What it's like to live in Bristol
Bristol is a smaller city in Connecticut with home prices that remain within reach, crime rates well below the national average, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Bristol deals with a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, cold winters, snowy winters, and above-average rainfall.
The good
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
- Snowy winters — 39" per year
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Bristol compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Bristol
Based on Bristol's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,676
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $53,520 a year
- 52% of Bristol renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$55,560
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $27,780
- Homes cost 3.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,338/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,338 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $277,800. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $277,800 · 52% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.3% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.3%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 84% below US
53 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 647/100k · Bristol Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 23.7 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 11% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 81°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 20°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 2.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 16% below US
30% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 30% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
13 public schools inside the boundary
There are 13 public schools inside the boundary and 4 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Springfield Armory National Historic Site (35 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Bristol's strongest points are home prices that remain within reach and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin and cold winters. A year of median rent ($1,338/mo) equals 20% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Bristol
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