Upper South Providence, Providence, Rhode Island

Upper South Providence is an official neighborhood in the South Side in the city of Providence, Rhode Island. It is bound to the north by Interstate 95, the east by the Providence River, to the south by Public Street, and the west by Broad Street. Often associated with Lower South Providence directly to its south, Upper South Providence is a distinct neighborhood.

History

After the founding of Providence, the area that is today Upper South Providence Between 1754-1868, the neighborhood and areas south were part of the city of Cranston, Rhode Island. The area did not witness substantial development until the industrialization of the late 19th century, when it attracted Irish and Jewish immigrants.

Government

All of Upper South Providence is in Ward 11. This ward is represented in the Providence City Council by Balbina A. Young, a Democrat.

Demographics

41.2% of residents in Upper South Providence are Hispanic and 34% are African-American. Citywide, Hispanics comprise 30% of the population and African-Americans 14.5%. 28.7% of the population is White, 2.6% are Asian or Pacific Islander, and 2.6 are Native-American.

Nearly half of all public school children under the age of six speak a language other than English as their primary language. This is below the city-wide average of 54%.

The Upper South Side continues to struggle with entrenched poverty. The...
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