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Is Cranston, RI a Good Place to Live?
Cranston is a mid-sized city of 82,691 in Rhode Island, with a median household income of $83,123 and a 5.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 101 (US average = 100), which is 1% above the national average.
Strengths: Cranston stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B+), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Cranston is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Cranston city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 100.9Cranston's overall cost of living index is 100.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Cranston costs roughly 1% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Cranston, RI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $326,000 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,270 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 65.8% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $83,123 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeCranston's violent crime rate is 93.1 per 100,000 residents — 76% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Cranston is served primarily by Cranston. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.6:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Cranston, RI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Cranston | — |
| Elementary Schools | 14 | — |
| Middle Schools | 4 | — |
| High Schools | 4 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 12.6:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.0% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 90.1% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Cranston sees average highs of 38.3°F in January and 83.6°F in July, with 47.5 inches of annual precipitation and 36.6 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Cranston, RI |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 38.3°F |
| Average High — July | 83.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 36.6" |
Demographics
| Metric | Cranston, RI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 82,691 | — |
| Median Age | 39.9 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 23.9 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 72.5% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 5.1% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12.3% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 6.9% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 19.6% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 16.5% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Cranston
Cranston, RI is covered by 5 ZIP codes: