Population 83,537 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Cranston
Household size in Cranston
| Period | Cranston | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.49 | 2.53 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.51 | 2.54 | 2.52 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.53 | 2.49 | 2.49 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.04 | −0.05 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Cranston run a little small, averaging 2.53 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.49, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the north and smallest in the south.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Cranston
| Period | Cranston | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.9 | 39.5 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.3 | 40.5 | 40.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.6 | 41.4 | 41.4 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.6 | 41.7 | 41.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.3 | +2.2 | +2.2 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Cranston are younger than 40.6 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has edged down from 40.9 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. The youngest areas are in the northeast, the oldest in the west.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Cranston
| Period | Cranston | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.2% | 12.5% | 12.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.5% | 12.4% | 12.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.8% | 11.9% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.0% | 12.1% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in twelve households in Cranston (9.0%), below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 1.1 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Cranston
Renters in Cranston
| Period | Cranston | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.2% | 37.0% | 37.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 34.7% | 39.0% | 39.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.7% | 38.6% | 39.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 32.5% | 36.8% | 36.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | −0.1 pts | −1.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Cranston is about as common as it is nationally: 32.5% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a smaller share here than in the wider Providence area (36.8%). About three in ten owners (30.3%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the north and least common in the southwest.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Cranston
| Period | Cranston | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.9% | 10.3% | 11.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.1% | 10.5% | 11.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.0% | 10.7% | 12.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.3% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 5.3% of homes in Cranston are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Vacancy has fallen 2.6 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Cranston
| Period | Cranston | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1956 | 1959 | 1957 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1957 | 1959 | 1958 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1958 | 1960 | 1959 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1959 | 1962 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
Cranston is a place of older homes: half were built before 1959, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1956 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the east has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Cranston
| Period | Cranston | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $976 | $928 | $941 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $992 | $974 | $988 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,169 | $1,103 | $1,123 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,433 | $1,439 | $1,448 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$457 | +$511 | +$507 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Cranston costs $1,433 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $457 a month since 2006–10, up 47%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 28.9% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Cranston
Bachelor's degrees in Cranston
| Period | Cranston | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.3% | 28.5% | 30.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 30.2% | 29.6% | 31.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.2% | 32.4% | 34.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 36.5% | 35.2% | 37.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.2 pts | +6.7 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Cranston as nationally: 36.5% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 6.2 points, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the center and least in the north.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Cranston
| Period | Cranston | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.6% | 82.1% | 83.2% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.6% | 83.9% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.2% | 87.5% | 88.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.0% | 88.3% | 89.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.4 pts | +6.2 pts | +6.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Cranston have finished high school as nationally: 90.0%, against 89.3%. The rate is higher than in the wider Providence area (88.3%). The share with a diploma is up 4.4 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Cranston
| Period | Cranston | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 8.5% | 8.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.3% | 10.0% | 9.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.1% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.0% | 5.8% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Cranston is close to the national rate: 6.0% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.1 points, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Cranston compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cranston | 2.53 | 40.6 | 9.0% | 32.5% | 5.3% | 1959 | $1,433 | 36.5% | 90.0% | 6.0% |
| Providence area | 2.49 | 41.7 | 12.1% | 36.8% | 7.9% | 1962 | $1,439 | 35.2% | 88.3% | 5.8% |
| Johnston | 2.54 | 45.4 | 12.5% | 24.1% | 6.2% | 1968 | $1,435 | 29.3% | 91.1% | 7.5% |
| Warwick | 2.36 | 43.8 | 9.8% | 26.4% | 5.2% | 1960 | $1,402 | 31.7% | 92.9% | 5.1% |
| Riverside | 2.26 | 45.4 | 9.1% | 37.2% | 5.4% | 1961 | $1,247 | 34.1% | 92.2% | 6.9% |
| East Providence | 2.31 | 43.9 | 12.0% | 45.6% | 7.6% | 1955 | $1,307 | 27.4% | 84.0% | 4.4% |
| North Providence | 2.33 | 39.8 | 13.1% | 35.3% | 6.3% | 1960 | $1,438 | 35.1% | 92.7% | 4.6% |
| West Warwick | 2.23 | 43.2 | 12.0% | 43.0% | 7.1% | 1962 | $1,357 | 25.4% | 91.0% | 4.1% |
| Hope | 2.79 | 46.1 | 8.7% | 6.0% | 6.2% | 1976 | $1,531 | 33.2% | 96.4% | 1.3% |
| Rumford | 2.26 | 46.4 | 7.7% | 35.4% | 4.5% | 1955 | $1,144 | 39.7% | 89.8% | 5.7% |
| Barrington | 2.70 | 45.1 | 10.6% | 12.1% | 4.6% | 1955 | $2,196 | 71.6% | 98.1% | 3.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Cedar Rapids, IA · Carmel, IN · Apple Valley, CA · Arlington, TX · Arlington, VA · Baytown, TX · Atlanta, GA · Bellflower, CA · Acworth, GA · Alafaya, FL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Cranston. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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