Population 21,979 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Bristol
Household size in Bristol
| Period | Bristol | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.41 | 2.53 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.30 | 2.54 | 2.52 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.20 | 2.53 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.20 | 2.49 | 2.49 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.21 | −0.05 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Bristol are small: just 2.20 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has dropped from 2.41 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.1 | 39.5 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.0 | 40.5 | 40.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.4 | 41.4 | 41.4 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.1 | 41.7 | 41.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.0 | +2.2 | +2.2 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 44.1, Bristol is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 40.1, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the southeast, the oldest in the west.
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 | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.9% | 12.5% | 12.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.9% | 12.4% | 12.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.8% | 11.9% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.3% | 12.1% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Bristol: 6.3% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Bristol has a lower share of single-parent households than most Rhode Island 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 | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.2% | 37.0% | 37.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.0% | 39.0% | 39.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.9% | 38.6% | 39.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.1% | 36.8% | 36.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | −0.1 pts | −1.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a third of households in Bristol rent their homes (34.1%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 38.0% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the southwest and least common in the northeast. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged up 1.0 points, mirroring the country.
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 | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.5% | 10.3% | 11.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.2% | 10.5% | 11.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.3% | 10.7% | 12.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.0% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Bristol is close to the national rate: 9.0% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. Vacancy is up 2.5 points from 2006–10, 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 | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1967 | 1959 | 1957 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1968 | 1959 | 1958 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1969 | 1960 | 1959 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1964 | 1962 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | −4 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
Bristol is a place of older homes: half were built before 1964, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the north, the oldest in the southwest.
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 | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,178 | $928 | $941 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $935 | $974 | $988 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,370 | $1,103 | $1,123 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,673 | $1,439 | $1,448 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$495 | +$511 | +$507 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Bristol costs $1,673 a month with utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $495 a month from 2006–10, a 42% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 27.1% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the southwest and lowest in the center.
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 | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.5% | 28.5% | 30.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 35.2% | 29.6% | 31.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 43.7% | 32.4% | 34.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 48.4% | 35.2% | 37.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +14.9 pts | +6.7 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Bristol: 48.4% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree is up 14.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 81.4% | 82.1% | 83.2% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.5% | 83.9% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.4% | 87.5% | 88.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.0% | 88.3% | 89.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | +11.6 pts | +6.2 pts | +6.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Bristol is above the national rate: 93.0% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 11.6 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 | Providence area | Rhode Island | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.3% | 8.5% | 8.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 10.0% | 9.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.7% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.8% | 5.8% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Bristol has been strong: just 2.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 2.5 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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 | 2.20 | 44.1 | 6.3% | 34.1% | 9.0% | 1964 | $1,673 | 48.4% | 93.0% | 2.8% |
| Warren | 2.14 | 48.2 | 6.1% | 38.2% | 8.9% | 1952 | $1,361 | 37.4% | 89.7% | 4.0% |
| Barrington | 2.70 | 45.1 | 10.6% | 12.1% | 4.6% | 1955 | $2,196 | 71.6% | 98.1% | 3.0% |
| Prudence Island | 2.00 | 71.5 | 0.1% | 0.0% | 77.5% | 1938 | $1,504 | 74.4% | 100.0% | 0.0% |
| Swansea | 2.58 | 44.5 | 8.3% | 14.5% | 2.2% | 1962 | $1,503 | 37.5% | 91.4% | 3.6% |
| Tiverton | 2.34 | 50.8 | 3.2% | 19.5% | 11.1% | 1974 | $1,292 | 39.3% | 92.7% | 5.1% |
| Portsmouth | 2.34 | 47.7 | 5.7% | 19.5% | 10.9% | 1973 | $1,819 | 61.6% | 96.8% | 2.9% |
| Fall River | 2.26 | 40.0 | 16.2% | 65.1% | 6.4% | 1950 | $1,181 | 16.0% | 75.9% | 6.5% |
| Prudence Park | 2.00 | 71.5 | 0.1% | 0.0% | 77.5% | 1938 | $1,504 | 74.4% | 100.0% | 0.0% |
| Somerset | 2.47 | 46.9 | 6.7% | 13.2% | 4.3% | 1962 | $1,100 | 37.1% | 92.1% | 3.1% |
| Riverside | 2.26 | 45.4 | 9.1% | 37.2% | 5.4% | 1961 | $1,247 | 34.1% | 92.2% | 6.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Corcoran, CA · Sunland, CA · Springtown, TX · Spring Lake, NC · Fayetteville, TN · Darien, CT · Crest Hill, IL · Crawfordsville, IN · Covington, WA · Coronado, CA
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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