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Living in
Bristol.
About
Life in Bristol
Living in Bristol means embracing a tight-knit community where the median home value hovers around $184,100 and rent runs about $801 a month—genuinely affordable for southwestern Virginia. The job market is modest but stable with a 3.7% unemployment rate, and most people get to work in under 20 minutes, which takes the daily grind out of commuting. This is an aging population (median age 43.3 years) with a quieter, more established feel than a college town, though you'll find genuine cultural roots here: Bristol earned recognition as the "Birthplace of Country Music," and that history shapes local identity in ways that go beyond tourism—it's woven into the schools, community events, and a real sense of place.
Bristol at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
43.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
18.0%
Foreign-Born
2.2%
Broadband Internet
74.8%
of households
Population Growth
-4.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.2% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Bristol: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Bristol, the largest foreign-born group is from India (43.3%), and 1.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
19.6%
of residents
65 and Older
23.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
23.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
39.3%
of households
Married Couples
33.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.29
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 49% below VA average
Rent, home values, and income in Bristol
In Bristol, rent runs 49% below the VA average, and home values are 52% below the VA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
37.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
23.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
86.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,387
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
63.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1967
median year built
Vacant Homes
16.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $200,801 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts above VA average
Unemployment in Bristol
Unemployment in Bristol is 0.4 percentage points higher than the VA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Bristol Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute17.9 min avg
How Bristol residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Bristol, most residents drive alone to work (78%), and 85% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 15 mi
Tri-Cities Regional TN/VA Airport (TRI)
Regional airport · few flights251k passengers boarded in 2025
- 118 mi
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
Major hub25.9M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 53% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Bristol runs 53% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
502.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,692.2
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Bristol Police Department
Natural DisastersHeavy Snow most common — 10 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very Low
8.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Bristol County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Bristol, the most common type is heavy snow, with 10 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2024 | 6 | High Wind | Not estimated |
| 2022 | 2 | Heavy Snow | Not estimated |
| 2021 | 1 | Thunderstorm Wind | Not estimated |
| 2020 | 2 | Strong Wind | Not estimated |
| 2019 | 1 | Hail | None reported |
| 2018 | 4 | Heavy Snow | Not estimated |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Bristol city, county-wide
Air Quality34 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Bristol is typically good.
Median AQI
34
Bristol city-wide
Climate83°F summers, 26°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Bristol has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and cold winters (avg low 26°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
67°/41°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/61°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
68°/43°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
47°/26°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
47.3"
Annual Snowfall
9.2"
Hot Days/Year
7
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
108
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
137
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45°F | 24°F | 3.80" |
| Feb | 48°F | 27°F | 3.85" |
| Mar | 57°F | 33°F | 4.46" |
| Apr | 68°F | 41°F | 4.42" |
| May | 75°F | 50°F | 4.39" |
| Jun | 82°F | 59°F | 4.26" |
| Jul | 85°F | 62°F | 4.69" |
| Aug | 84°F | 61°F | 3.84" |
| Sep | 79°F | 55°F | 3.32" |
| Oct | 69°F | 43°F | 2.78" |
| Nov | 57°F | 33°F | 3.25" |
| Dec | 48°F | 27°F | 4.21" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Bristol
Uninsured
11.0%
of residents
No hospitals inside Bristol's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Wellmont Bristol Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.6 mi away · Bristol
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education11.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Bristol
Bristol's student/teacher ratio is 11.5:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 24.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
24.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
11.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Bristol (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 908 students · in-state tuition $37,564 · 62% graduate · median earnings $65,781 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Andrew Johnson National Historic Site, 49 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Bristol
Bristol has 5 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Andrew Johnson National Historic Site (49 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Andrew Johnson National Historic Site
National Historic Site
49 mi awayBlue Ridge Parkway
Parkway
75 mi awayCumberland Gap National Historical Park
National Historical Park
80 mi awayBluestone National Scenic River
National Scenic River
92 mi awayCarl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
National Historic Site
95 mi awayPublic Libraries in Bristol
Bristol Public Library
701 Goode Street, Bristol
Cities Near Bristol
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Bristol?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Bristol FAQ
Is Bristol, Virginia affordable?⌄
Bristol's median rent is $801/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $50,404/year. Median home value is $184,100.
Is Bristol, Virginia safe?⌄
Bristol's violent crime rate was 503 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2692 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Bristol, Virginia?⌄
Bristol has an unemployment rate of 3.8%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Bristol, Virginia?⌄
The cost of living in Bristol is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $801/month and median household income is $50,404/year. The median home value is $184,100. About 38% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Bristol, Virginia?⌄
The average commute in Bristol is 18 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from