Bristol County is a true toss-up. About 51% of voters here vote Democratic and 49% Republican.
About 70% of adults in Bristol County typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Bristol County, ~36% vote Democratic, ~34% Republican, and ~30% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Bristol County compares
Among counties within 50 miles, Bristol County sits roughly in the middle of the political spectrum, with 0 neighbors leaning further in the place's direction and 11 leaning the other way.
Bristol County runs about 23 points more Republican than Massachusetts as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by city within Bristol County. The northwest side runs the most Democratic (D+7) and the east side runs the most Republican (R+13), a spread of about 20 points.
Why Bristol County leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Bristol County. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Preventive-care access and voter turnout
Places with strong routine preventive-care access tend to turn out at a higher rate; Bristol County, MA sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. Dental visits do not drive turnout; the rate reflects income, insurance, and healthcare access, which line up with who votes.
Why turnout in Bristol County looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. Bristol County is in the top quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The dental-visit rate here is about 67%, about 7 points above the U.S. average of 60%. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Counties
- Bristol County, RI D+17
- Providence County, RI D+20
- Newport County, RI D+23
- Plymouth County, MA D+11
- Kent County, RI D+5
- Norfolk County, MA D+30
- Washington County, RI D+11
- Dukes County, MA D+41
- Suffolk County, MA D+53
- Barnstable County, MA D+20
Counties with Similar Populations
- Delaware County, PA D+27
- Jefferson County, CO D+18
- Union County, NJ D+26
- Douglas County, NE D+17
- Baltimore City, MD D+72
- New Castle County, DE D+33
- Anne Arundel County, MD D+17
- Pasco County, FL R+24
- Dane County, WI D+48
- Washington County, OR D+32
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Elections, distributed by the Voting and Election Science Team. Demographic inputs come from the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 5-year estimates and the 2020 Decennial Census). Health and environmental inputs come from the CDC (PLACES and the Environmental Justice Index). Land cover comes from the USGS and EPA. Election-day and lead-up weather come from PRISM 4km daily grids and the NOAA Global Historical Climatology Network. Mail-voting and election-administration patterns come from the MIT Election Lab's Survey of the Performance of American Elections. Block-group crime detail comes from CrimeGrade. Internet data and modeling support provided by ISPreports.org.
Modeling and analysis by the BestNeighborhood data science team. Full methodology and findings: political spectrum map.
Methodology reviewed by the BestNeighborhood data team. Last updated May 2026.