Town Hall · Newport

Newport, RI town hall & government

Newport spent $187.8 million in the year to June 30, 2023, about $7,464 per resident.

Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach Newport's government.

Town budget

Where Newport's money goes

Spent
$187.8 million
fiscal year to June 30, 2023
Per resident
$7,464
spending per person
Long-term debt
$231.9 million
$9,220 per resident
Schools
$57.1 million30%
Fire
$21.1 million11%
Police
$19.3 million10%
Water & other utilities
$16.9 million9%
Sewer & trash
$14.5 million8%
Health & welfare
$12.8 million7%
Administration & buildings
$7.9 million4%
Interest on debt
$6.6 million4%
Roads & transportation
$3.4 million2%
Parks & libraries
$2 million1%
Courts, inspections & corrections
$1.6 million1%
Paid to other governments
$927,000<1%
Housing & development
$715,000<1%
Other
$22.9 million12%

Newport runs its own schools, so school spending is part of its budget. Comparisons are with other Rhode Island cities.

Where the money comes from

  • Property taxes 44%
  • From the state 19%
  • Fees & charges 17%
  • Utility sales 10%
  • Interest, fines & other 4%
  • Sales taxes 4%
  • Other taxes & licenses 1%
  • From other local governments 1%
  • From the federal government <1%
Town workforce

Who works for Newport

Full-time staff
799
128 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$80,400
a year, before benefits
Sworn police officers
82
and 102 full-time firefighters
Schools
423 full-time72 part
Police
101 full-time34 part
Fire
103 full-time
Water & other utilities
64 full-time
Administration & buildings
44 full-time7 part
Parks & libraries
22 full-time9 part
Roads & transportation
17 full-time
Courts, inspections & corrections
4 full-time4 part
Housing & development
5 full-time2 part
Sewer & trash
2 full-time
Other
14 full-time

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2025. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate.

Schools · school year 2023–24

Newport School District

Newport's K–12 school district. The schools are run by Newport, so this money is part of the budget above.

Spending per pupil
$28,912
Rhode Island: $23,945
Students
1,856
in the whole district
Long-term debt
$115.9 million
at year end

Where the district's money comes from Rhode Island districts overall: 48% local, 40% state, 13% federal

  • Local 51%
  • State 32%
  • Federal 17%

Of the $28,912 per pupil, $17,371 goes to classroom instruction (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to support services such as buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren't in the per-pupil figure.

Property tax

What homeowners in Newport pay

Typical tax bill
$5,264
a year · Rhode Island typical $4,900
Effective rate
0.70%
of home value · Rhode Island 1.21%
Typical home value
$746,900
owner-occupied

The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Local

Contact Newport's government

🏛️ Official websitecityofnewport.com ↗

Town hall & decisions in Newport →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Newport

Newport is represented in Congress by Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Representative Gabe Amo. Dan McKee is governor.

All of Newport's representatives, with contacts →

Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

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Newport

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01