Rhode Island

Newport

85,643
2020 population
1790
first census record
24
census records

About Newport

Newport, Rhode Island, first appears in the United States federal census in 1790, when it recorded a population of 14,300. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 85,643.

Its recorded population peaked at 94,559 in 1970, and has since declined by roughly 9 percent.

On the ground today, 4 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Siege of Newport (British occupation), British Occupation of Newport, Battle of Rhode Island, and 124 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
202085,643
201082,888
200085,433
199087,194
198081,383
197094,559
196081,891
195061,539
194046,696
193041,668
192042,893
191039,335
190032,599
189028,552
188024,180
187020,050
186021,896
185020,007
184016,874
183016,535
182015,771
181016,294
180014,845
179014,300
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in Newport

Military engagements that took place in Newport, Rhode Island.

Siege of Newport (British occupation)
1776
British Occupation of Newport
1776
Battle of Rhode Island
1778
Action at Tiverton (Rhode Island)
1778

Historic places in Newport

National Register of Historic Places listings in Newport, Rhode Island.

Fort Adams
Newport
Gale, Levi H., House
Newport
Touro Synagogue National Historic Site
Newport
Tillinghast, John, House
Newport
Clarke Street Meeting House
Newport
Portsmouth Friends Meetinghouse Parsonage and Cemetery
Portsmouth
St. George's School-Church of St. George, Little Chapel, and Memorial Schoolhouse
Middletown
King, Edward, House
Newport
Griswold, John, House
Newport
Rosecliff
Newport
Newport Historic District (Additional Documentation)
Newport
Horsehead-Marbella
Jamestown
Kay Street-Catherine Street-Old Beach Road Historic District
Newport
Newport Steam Factory
Newport
Conanicut Battery
Jamestown
Trinity Church
Newport
Tiverton Four Corners Historic District
Tiverton
Redwood Library
Newport
Ocean Drive Historic District
Newport
Perry Mill
Newport
Miantonomi Memorial Park
Newport
Newport Harbor Lighthouse
Newport
CORONET (Wooden Hull Schooner Yacht)
Newport
Ochre Point-Cliffs Historic District
Newport
Browse all Rhode Islandhistoric sites ›

Other counties in Rhode Island

Explore census history and historic records for more Rhode Island counties.

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Everything a full report reveals about Newport County, Rhode Island

This page charts the census history of Newport County, Rhode Island. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about Newport

When does Newport first appear in the US census?
Newport, Rhode Island first appears in the federal census in 1790, with a recorded population of 14,300.
What is the population of Newport?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Newport had a recorded population of 85,643.
When did Newport's population peak?
Newport's recorded population peaked at 94,559 in 1970.
Were any battles fought in Newport?
4 documented military engagements took place in Newport, including Siege of Newport (British occupation), British Occupation of Newport, Battle of Rhode Island.
How many historic places are in Newport?
124 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Newport, Rhode Island.
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