Cranston vs Providence
Cranston, Rhode Island versus Providence, Rhode Island: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Cranston and Providence score about the same overall (50 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Cranston | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $83k | $61k |
| Cost of Living | $50k | $50k |
| Home Value | $326k | $293k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.56% | 1.46% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 7.00% | 7.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 14.43% | 15.30% |
| Unemployment | 5.6% | 7.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 30°F | 30°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.5 in | 47.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 36.6 in | 36.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 185 days | 185 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 108 days | 104 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 38.3 | 33.5 |
| Air Quality | 43 AQI | 41 AQI |
| School Quality | 76.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 506/100k | 1327/100k |
| Property Crime | 1156/100k | 2536/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 82,691 | 189,715 |
| Median Age | 39.9 | 32.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.46 | 0.71 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 0.94 |
| Political Leaning | D+23 | D+23 |
| White (%) | 66.3% | 34.4% |
| Black (%) | 4.5% | 12.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 18.3% | 42.6% |
| Asian (%) | 6.7% | 6.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.2% | 4.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 14.2/20 | 17.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 4 mi | 6 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.9% | 85.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 53.09 | 33.31 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Cranston or Providence more affordable?
- Providence has the lower cost of living: its index is $50k, compared with Cranston's $50k and Providence's $50k. Median rent is $1k in Cranston versus $1k in Providence.
- Is Cranston or Providence safer?
- Cranston has the lower violent crime rate. Cranston reports 506/100k and Providence reports 1327/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Cranston or Providence?
- The median home value is $326k in Cranston and $293k in Providence, so homes are more affordable in Providence.