Quote:
Originally Posted by Docere
Overall is Rhode Island more similar to Massachusetts or Connecticut?
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It's not remotely close: Massachusetts, all the way. The only difference between Southeastern Mass and Rhode Island is that RI is somehow even more Portuguese. Which is a good thing, if you've ever had the pleasure of living around your pick of Portuguese bakeries and a lot of hot mixed Irish-Portuguese ladies/men. Oh, and I guess whether you root for the Sawks or the Sahks.
RI and Southeast Mass share that last bit of blue collar, industrial Southern New England culture that is now totally absent from Connecticut. Places like Brockton, Taunton, Attleboro, Pawtucket, and East Providence. The old "Costume Jewelry Belt," where as late as the 1990s some 80% of the country's inexpensive jewelry was made. If you have a high school or university class ring, it was probably made in one of those towns. Especially Attleboro (Balfour). And then you have the the whaling ports which still share a healthy commercial fishing culture: Fall River, New Bedford, Bristol, and Newport.
You could make an argument that deep South County - Westerly and abouts - are indistinguishable from the New London area. I can buy that, but that's only around 10% of the RI's population. Everybody else lives within 15 miles of the MA border. Just like in New Hampshire.