 22.82 11th of 50 | 80.29 48th of 50 |
| K-12 PerformancePublic School Rankings by State | 1st 1st of 50 | 37th 37th of 50 |
| Wasted Instead of ReusedFood Waste by State | 50th best of 50 | 14th 14th worst of 50 |
| School Safety RankPublic School Rankings by State | 38th 38th of 50 | 2nd 2nd of 50 |
| Least Juvenile Incarceration RankWorst Prisons by State | 9th 9th of 50 | 44th tied 44th of 50 |
| Avg. Amount Received in Child SupportChild Support Percentage by State | $7,266 8th of 51 | $4,396 44th of 51 |
| Internet Access (1-10)Best States for Camping | 2.01 43rd of 49 | 6.76 tied 8th of 49 |
| SSI Public Access to Information ScoreMost Corrupt States | 34.4 40th of 50 | 64.7 5th of 50 |
| Rural Roads in Poor ConditionRoad Quality by State | 3.7% 13th of 50 | 28.9% 48th of 50 |
| EducationBest States to Live In | 7th 6th of 49 | 41st 40th of 49 |
| Campsite Quality (1-10)Best States for Camping | 3.95 42nd of 49 | 8.24 9th of 49 |
| Best Education Rank (USNews)Best States for Education | 5th 5th of 50 | 38th 38th of 50 |
| Education RankWorst States to Live in | 46th 5th best of 50 | 13th 13th worst of 50 |
| GDP per CapitaGDP by State | $90,044 2nd of 50 | $57,585 35th of 50 |
| CAS Legal Executive Corruption Level (1-5)Most Corrupt States | 4 tied 35th of 48 | 2.5 tied 6th of 48 |
| HepB 3 Doses (Teens)Vaccination Rates by State | 93.8% tied 15th of 51 | 87.8% 49th of 51 |
| Best States for Teachers Total ScoreBest States for Teachers | 51.74 9th of 51 | 40.76 42nd of 51 |
| Average IQ ScoreAverage IQ by State | 104.3 1st of 50 | 99.5 33rd of 50 |
| SSI Electoral Oversight ScoreMost Corrupt States | 80.6 tied 6th of 50 | 57.6 tied 37th of 50 |
Quick answers
- Which is better, Massachusetts or Rhode Island?
- Massachusetts comes out ahead of Rhode Island on 484 of 789 statistics where one end is better, to 285 with 20 ties. Massachusetts leads on Travel, Population and Education and 13 more categories. Statistics where neither end is better, and totals that mostly track population, are not counted.
- Which has more people, Massachusetts or Rhode Island?
- Massachusetts has a population of 7,169,608 (16th of 51 US states) and Rhode Island has 1,118,627 (44th of 51).
- How do Massachusetts and Rhode Island compare on Median Household Income?
- Median Household Income: Massachusetts $103,960 (2nd of 51), Rhode Island $87,796 (15th of 51) among US states. Massachusetts ranks better.
- How do Massachusetts and Rhode Island compare on Poverty Rate (%)?
- Poverty Rate (%): Massachusetts 10.0% (10th of 51), Rhode Island 11.2% (22nd of 51) among US states. Massachusetts ranks better.
- Where does Massachusetts beat Rhode Island most clearly?
- Massachusetts ranks far ahead on Avg. Annual Retirement Income (MZ) (Average Retirement Income by State): $33,116 vs $17,583; Avg. Monthly Retirement Income (MZ) (Average Retirement Income by State): $2,760 vs $1,465; Polio 3 Doses (Vaccination Rates by State): 96.3% vs 91.3%.
- Where does Rhode Island beat Massachusetts most clearly?
- Rhode Island ranks far ahead on Veteran Unemployment Rate (Veterans Unemployment Benefits by State): 3.22 vs 6.94; Dental Services Cost per Capita (Health Care Costs by State): $366 vs $558; Overall Score (Pension-Friendly States): 73.3 vs 24.
More matchups
Other comparisons with Massachusetts or Rhode Island.
- Alabama vs Massachusetts
- Alaska vs Massachusetts
- Arizona vs Massachusetts
- Arkansas vs Massachusetts
- California vs Massachusetts
- Colorado vs Massachusetts
- Connecticut vs Massachusetts
- Delaware vs Massachusetts
- Alabama vs Rhode Island
- Alaska vs Rhode Island
- Arizona vs Rhode Island
- Arkansas vs Rhode Island
- California vs Rhode Island
- Colorado vs Rhode Island
- Connecticut vs Rhode Island
- Delaware vs Rhode Island