Cranston, formerly known as Pawtuxet, is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The official population of the city 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 in Cranston. Cranston is a part of the Providence metropolitan area.
Cranston ranked 36th on the list of "America's 50 Best Cities to Live" in a 2014 survey done by 247wallst.com.
The Town of Cranston was created in 1754 from a portion of Providence north of the Pawtuxet River. After losing much of its territory to neighboring towns and the city of Providence, Cranston itself became a city on March 10, 1910.
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