Skip to main content
Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Cranston, RI

Population: 82,691 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

D
47/100

Below average — significant fiscal challenges in multiple areas

Total Spending
$3.4B
Per Capita
$41,543
Total Revenue
$1.1B
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Education
64.3%$2.2B
Other
15.0%$515.5M
Housing & Community Development
10.0%$344.4M
Public Welfare
5.3%$181.5M
Fire Protection
2.1%$71.6M
Health
1.2%$41.9M
Parks & Recreation
1.1%$39.3M
Hospitals
0.6%$19.5M
Sewerage
0.4%$12.6M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Sales Tax
0.7%$7.0M
Intergovernmental
100.0%$1.1B
Other
36.8%$388.7M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$866/person
Parks & Recreation$475/person
Education$26,714/person
Health$507/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)26/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)0/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)0/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Compare Cities

See how Cranston stacks up against another city.

vs Providence, RIvs Warwick, RIvs Pawtucket, RI
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Rhode Island

Providence, RI

Pop. 190K

F
Total Spending
$9.5B
Per Capita
$50,124

Warwick, RI

Pop. 83K

C
Total Spending
$3.8B
Per Capita
$46,415

Pawtucket, RI

Pop. 75K

D
Total Spending
$3.2B
Per Capita
$42,799

Compare Cranston With

Providence, RI

Spending: $50,124/person · Grade: F

Warwick, RI

Spending: $46,415/person · Grade: C

Pawtucket, RI

Spending: $42,799/person · Grade: D

Frequently Asked Questions

Cranston, RI spends $41,543 per resident, based on total expenditures of $3.4B for a population of 82,691. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of D (47/100).

Cranston, RI has total expenditures of $3.4B and total revenue of $1.1B. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Cranston, RI employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Cranston, RI has a Fiscal Health Score of D (47/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

Last updated: