Cranston, Rhode Island
Cranston is a city of 83,250 people in Providence County, Rhode Island, founded in 1754.
Why visit Cranston
Townapedia lists 101 museums and landmarks, 49 parks and trails, 207 places to eat, 15 places to stay and 21 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Roger Williams Park Zoo, Park Theater, Governor William Sprague Mansion and Roger Williams Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 22°F, and about 37 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Cranston
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Cranston
Cranston, formerly known as Pawtuxet, is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. Its official population in the 2020 United States Census was 82,934, making it the second-largest city in the state. The center of population of Rhode Island is located in Cranston; it is a part of the Providence metropolitan area.
From the Wikipedia article Cranston, Rhode Island (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do21
Roger Williams Park Zoo
Zoo and aquarium · 3.7 mi
1000 Elmwood Ave, Providence
9 more on the map.
Museums and landmarks101
Governor William Sprague Mansion
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Building in Rhode Island, United States
1351 Cranston Street, Cranston
Roger Williams Park
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.9 mi
Historic park in Rhode Island, United States
Allendale Mill
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.6 mi
Historic district in North Providence, Rhode Island
American Brewing Company Plant
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.6 mi
Historic industrial building in Providence, Rhode Island, USA
American Street School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.7 mi
Historic school in Providence, Rhode Island
Arkwright Bridge
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.2 mi
Bridge in United States of America
Beaman and Smith Company Mill
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.3 mi
Historic industrial building in Providence, Rhode Island, USA
Belknap School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.4 mi
Historical building in Johnston, Rhode Island
Bell Street Chapel
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.2 mi
Historic church in Rhode Island, United States
Bridgham–Arch–Wilson Streets Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.2 mi
Historic district in Rhode Island, United States
Broadway-Armory Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.3 mi
Historic district in Providence, Rhode Island
Budlong Farm
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.3 mi
Historic house in Rhode Island, United States
89 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds49
37 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes207
Bettola
Restaurant · Italian, Pizza, Pasta · 2.6 mi
44 Rolfe Square, Cranston
Mo-We 16:30-21:00; Th,Su 11:30-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:30-22:00
Chelo's Hometown Bar & Grille
Restaurant · Burger · 4.0 mi
2225 Post Road, Warwick
Mo-Th 11:30-22:30; Fr,Sa 11:30-23:30; Su 11:30-22:00
Ebisu
Restaurant · Japanese · 3.0 mi
38 Pontiac Avenue, Providence
Mo-Th 11:00-14:30,16:30-22:00; Fr 11:00-14:30,16:30-22:30; Sa...
The Gentleman Cigar Lounge
Bar and pub · 2.5 mi
Please note our dress code: No hoods or sleeveless shirts for gentleman. Thank you.
100 East Street
Mo-We 16:00-01:00; Th-Su 14:00-01:00
195 more on the map.
History
Much of the land was purchased by Roger Williams from the Narragansett Indians in 1638 as part of the Pawtuxet Purchase, and the first settler in the area was William Arnold, who was followed shortly by William Harris, William Carpenter, and Zachariah Rhodes. Stephen Arnold, a brother-in-law of Rhodes and William Arnold's, built a gristmill on the Pawtuxet Falls, and laid out the Arnold Road (modern-day Broad Street) connecting it to the Pequot Trail leading to Connecticut. Arnold's son Benedict Arnold became the first governor of Rhode Island under the charter of 1663. Residents could not agree on a name for a new town for decades, and the Town of Cranston was eventually created by the General Assembly in 1754 from a portion of Providence north of the Pawtuxet River. Historians debate whether the town was named after Governor Samuel Cranston, the longest-serving Rhode Island governor, or his grandson Thomas Cranston, who was serving as speaker of the Rhode Island House of Representatives when the town was created.
