One of the oldest towns in North America, Barrington was established over 250 years ago. The land upon which Barrington now sits belonged to the Wampanoag Indians, of which the Crown payed 35 pounds for their lands which encompassed Barrington and its surroundings.

Since that time, Barrington has grown significantly, from a town with less than 200 residents, to a town with over 15,000. Barrington grew the most from the period starting in 1848 and lasting till 1920, in which it went from 800 to over 4,000 residents. The rapid growth rate is attributed to the baby boom, continuation of the suburbanization trend, spurred now by the automobile, a highly rated school system, close proximity to Providence, and the perception that Barrington is a good place to raise kids.

Barrington is located in Bristol County southeast of Providence on a Narragansett Bay inlet between West Barrington and Warren along Highway 103. Barrington is part of the Providence-Fall River-Warwick metro area.