East Greenwich is geographically located in the center of the State of Rhode Island, fifteen miles south of the state capitol in Providence. East Greenwich is the eighth oldest community in the state.  The town faces picturesque Narragansett Bay, and has the beauty and appeal of a seaport setting. Green hills, blue water, and quaint historic homes combine to produce a uniquely charming atmosphere.  East Greenwich was owned and inhabited by the Narragansett Indian Tribe. By the King's Commission in 1665, East Greenwich was acquired with the rest of the Narragansett Country as part of the Colony of Rhode Island. East Greenwich was incorporated as a town in 1677, when the Rhode Island General Assembly granted land to 48 men who served during the Wampauag Indian War, also known as the King Philip's War. The town was named for East Greenwich, in County Kent, England. The name East Greenwich, Rhode Island, was changed to Dedford in 1688. In 1689 however, Dedford became East Greenwich once again.  In 1750 East Greenwich become a seat of State Government because of its advantageous location. It provided a protected harbor on Narragansett Bay and had become an important port specializing in ship building and fishing. The town became the county seat of Kent County and the General Assembly met in the town on a rotating basis from 1750 to 1854.  Today, East Greenwich is an economically thriving community ideally located, compactly planned, culturally diverse, with distinctive urban, suburban and rural characteristics and a quintessential main street. East Greenwich claims a distinction and individuality all its own.

Government in East Greenwich, Rhode Island  

East Greenwich Established in 1677
East Greenwich Form of Government :Town Manager and a five-member Town Council elected at large.
East Greenwich Council Meetings: The second Tuesday and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM. Financial Town Meeting held the second Wednesday in June at 6:30.
East Greenwich Fiscal Year Begins: July 1

East Greenwich Town Hall
125 Main Street
East Greenwich, Rhode Island 02818
Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

East Greenwich General Demographic Characteristics

• East Greenwich Population: The population count for The Town of East Greenwich as of April 1, 2005, was 12,948. This represented a 9.13% increase (1,083 persons) from the 1990 population of 11,865.
• East Greenwich Rank: In 2005 East Greenwich ranks 26th in population among Rhode Island's 39 cities and towns.
• East Greenwich Median Age: In 2005 the median age of the population in East Greenwich was 40.5.
• East Greenwich Age Distribution: In 2005, 72.5% or 9,384 persons residing in East Greenwich were 18 years of age or older. 9,087 were 21 and over, 2,072 were 62 and over, and 1,756 were 65 and over.
• East Greenwich Population Density: The 2005 population density of East Greenwich is 781 persons per square mile of land area. East Greenwich contains 16.58 square miles of land area (42,937,848 Sq. meters) (10,610.26 acres) and 0.14 square miles of water area (352,593 square meters) (89.6 acres).
• East Greenwich Housing Units: The total number of housing units in the The Town of East Greenwich as of April 1, 2005, was 5,226. This represented an increase of 563 units from the 4,663 housing units in 1990. Of the 5,226 housing units 266 were vacant. 44 of the vacant units were for seasonal of recreational use.
• East Greenwich Households: In 2005, there are 4,960 households in East Greenwich with an average size of 2.58 persons. Of these, 3,542 were family households with an average family size of 3.12 persons.
• East Greenwich Race:
  > East Greenwich Total Population of One Race: 12,842
  > East Greenwich White Population: 12,383
  > East Greenwich Black of African American: 89
  > East Greenwich American Indian and Alaska Native: 8
  > East Greenwich Asian Population: 324
  > East Greenwich Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: 1
  > Some Other Race in East Greenwich: 37
  > East Greenwich Total Population of two or More Races: 106
  > East Greenwich Hispanic or Latino: In 2005, 117 persons of Hispanic origin resided in East Greenwich. This represented 0.9% of the population. An increase of 40 or 51.9% from the 1980 Hispanic population of 77. 
                                                          
                                   East Greenwich, Rhode Island Official Web Site