From the History section of Cranston, Rhode Island on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay15
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Warwick-Providence (Airport)
Motel and hotel · 3.8 mi
901 Jefferson Boulevard, Warwick
Churches and places of worship73
Saint Bartholomew Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 3.1 mi
297 Laurel Hill Avenue, Providence
Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation
Church · Greek Orthodox · 0.7 mi
175 Oaklawn Avenue, Cranston
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 1.3 mi
237 Garden Hills Drive, Cranston
Shopping54
Gas and EV charging39
Schools, colleges and libraries113
Providence Community Library: Knight Memorial Library
Library · 3.9 mi
275 Elmwood Avenue, Providence
Healthcare9
Map of Cranston
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°F | 22°F | 4.0 in | 10.3 in |
| Feb | 40°F | 24°F | 3.4 in | 10.5 in |
| Mar | 48°F | 30°F | 4.9 in | 6.4 in |
| Apr | 59°F | 40°F | 4.3 in | 0.6 in |
| May | 69°F | 49°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 78°F | 59°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 84°F | 65°F | 2.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 82°F | 64°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 75°F | 56°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 64°F | 45°F | 4.2 in | 0.2 in |
| Nov | 53°F | 36°F | 4.3 in | 1.0 in |
| Dec | 43°F | 28°F | 4.7 in | 7.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Providence T F Green Ap Hcn 72507 (4 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Providence County has had 17 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2024-03-20: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2024-03-20: Severe Storm And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2024-01-07: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
- 2022-05-12: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2021-08-21: Hurricane Henri (Hurricane)
- 2020-03-30: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport (PVD) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 4 miles away.
- Providence 5 mi northeast, about 8 min by car
- East Providence 7 mi east, about 11 min by car
- Central Falls 10 mi northeast, about 15 min by car
- Attleboro 15 mi northeast, about 24 min by car
- North Attleborough Town 16 mi northeast, about 26 min by car
- Somerset 17 mi east, about 27 min by car
- Fall River 21 mi east, about 33 min by car
- Newport 21 mi south, about 34 min by car
- Taunton 22 mi northeast, about 36 min by car
- Franklin Town 22 mi north, about 36 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Cranston, Rhode Island, thisisbossi, CC BY-SA 2.0
- CranstonRI NathanWestcottHouse, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 3.0
- CranstonRI SheldonHouse, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 3.0
- CranstonRI JoyHomestead, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 3.0
- CranstonRI 1812FoundryRuins 1, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 3.0
- CranstonRI 1812FoundryRuins 3, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 3.0
- CranstonRI 1812FoundryRuins 2, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 3.0
- CranstonRI Westcote, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 3.0
- CranstonRI OakLawnHD 5, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 3.0
- CranstonRI OakLawnHD 1, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 3.0
- CranstonRI OakLawnHD 4, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 3.0
- CranstonRI OakLawn GrangeHall, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 3.0
- CranstonRI OakLawnHD 3, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 3.0
- CranstonRI OakLawnHD 2, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 3.0
- CranstonRI ThomasFennerHouse, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Walmart (Cranston, Rhode Island) (51597753539), JJBers from Willimantic, Connecticut, USA, CC BY 2.0
- McDonald's (Cranston, Rhode Island) (51596270787), JJBers from Willimantic, Connecticut, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Dollar Tree (Cranston, Rhode Island) (51597089586), JJBers from Willimantic, Connecticut, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Planet Fitness (Cranston, Rhode Island) (51597989375), JJBers from Willimantic, Connecticut, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Double arch over the Pocasset River, Cranston, December 2023, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Governor William Sprague Mansion House at 1351 Cranston Street Cranston, Rhode Island RI USA, Swampyank, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Armory District Providence, Marcbela (Marc N. Belanger), Public domain
- Mathewson Farm, Johnston RI, John Phelan, CC BY-SA 3.0
- ProvidenceRI GeneralIceCreamCorporationBuilding, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Knight Estate in Warwick RI, Swampyank, CC BY-SA 3.0
- ProvidenceRI CovellStreetSchool, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Stedman & Fuller Manufacturing Company Complex building, Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY-SA 4.0
- ProvidenceRI BridghamArchWilsonHD 1, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- CoventryRI InterlakenMillBridge, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hope Mill RI, Marcbela, Public domain
- West Winds West Warwick RI 2014, Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY-SA 3.0
- WestWarwickRI CromptonMills 2, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 3.0
- West Side Diner, Providence, Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY 4.0
- Greene-Bowen House, Arthur W. LeBoeuf, Public domain
- Allendale Mill 1969, Jack Boucher, Public domain
- JohnstonRI EddyHomestead, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 3.0
- CharlesDowlerHouse, Caffeinatedlibrarian, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ontario Apartments, Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY-SA 3.0
- ProvidenceRI BeamanAndSmithMill, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Church of Saint Michael the Archangel, Providence RI, Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY-SA 4.0
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