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 ranked 36th on the list of "America's 50 Best Cities to Live" in a 2014 survey done by 247wallst.com.