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 located in Cranston. Cranston is a part of the Providence metropolitan area. Cranston was named one of the "100 Best Places to Live" in the United States by Money in 2006. 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.