Yaransk (Russian: Яра́нск; Mari: Яраҥ, Yaraň) is a town and the administrative center of Yaransky District in Kirov Oblast, Russia, located on the Yaran River (Vyatka's basin), 257 kilometers (160 mi) southwest of Kirov, the administrative center of the oblast.

In 1584, Yaransk was founded as a Russian fortress on the Yaran River where the old Mari fortress once stood to defend against the Mari.

[citation needed] A posad later grew around the fortress.

[citation needed] Within the framework of administrative divisions, Yaransk serves as the administrative center of Yaransky District.

[1] As an administrative division, it is, together with eighteen rural localities, incorporated within Yaransky District as the Town of Yaransk.