What Hardiness Zone Is Rhode Island?

USDA 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map · 88 ZIP codes · Data updated 2026-10-28

Quick answer

Rhode Island spans USDA hardiness zones 6b–7b on the 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map. The most common zone is 7a, covering 53% of Rhode Island's ZIP codes, followed by zone 6b (45%). Zone 7a means the coldest night of an average winter reaches 0°F to 5°F (−18°C to −15°C). Enter your ZIP code for your exact zone.

Rhode Island hardiness zones by share of ZIP codes

Zone 6b45% · 40 ZIPs

Zone 7a53% · 47 ZIPs

Zone 7b1% · 1 ZIP

What the zones mean for Rhode Island gardeners

Coldest and warmest towns: among towns with NOAA weather stations, N Foster 1 E (630 ft) is in zone 6b, while Newport Rose (15 ft) is in zone 7a. That is a difference of about 5°F in the coldest night of a typical winter.
Same zone, different frost dates: within zone 7a, the median last spring frost ranges from April 7 at Newport Rose to April 27 at Kingston 1 NW, 20 days apart. Your zone tells you which perennials survive winter; your frost dates tell you when to plant.

Typical frost dates in each Rhode Island zone

Medians across NOAA weather stations in each zone. Colder zones usually have later spring frosts, but local terrain can shift the dates by weeks.

Zone	Last spring frost	First fall frost	Stations
6b	April 25	October 19	5
7a	April 11	November 1	6

Hardiness zones for Rhode Island cities

Zones at the National Weather Service stations, mostly city airports, with their median frost dates.


Kingston 1 NW	7a	0°F to 5°F	115	Apr 27	Oct 15
Kingston 1 W	6b	−5°F to 0°F	106	May 1	Oct 12
Newport State Airport	7a	0°F to 5°F	172	Apr 11	Nov 4
Providence T F Green Airport	7a	0°F to 5°F	60	Apr 11	Oct 30
Westerly State Airport	7a	0°F to 5°F	81	Apr 11	Oct 31

Hardiness zones for 11 towns in Rhode Island

Each NOAA weather station is shown with the USDA zone of the nearest ZIP code (within 8 miles). Coldest night is the zone's range for the average annual extreme minimum temperature. Click a column to sort.

Filter by town


Coventry 2	6b	−5°F to 0°F	280	Apr 22	Oct 20
Kingston	6b	−5°F to 0°F	117	May 3	Oct 8
Kingston 1 NW	7a	0°F to 5°F	115	Apr 27	Oct 15
Kingston 1 W	6b	−5°F to 0°F	106	May 1	Oct 12
N Foster 1 E	6b	−5°F to 0°F	630	Apr 25	Oct 19
Newport Rose	7a	0°F to 5°F	15	Apr 7	Nov 13
Newport State Airport	7a	0°F to 5°F	172	Apr 11	Nov 4
Providence T F Green Airport	7a	0°F to 5°F	60	Apr 11	Oct 30
Tiverton	7a	0°F to 5°F	90	Apr 11	Nov 2
Westerly State Airport	7a	0°F to 5°F	81	Apr 11	Oct 31
Woonsocket	6b	−5°F to 0°F	110	Apr 22	Oct 19

Frequently asked questions

What hardiness zone is Rhode Island?

Rhode Island is in USDA hardiness zones 6b–7b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zone 7a is the most common, covering 53% of Rhode Island's ZIP codes, and zone 6b covers 45%. Enter your ZIP code for your exact zone.

What does zone 7a mean?

Zone 7a means the average annual extreme minimum temperature, the coldest night of a typical winter, is 0°F to 5°F (−18°C to −15°C). Perennials, shrubs and trees rated for zone 7a or colder should survive winter there.

What is the coldest hardiness zone in Rhode Island?

Zone 6b is the coldest zone mapped in Rhode Island, found around N Foster 1 E, and zone 7b is the warmest.

Did Rhode Island's hardiness zones change in 2023?

The USDA released a new Plant Hardiness Zone Map in November 2023, based on 1991–2020 temperatures instead of 1976–2005. About half of the United States shifted half a zone warmer. Check your ZIP code here, because plant tags and older books may still list your 2012 zone.

When should I plant in zone 7a?

Hardiness zones don't set planting dates; frost dates do. Inside zone 7a in Rhode Island, the median last spring frost varies from April 7 to April 27. Look up your local frost dates and plant tender crops such as tomatoes after the 10%-risk last-frost date.

Zone and frost dates: use both

Your hardiness zone answers one question: will this plant survive the winter here? Choose perennials, shrubs, trees and bulbs rated for your zone or a colder one. For vegetables and annuals, what matters is the length of the frost-free season. See Rhode Island frost dates by town, or get a planting calendar for your ZIP code with start-indoors, transplant and sowing dates for 30 crops.

Sources and method

Zones are from the USDA 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP-code files published by the PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University, based on 1991–2020 minimum temperatures. ZIP codes are assigned to states by USPS prefix. Town zones use the ZIP code nearest each NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals station. This is an independent tool, not an official USDA site. Full methodology.