Land for Sale in Washington County, RI

Washington County, locally called South County, is the southwestern part of Rhode Island: 563 square miles, 329 of them land, with 129,839 residents (2020 census). Rhode Island has no county government, so each town sets its own zoning and tax rules. Rural towns like Exeter, Hopkinton, Richmond and Charlestown still hold woodland and farms, many enrolled in the state's Farm, Forest and Open Space (FFOS) program.

Washington County at a glance

  • Towns include South Kingstown, Charlestown, Richmond, Hopkinton, Exeter, Westerly, Narragansett and North Kingstown; New Shoreham is Block Island.
  • 2020 population 129,839; about 563 square miles, of which 329 are land.
  • Rhode Island counties serve only as court boundaries; towns provide local government.
  • Highways: Interstate 95, US 1 and Rhode Island 138.
  • The Farm, Forest and Open Space program classifies qualifying land for lower property tax.

The Washington County land market

Buyers look for building lots, small farms, woodland and shore-adjacent parcels in towns from South Kingstown to Hopkinton. Rural western towns have larger parcels. Each town's zoning controls minimum lot size and what can be built.

Farm, Forest and Open Space (FFOS) classification

Under Rhode Island's Farm, Forest and Open Space Act, qualifying land is taxed at a reduced value. Forest land generally needs at least 10 acres of managed forest, excluding a house lot, with a written forest stewardship plan prepared by a qualified forester. A farm unit is generally at least five acres actively devoted to agriculture with at least $2,500 in gross sales in one of the last two years and a current conservation plan. Open space is undeveloped land of 10 acres or more, excluding the house site, with exceptions for land in the town plan or under a conservation easement. Towns require annual renewal, and failing to renew can be treated as a voluntary withdrawal. When land is withdrawn or its use changes, a land use change tax can apply; bill text I found proposed a declining percentage of fair market value, but I could not confirm the current schedule, so ask the town assessor. Check each town's FFOS rules and the state DEM program.

Wetlands, septic and zoning

Rhode Island has strong freshwater wetland and coastal rules, and septic systems need state DEM approval, which often limits lots with high water tables or poor soils. A perc test and a wetland delineation are standard before buying. Towns control zoning, and some have growth limits. Many parcels in the rural towns rely on private wells.

Before you buy land in Washington County

  • FFOS enrollment and the land use change tax on any change.
  • Town zoning, minimum lot size and building lot status.
  • Wetlands, septic approval and flood zone.
  • Recorded legal access and road status.
  • Well, power and any conservation easement.

Perc tests and septic for raw landLand due diligence checklist

Frequently asked questions

What is FFOS in Rhode Island?

The Farm, Forest and Open Space program, which lowers property tax on qualifying farm, forest and open space land under conditions set by the state and each town.

Does Rhode Island have county government?

No. Counties serve only as court administrative boundaries, and towns handle local government.

What is South County?

The local name for Washington County, in southwestern Rhode Island.

Sources