Population 37,797 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Bristol
Household size in Bristol
| Period | Bristol | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.25 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.32 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.31 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.37 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.12 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Bristol are small: just 2.37 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. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.25, 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 | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.4 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.5 | 39.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.4 | 39.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.3 | 39.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.9 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
Bristol skews older than the country: its median age is 43.3, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has crept up from 42.4 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the southwest and oldest in the southeast.
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 | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.6% | 12.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.8% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.6% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.0% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Bristol as they are nationally: 12.0%, against 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 0.5 points, as it has nationally.
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 | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.7% | 30.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 26.5% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.3% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 26.9% | 33.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | +2.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Bristol own their homes; 26.9% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 48.9% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the north; owners are most common in the southeast. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged up 1.2 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 | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.2% | 11.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.3% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.2% | 11.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.1% | 10.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.0 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Bristol as nationally: 10.1%, against 9.6%. Vacancy has barely moved since 2006–10, while 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 | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1970 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1969 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1970 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1972 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Bristol run older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1972 against 1980. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the north. Of the 202 Tennessee cities with 5,000+ people, only nine have older homes.
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 | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $600 | $761 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $643 | $837 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $732 | $961 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $927 | $1,286 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$327 | +$526 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Bristol costs $927 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $327 a month from 2006–10, a 54% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 26.6% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the center; the most affordable are in the north.
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 | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.7% | 23.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.2% | 25.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.7% | 27.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 25.9% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.2 pts | +7.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over a quarter of adults 25 and older in Bristol (25.9%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 7.2 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the southeast.
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 | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.1% | 83.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 80.3% | 85.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.4% | 87.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.5% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +11.4 pts | +6.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Bristol is close to the national rate: 90.5% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 11.4 points, mirroring the country.
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 | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.2% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.0% | 9.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.9% | 5.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.0% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −3.8 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Bristol is close to the national rate: 6.0% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is higher than in Tennessee overall (4.8%). Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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 | 2.37 | 43.3 | 12.0% | 26.9% | 10.1% | 1972 | $927 | 25.9% | 90.5% | 6.0% |
| Bristol | 2.43 | 46.6 | 14.3% | 27.6% | 17.9% | 1971 | $868 | 23.4% | 90.4% | 5.2% |
| Emmett | 2.73 | 48.5 | 2.4% | 17.1% | 21.3% | 1980 | $1,130 | 16.9% | 81.7% | 4.7% |
| Holston Valley | 2.46 | 47.7 | 9.3% | 18.4% | 22.5% | 1978 | $953 | 21.2% | 89.5% | 7.8% |
| Hickory Tree | 2.71 | 46.3 | 11.4% | 11.3% | 24.2% | 1982 | $1,043 | 8.6% | 82.6% | 2.6% |
| Bluff City | 2.41 | 47.2 | 7.8% | 18.1% | 10.9% | 1983 | $1,084 | 22.5% | 89.9% | 6.3% |
| Wyndale | 2.75 | 39.9 | 10.0% | 24.7% | 12.3% | 1984 | $1,073 | 23.1% | 93.9% | 1.0% |
| Blountville | 2.55 | 46.7 | 7.7% | 17.7% | 12.3% | 1984 | $883 | 25.8% | 89.8% | 5.9% |
| Keenburg | 2.04 | 49.8 | 19.4% | 30.0% | 14.7% | 1971 | $748 | 11.1% | 90.8% | 0.9% |
| Carter | 2.66 | 50.1 | 15.0% | 21.8% | 16.8% | 1974 | $849 | 20.7% | 90.9% | 10.4% |
| Silvacola | 3.48 | 33.9 | 42.4% | 39.0% | 12.8% | 1969 | $941 | 11.4% | 91.4% | 0.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Arnold, MO · Trumbull, CT · South Lyon, MI · Marion, IN · Okeechobee, FL · Odenton, MD · Oakville, MO · Oak Creek, WI · North Bay Village, FL · New Lenox, IL
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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