Providence, RI vs Cranston, RI
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Providence, RI spends 21% more per resident than Cranston, RI: $50,124 against $41,543. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Cranston, RI holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 47/100 (grade D) against 32/100 (grade F) for Providence, RI — a 15-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Cranston, RI reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Providence, RI carries $1,664 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: education leads in Providence, RI at $29,047 per resident and in Cranston, RI at $26,714.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Providence, RI at 15% of total revenue, whereas Cranston, RI relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Providence spends 20.7% more per capita than Cranston ($8,581/person difference). Cranston, RI has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (D, 47/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $12 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $97 | $85 |
| Intergovernmental | $695 | $12,769 |
| Charges & Fees | $4,981 | $0 |
| Other | $5,833 | $4,701 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $455 | $866 |
| Highways & Roads | $605 | $0 |
| Education | $29,047 | $26,714 |
| Public Welfare | $375 | $2,195 |
| Health | $219 | $507 |
| Hospitals | $769 | $236 |
| Parks & Recreation | $653 | $475 |
| Housing | $5,495 | $4,165 |
| Sewerage | $204 | $152 |
| Utilities | $3,615 | $0 |
| Other | $8,688 | $6,233 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.