Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Cranston, RI

    Is Cranston a good place to live?

    Watch Cranston

    Cranston ranks #2 of 7 Rhode Island cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (67/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.1% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $348,800
    +7.0% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,332
    per month
    Household income
    $87,716
    median
    Unemployment
    5.8%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Cranston

    The median home value in Cranston is $348,800 and median rent is $1,332 a month, against a median household income of $87,716. Homes cost about 4.0× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Cranston crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Rhode Island the 2025 rate was 146 violent and 921 property crimes per 100,000 people — #47 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Cranston, RI

    Cranston has about 82,632 residents, 5.8% unemployment and 22% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Cranston with

    Cranston vs ProvidenceCranston vs WarwickCranston vs PawtucketCranston vs East ProvidenceCranston vs WoonsocketCranston vs Newport

    More: Where to move in Rhode Island · Best counties in Rhode Island

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report