Rhode Island spends the most in the nation on fire protection and is among the top 10 states for police protection spending per capita, according to an Aug. 31 report from the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council.
Rhode Island ranks first nationally in fire protection spending per capita and relative to personal income, based on fiscal 2024 data, the most recent available. Police protection spending ranks ninth per capita and sixth relative to personal income.
The report found there is little evidence that the state has a greater need for these services.
The state has among the five lowest crime rates in the nation. And Michael DiBiase, CEO and president of RIPEC, said, ‘There is no evidence that Rhode Island experiences high levels of fire activity relative to other states.”
Police and fire protection together accounted for 25.8% of all municipal spending in fiscal 2024, according to RIPEC. The state also had the highest number of professional firefighters per capita in the country in 2025, with nearly twice as many as the national average.
Pension costs were a significant factor in public safety spending, according to the report. In fiscal 2024, pensions accounted for 28.6% of fire spending and 22.9% of police spending.
