Bristol County vs Washington County
Bristol County, Rhode Island versus Washington 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 edges out Washington County on overall objective livability (53 vs 48 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Bristol County | Washington County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $106k | $100k |
| Cost of Living | $54k | $55k |
| Home Value | $444k | $436k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $14k | $39k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.44% | 1.10% |
| Income Tax | 7.57% | 6.46% |
| Sales Tax | 7.00% | 7.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.93% | 13.61% |
| Unemployment | 4.1% | 5.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 30°F | 30°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 72°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.3 in | 48.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.5 in | 31.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 185 days | 185 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 101 days | 100 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 19.4 | 64.0 |
| Air Quality | — | 40 AQI |
| School Quality | 78.7 | 96.1 |
| Violent Crime | 535/100k | 501/100k |
| Property Crime | 492/100k | 548/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 50,658 | 129,998 |
| Median Age | 43.9 | 44.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.16 | 0.17 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | D+30 | D+20 |
| White (%) | 89.9% | 90.0% |
| Black (%) | 0.9% | 1.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.4% | 3.6% |
| Asian (%) | 2.4% | 2.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.4% | 3.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 26 min | 27 min |
| Walkability | 11.3/20 | 9.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 7 mi | 25 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.8% | 93.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 23.49 | 0.54 |
| 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 Washington County more affordable?
- Bristol County has the lower cost of living: its index is $54k, compared with Bristol County's $54k and Washington County's $55k. Median rent is $1k in Bristol County versus $1k in Washington County.
- Is Bristol County or Washington County safer?
- Washington County has the lower violent crime rate. Bristol County reports 535/100k and Washington County reports 501/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Bristol County or Washington County?
- The median home value is $444k in Bristol County and $436k in Washington County, so homes are more affordable in Washington County.