Salaries in Central Falls, RI

Here’s a surprising truth about Central Falls: for a city of just 22,481 people, it’s got an unemployment rate of 3.8%—lower than the national average. You’d expect a place this small to be struggling, but the job market is tighter than you think.

But let’s talk real money. The city’s cost of living sits at 100.9, just a hair above the U.S. average. That might sound like a wash, but it matters when your median household income is only $45,921. A one-bedroom apartment runs you $1,362 a month. It’s not the Bay Area, but it’s not cheap, either. You’re not getting a bargain here; you’re paying a slight premium on a modest income. The COL-adjusted average salary of $56,650 feels a bit squeezed when rent eats up nearly a third of that.

So who’s actually making a go of it? The top earners are a familiar mix: software developers ($127k), accountants, and registered nurses (both around $86k). It’s a classic blue-collar-meets-white-collar economy. You’ve got manufacturing and healthcare anchoring things—Centredale Manor Restoration Project and the local school system are big employers—but the real money is in roles you can do remotely or for a regional firm. I was a bit surprised to see software developers at the very top; you don’t typically associate a dense, old mill city with tech salaries, but here we are.

Here’s the honest catch: wages for most people (think teachers, electricians) are just above $60k. That sounds okay until you do the math on rent and groceries. The city works well if you’re in one of those top five professions or you own a home already. For everyone else, it’s a tightrope walk.

The data below breaks it all down—the good, the bad, and the just-getting-by.