By HERALD STAFF

Cranston sits atop a recently published online list of “Best Cities to Live in Rhode Island.”

The rankings come from Chamber of Commerce, found at chamberofcommerce.org, which describes itself as the “go-to digital resource for small business owners and entrepreneurs, providing the guidance they need to start and run successful businesses.”

Following Cranston on the list are Providence, Warwick, Cumberland, Johnston, Coventry, West Warwick and Pawtucket, respectively.

The website indicates the list is based on a national survey of 2,509 communities with populations larger than 25,000 people. Five factors were incorporated into the rankings, according to the site – employment, housing, quality of life, education and health.

“Cranston is a quintessential New England community: laying claim to nearly four hundred years of history, a low crime rate, a charming downtown area, and a massive outdoor swimming pool,” reads the list’s entry for Cranston. “Interestingly, ‘Family Guy’ creator Seth MacFarlane modeled the town’s ‘Quahog’ after Cranston.”