Bristol County vs Kent County
Bristol County, Rhode Island versus Kent County, Rhode Island: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Bristol County and Kent County score about the same overall (52 vs 49 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Bristol County | Kent County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $106k | $86k |
| Cost of Living | $54k | $51k |
| Home Value | $444k | $306k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.44% | 1.58% |
| Income Tax | 7.57% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 7.00% | 7.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.93% | 13.95% |
| Unemployment | 4.1% | 4.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 30°F | 29°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.3 in | 50.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.5 in | 36.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 185 days | 185 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 101 days | 103 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 19.4 | 69.4 |
| Air Quality | — | 40 AQI |
| School Quality | 78.7 | 89.8 |
| Violent Crime | 535/100k | 630/100k |
| Property Crime | 492/100k | 1104/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 50,658 | 170,168 |
| Median Age | 43.9 | 43.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.16 | 0.23 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | D+30 | Even |
| White (%) | 89.9% | 85.5% |
| Black (%) | 0.9% | 1.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.4% | 6.3% |
| Asian (%) | 2.4% | 3.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.4% | 3.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 26 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 11.3/20 | 11.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 7 mi | 8 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.8% | 90.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 23.49 | 7.23 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Bristol County or Kent County more affordable?
- Kent County has the lower cost of living: its index is $51k, compared with Bristol County's $54k and Kent County's $51k. Median rent is $1k in Bristol County versus $1k in Kent County.
- Is Bristol County or Kent County safer?
- Bristol County has the lower violent crime rate. Bristol County reports 535/100k and Kent County reports 630/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Bristol County or Kent County?
- The median home value is $444k in Bristol County and $306k in Kent County, so homes are more affordable in Kent County.