Incorporated in 1677, East Greenwich is the eighth oldest municipality in Rhode Island. The original county seat for Kent County, it is centrally located in the West Bay area of Rhode Island about half way between Providence to the north and Narragansett to the south. 

According to the 2000 Census, there are 12,948 residents, 4,960 households and 3,541 families. About a third of the households have children under 18, and almost two-thirds of the households consist of married couples. The median income for a household in 2000 was $70,063.

East Greenwich consists mostly of suburban neighborhoods, but also has a vibrant Main Street with many restaurants and shops, as well as an active waterfront on Greenwich Cove that is shared by Goddard State Park, recreational boaters and the commercial shell fishing industry.