Barrington is a suburban, residential town in Bristol County, Rhode Island. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 16,310. Located approximately 7mi southeast of Providence, the town was founded by Congregationalist separatists from Swansea, Massachusetts.Following its incorporation in 1711, Barrington was ceded to Rhode Island and merged into Warren, though its independence was later restored by the Rhode Island legislature. Barrington was a sparsely developed, agricultural community until the arrival of brickmaking companies in the 1850s, which employed large numbers of French-Canadians and Italians. The construction of a railroad to Providence in 1855 further contributed to suburban development, attracting residents of neighboring urban areas and contributing to the development of manufacturing industries. Along with the increasing availability of the automobile, the baby boom furthered existing suburbanization trends, resulting in a large population increase.Schools were constructed throughout the 1950s to accommodate this population. Three Barrington schools are National Blue Ribbon Schools, and its high school was ranked No. 200 in the United States by Newsweek in 2014. Money noted the appeal of Barrington's high test scores and relative affordability, naming it one of the best places to live in the United States.
