Residential comparison · 13 facts
Cranston, RI vs Providence, RI
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Cranston needs about $84,000 in Providence to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Providence, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $86,000 in Cranston.
A few differences
- Cranston is higher on median household income ($90,206 vs $68,119).
- Providence is lower on cost of living index (103 vs 104).
- Providence is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,453/mo vs $1,483/mo).
Cranston vs Providence · facet by facet
| Facet | Cranston, RI | Providence, RI |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $378,300 | $362,200 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,483/mo | $1,453/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.4% | 1.4% |
| State & local income tax | 2.82% | 2.82% |
| Sales tax | 7% | 7% |
| Cost of living index | 104 | 103 |
| Groceries index | 105 | 105 |
| Utilities | $220/mo | $220/mo |
| Median household income | $90,206 | $68,119 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.2% |
| Crime index | 30/100 | 30/100 |
| School rating | 6.2/10 | 6.2/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 200 days | 200 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Cranston, RI · Providence, RI
Questions & answers
- Is Cranston cheaper than Providence?
- Providence has the lower day-to-day cost index (103 vs 104 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Providence equals $85,000 in Cranston?
- A household earning $85,000 in Cranston needs about $84,000 in Providence to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Providence lifestyle costs about $86,000 in Cranston.