Very AffordableNear National AverageBristol City Public Schools
State Street - Bristol, TN-VA · AppalachianCentrist / CC BY-SA 4.0Bristol · Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0Statestreet · No machine-readable author provided. Aplomado~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims). / CC BY-SA 3.0Bristol VA TN Double Yellow Line State Street · Springfulutopia / CC BY-SA 4.0
Bristol is a small city of 17,036 in Virginia, with a median household income of $45,250
and a 4.1% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 85 (US average = 100), which is
15% below the national average.
Strengths:
Bristol stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Bristol is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Bristol city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 85.4
Bristol's overall cost of living index is 85.4,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Bristol costs roughly 15% less than the average American city.
Metric
Bristol, VA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$154,900
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$784
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
63.0%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$45,250
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Near National Average
Bristol's violent crime rate is 435.2 per 100,000 residents
— 15% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
435.2 /100k
Property Crime
3028.3 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Bristol is served primarily by Bristol City Public Schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.6:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Bristol, VA
National Avg
School District
Bristol City Public Schools
—
Elementary Schools
2
—
Middle Schools
1
—
High Schools
1
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
11.6:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
22.8%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
86.2%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Bristol sees average highs of 44.9°F in January
and 84.7°F in July,
with 47.3 inches of annual precipitation
and 9.2 inches of snow per year.
Bristol's cost of living index is 85, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Bristol roughly 15% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $154,900 and median rent is $784/month.
Bristol's violent crime rate is 435.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 3028.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Bristol are operated by Bristol City Public Schools.
The district has 2 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.6:1. 22.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Bristol, VA has a population of 17,036, a median household income of $45,250, and an unemployment rate of 4.1%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Bristol averages 44.9°F in January and 84.7°F in July. Annual rainfall is 47.3 inches
with about 9.2 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Bristol, VA is covered by 2 ZIP codes: 24201, 24202.
The population of Bristol, Virginia is 17,036 with a median age of 43.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Bristol: cost of living index 85 (100 = US average), median home $154,900, median household income $45,250, crime index 126 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Bristol side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
