Median Income
$65,536
household / year
Median Home Value
$273,900
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,128
gross / month
Cost of Living
99
national avg = 100

Is Bristol, VT a Good Place to Live?

Bristol is a small town of 1,956 in Vermont, with a median household income of $65,536 and a 8.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 99 (US average = 100), which is 1% below the national average.

Strengths: Bristol stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. 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: 98.9

Bristol's overall cost of living index is 98.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Bristol costs roughly 1% less than the average American city.

Metric Bristol, VT National Avg
Median Home Value $273,900 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,128 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 70.0% 65.9%
Median Household Income $65,536 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Bristol's violent crime rate is 26.6 per 100,000 residents — 93% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
26.6 /100k
Property Crime
398.6 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Bristol is served primarily by Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.6:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Bristol, VT National Avg
School District Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 —
Elementary Schools 4 —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 12.6:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 35.6% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 95.5% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Bristol sees average highs of 25.5°F in January and 75.5°F in July, with 49.4 inches of annual precipitation and 112.5 inches of snow per year.

MetricBristol, VT
Average High — January25.5°F
Average High — July75.5°F
Annual Precipitation49.4"
Annual Snowfall112.5"

Demographics

MetricBristol, VTNational Avg
Population1,956—
Median Age50.738.9
Unemployment Rate8.0%3.7%
Avg Commute Time24.1 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)94.7%59.3%
Black or African American2.8%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino1.4%18.9%
Asian0.1%6.3%
Under 1817.7%22.2%
65 and over25.2%16.8%

Nearby Cities

New Haven, VT 3 mi Lincoln, VT 5 mi South Lincoln, VT 8 mi Vergennes, VT 8 mi Middlebury, VT 10 mi

Bristol vs Other Cities

Bristol, VT vs New Haven, VT Bristol, VT vs Lincoln, VT Bristol, VT vs South Lincoln, VT Bristol, VT vs Vergennes, VT Bristol, VT vs Middlebury, VT

Frequently Asked Questions

Bristol's cost of living index is 99, where 100 is the national average. That makes Bristol roughly 1% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $273,900 and median rent is $1,128/month.
Bristol's violent crime rate is 26.6 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 398.6 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Bristol are operated by Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61. The district has 4 elementary, several middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.6:1. 35.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Bristol, VT has a population of 1,956, a median household income of $65,536, and an unemployment rate of 8.0%. 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 25.5°F in January and 75.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 49.4 inches with about 112.5 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Bristol, Vermont is 1,956 with a median age of 50.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Bristol: cost of living index 99 (100 = US average), median home $273,900, median household income $65,536, crime index 12 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A-. 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.