Population 61,932 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Bristol
Household size in Bristol
| Period | Bristol | Hartford area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.42 | 2.51 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.40 | 2.52 | 2.61 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.44 | 2.49 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.55 | 2.47 | 2.55 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.13 | −0.04 | −0.02 | −0.03 |
The average household in Bristol has 2.55 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Even so, the typical household here is bigger than in the Hartford area as a whole, where it has 2.47 people. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.42, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Bristol
| Period | Bristol | Hartford area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.5 | 40.4 | 40.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.9 | 41.2 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.2 | 41.9 | 42.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.6 | 41.9 | 42.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.9 | +1.5 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Bristol are younger than 38.6 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is younger than in the wider Hartford area, where the median age is 41.9. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 40.5, even as the national median rose.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Bristol
| Period | Bristol | Hartford area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.4% | 11.4% | 11.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.2% | 12.1% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.5% | 10.7% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.2% | 11.0% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | −0.4 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit more common in Bristol than nationally: 13.2%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has risen 2.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Bristol has a higher share of single-parent households than the great majority of Connecticut cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Bristol
Renters in Bristol
| Period | Bristol | Hartford area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.6% | 31.0% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 33.1% | 32.4% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.4% | 33.7% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 35.0% | 32.7% | 33.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | +1.7 pts | +2.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over a third of households in Bristol rent their homes (35.0%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 33.1% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged up 1.5 points, in line with the national trend.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Bristol
| Period | Bristol | Hartford area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.5% | 8.0% | 8.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.0% | 8.2% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.1% | 9.2% | 10.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.6% | 7.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Bristol is close to the national rate: 8.6% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 2.1 points, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Bristol
| Period | Bristol | Hartford area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1963 | 1964 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1964 | 1965 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1962 | 1966 | 1964 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1967 | 1967 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Bristol is a place of older homes: half were built before 1967, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1963 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, the oldest in the center.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Bristol
| Period | Bristol | Hartford area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $802 | $1,014 | $1,127 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $928 | $1,114 | $1,218 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,017 | $1,229 | $1,380 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,357 | $1,559 | $1,702 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$555 | +$545 | +$575 | +$606 |
Rent in Bristol runs $1,357 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $555 a month since 2006–10, up 69%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 30.7% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Bristol
Bachelor's degrees in Bristol
| Period | Bristol | Hartford area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.4% | 35.0% | 35.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 23.3% | 36.2% | 37.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.4% | 39.1% | 39.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 30.1% | 41.8% | 42.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.7 pts | +6.8 pts | +6.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Bristol than nationally: 30.1% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 8.7 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Bristol has a lower share of college graduates than at least four in five Connecticut cities.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Bristol
| Period | Bristol | Hartford area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.4% | 88.3% | 88.1% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.7% | 89.6% | 89.2% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.5% | 90.7% | 90.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.4% | 91.8% | 91.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.9 pts | +3.5 pts | +3.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Bristol is above the national rate: 93.4% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 5.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Compared with other Connecticut cities, though, Bristol has a lower share of high school graduates than most.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Bristol
| Period | Bristol | Hartford area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 7.6% | 7.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.8% | 9.5% | 9.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.8% | 5.7% | 6.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.0% | 5.2% | 5.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been harder to find in Bristol than nationally: unemployment was 7.0%, against 5.4%. Only 11 of the 145 Connecticut cities with 5,000+ people have higher unemployment. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Bristol compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol | 2.55 | 38.6 | 13.2% | 35.0% | 8.6% | 1967 | $1,357 | 30.1% | 93.4% | 7.0% |
| Plainville | 2.23 | 44.6 | 5.7% | 32.3% | 7.3% | 1969 | $1,178 | 30.6% | 93.1% | 3.4% |
| Terryville | 2.42 | 43.2 | 10.0% | 25.6% | 9.9% | 1964 | $1,248 | 28.1% | 93.5% | 3.8% |
| Unionville | 2.61 | 43.2 | 5.7% | 17.8% | 4.1% | 1976 | $1,481 | 65.7% | 98.3% | 2.6% |
| Burlington | 2.93 | 42.3 | 4.9% | 5.5% | 6.6% | 1983 | $1,425 | 52.1% | 98.5% | 4.9% |
| Farmington | 2.36 | 46.7 | 4.5% | 26.6% | 8.0% | 1980 | $2,491 | 68.5% | 96.8% | 2.6% |
| Southington | 2.61 | 44.7 | 7.3% | 18.1% | 5.2% | 1975 | $1,590 | 44.8% | 94.8% | 4.1% |
| Plymouth | 2.68 | 48.6 | 10.3% | 9.9% | 8.6% | 1964 | $1,191 | 31.7% | 92.5% | 2.5% |
| Wolcott | 2.66 | 46.1 | 10.5% | 11.6% | 5.3% | 1975 | $1,607 | 36.0% | 94.7% | 3.2% |
| River Glen | 2.21 | 42.9 | 4.0% | 44.8% | 3.6% | 1981 | $1,754 | 71.7% | 98.3% | 3.0% |
| Plantsville | 2.39 | 46.8 | 8.2% | 21.2% | 4.8% | 1970 | $1,495 | 38.4% | 92.8% | 2.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Lake Havasu City, AZ · Novato, CA · Wellington, FL · Cartersville, GA · The Hammocks, FL · Newport Beach, CA · Sheboygan, WI · Lebanon, TN · Lenexa, KS · Blue Springs, MO
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Bristol. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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