Moving to Block Island: Pros, Cons & What to Know
Moving to Block Island means moving to a real, legally incorporated town (New Shoreham) whose entire land area is the island itself -- a genuinely different relocation reality than any mainland Rhode Island town.
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Learn moreReal, structural ferry- or small-aircraft-only access
Block Island has no bridge or mainland road connection -- every vehicle, most goods, and most residents' travel depend on ferry service (year-round via Point Judith) or Block Island State Airport (base record).
A real, dramatic seasonal population swing
The island's year-round population of approximately 1,410-1,419 can swell to as many as 14,000-20,000 people present on a given summer day between July and Labor Day -- a defining, disclosed structural feature of island life (base record).
New Shoreham's real, lowest-in-Rhode-Island property tax rate
New Shoreham's 2026 property tax rate ($4.26 per $1,000 assessed value, approximately 0.426%) is cited as the lowest of any Rhode Island municipality (base record).
A real, dramatically expensive housing entry point
Block Island's $2,445,000 median sale price (June 2026) reflects genuine land scarcity and a luxury/second-home market character -- a real, disclosed barrier to entry (base record).
Key takeaways
- Block Island has no mainland road access -- ferry or small aircraft are the only ways on or off the island.
- The island's population swells dramatically each summer, a real structural feature of daily life for part of the year.
- New Shoreham's property tax rate is cited as Rhode Island's lowest for 2026.
- Housing runs genuinely, dramatically expensive given real land scarcity.
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