Rents are 7% below what Cranston's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $2,092 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in Cranston usually run 1.9% below trend in January and 1.5% above it in September, about $71 a month apart at today's median. Based on 5 years of data.
Rent in Cranston is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in May 2021.
Rent in Cranston changed +2.6% over the year to September 2026. Across the 19 Rhode Island cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.9%.
Rent has risen 2 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($90,206) is $2,255 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($2,075); a 4-bedroom is $2,525.
North Providence, 6 miles away, rents for 13% less ($1,826/mo), about $3,200 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Cranston. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Cranston, RI is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 36.4% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Cranston, RI has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Cranston, RI has shifted from $1,593 to $2,092, up 31.3% since 2022. Census figures show median household income at $90,206 today, compared with $77,145 five years earlier. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 33.9% to 36.4% across the same window. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2022.
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Can you afford rent in Cranston on your salary?
At $2,092/mo, how Cranston rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Cranston rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Cranston. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Cranston
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Cranston is $2,092/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,315/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,725/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,410/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,075/mo.
At 28% of local median household income ($90,206/yr), Cranston ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.6% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Cranston?
At $2,092/mo, rent takes ~28% of Cranston's median household income ($90,206/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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