From small seaport town to suburban city south of Providence
A string of settlements on the Pawtuxet River unified as the Town of Cranston in 1754. Over the next 270 years, Cranston evolved from a small seaport town into a busy industrial center and, finally, a suburban city. Samuel Alba, a Re/Max Innovations Realtor with more than 14 years of experience, says Cranston’s proximity to Providence is a large part of its appeal. “It’s very close,” he says of Rhode Island’s capital city, less than 6 miles north. “I see a lot of buyers who lived in Providence and decided to move to the suburbs. They still work in Providence, so they want to be close by, but they have families, so they move to Cranston for the schools,” Alba says. A Cranston local himself, Alba notes that he and his family moved to town for the schools, too. Its public schools aside, Cranston is the third-largest city in Rhode Island, with an upscale shopping district and an artsy “Little Italy” neighborhood. “It’s a nice, large town,” Alba says, “with different sectors, history and lots of character.”
Edgewood, RI, comes alive with vibrant autumn colors along the scenic Pawtuxet River.
Cranston is known for its waterfront properties that provide unmatched scenic beauty.
Capture the serene vibes of the Eden Park neighborhood in RI with this stunning aerial view.
Enjoy waterfront dining and yacht services at Rhode Island Yacht Club in Cranston, RI.
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Cape Cods and Colonials for below the Rhode Island median
Cranston’s Cape Cod, Colonial Revival and Federal single-family homes sell for between about $320,000 and $750,000. Some of the largest homes can go for between $799,000 and $1.5 million, but the city’s median is $432,950, about $50,000 lower than the state median. Condos in Cranston are also less expensive compared to the state, the median here being $296,000 compared to $352,250. Homes spend an average of 22 days on the market before going under contract, 9 days less than the state average.
Homeowners in Knightsville personalize their Cape Cod homes with gorgeous front porches.
In Forest Hills, neighbors are close, and front yards are a favorite place to relax.
Western Cranston, RI, offers a scenic stroll through its iconic Cape Cod and colonial homes.
Enjoy modern condo living in the vibrant Eden Park community, RI.
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More than 100 public playgrounds and athletic fields
“Cranston is full of parks, both public and private,” Alba says, adding that while the Providence River offers some waterfront activities on the city’s far east side, most recreation is on dry land. The Parks & Recreation Department maintains over 100 playgrounds and athletic fields, including dedicated pickleball courts and softball fields. Many school and youth recreational teams play games at the Cranston Stebbins Stadium complex, on the north end of town. Walking paths and tracks, most less than a mile long, are scattered throughout the city. The riverfront features yacht clubs and marinas, including the Rhode Island Yacht Club, where active, social and young-adult memberships are available. The private club has been a fixture at the mouth of Narragansett Bay since the late 1880s. On the city’s west side, the Cranston Country Club is nearly a century newer; it’s been owned and operated by the Lombardi family since the 1960s. Several Rhode Island Golf Association tournaments are held annually on the private country club’s 18-hole golf course.
Gorgeous waterfront views of Providence River defines the charm of living in Cranston, RI.
Thornton, RI, is home to Main Event Boxing, your destination for expert training.
Rhode Island Yacht Club blends dining and boating for a perfect experience in Cranston, RI.
Catch all the action at Cranston Stebbins Stadium during local football games in Cranston.
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Large bond funding new buildings for Cranston Public Schools
The Cranston Public Schools system earns a B grade from Niche. The district serves more than 10,000 kids, with a student-teacher ratio of 13-to-1. In 2020, Cranston Public Schools received a $147-million construction bond, the state’s biggest at the time, and used it to renovate Cranston High School West. The bond also funded two new elementary school buildings: Garden City School and Gladstone Street School. Garden City opened to students for the 2023-2024 year, while Gladstone Street School’s construction kicked off in July 2023.
Private schools in nearby Providence are among the highest-rated in the state. The Wheeler School and Moses Brown School both get A-plus grades from Niche, and rank No. 1 and 2 on Niche’s list of the best private schools in Rhode Island. Providence College, Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design, all private universities and big regional employers, are also located in Providence, within about 7 miles of Cranston.
Garden City School in Cranston, thrives with a 15 to 1 student-teacher ratio for success.
Experience the innovative programs at Hope Highland Middle School, in Cranston.
Cranston High School West excels in academics, making it a standout in Cranston, RI.
The Wheeler School in Providence offers top tier education from preschool to grade 12.
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Quick commute north to Providence
The Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport is less than 7 miles southeast of Cranston, about an 11-minute drive down Interstate 95. The interstate runs along the east side of the city and also connects north to Providence, a regional employment hub. The capital city is slightly over 5 miles away, a commute that can take between 15 and 30 minutes, depending on traffic. “There are areas that directly border Providence, so it’s just one step away, but if you live on the west side of Cranston, it’ll probably take you 25 minutes to get into downtown Providence,” Alba says. He adds that while the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority provides bus transportation throughout Cranston and the surrounding Providence metro, most residents travel by car. “Rhode Island tends to be very much car dependent. Everybody has their own vehicle, everybody drives themselves everywhere.”
Major city flights are just a short trip away for Cranston residents via T.F. Green Airport.
The I-95 highway offers a fast route for Cranston locals heading north to Providence.
Eden Park locals take the I-95 highway to quickly connect to nearby cities for work.
Catch the RIPTA bus in Cranston for a smooth and easy ride to Laurel Hill, RI.
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Garden City Center and Knightsville offer retailers, restaurants and host annual events
In central Cranston, Garden City Center is an open-air mall with restaurants and high-end retailers, both local stores and franchises. “You’ll see high school kids go to Garden City just to hang out and walk around, that’s how you know it’s a cool place that people gravitate to,” Alba says. He adds that the sleek plaza is also known for its events, from summer concerts to wreath-making workshops. “They also do a beer festival where they bring out local breweries and food trucks,” he says, referring to the annual Beer Garden City, which takes place in the fall.
The north end’s Knightsville neighborhood has an artsier vibe. The burgeoning dining and entertainment district is home to the Artists’ Exchange, a nonprofit arts collaborative that hosts regular classes and workshops for all ages. Its gallery displays works by student, beginner and professional artists; its theater showcases local, regional and national playwrights in the annual One Act Play Festival. “There’s been a lot of work lately put into sprucing up the area,” Alba says, observing that the historically Italian neighborhood remains known for its Italian businesses and eateries, similar to Providence’s Federal Hill. “The city is working to make Knightsville the new Federal Hill,” he says. In 1905, the neighborhood’s primarily Italian residents established the St. Mary’s Feast Society and celebrated their first namesake event. The annual St. Mary’s Feast has drawn crowds to Knightsville every year since, for food vendors, a carnival, an outdoor mass and fireworks.
Enjoy a fun day of shopping at Garden City Outdoor Mall in the Meshanticut area.
Blue Moon Pub offers a cozy spot for locals to relax and socialize in Cranston, RI.
Supporting arts and creativity, Artists' Exchange enriches the Cranston, RI, community.
Come to RI Nights Market for live music, gourmet food, and specialty drinks in Cranston, RI.
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Cranston Police Department reports three-year decline in crime
The Cranston Police Department reported a 0.41% increase in total offenses committed between 2022 and 2023. The department’s data also shows a 6.25% decline in total offenses during the three-year period between 2020 and 2023.
On average, homes in Cranston, RI sell after 30 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Cranston, RI over the last 12 months is $430,000, up 8% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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