Bristol, Virginia
Among the top 10% of US counties for affordability.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade A, better than 90% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 44% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 45% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 87% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 81% of US counties
- top 1% for amenities nearby
- top 1% for cost of living
- bottom 3% for violent crime
Bristol is a county in Virginia with about 17,000 residents. It grades A for affordability and C for weather. Standout strengths include amenities nearby, cost of living, and sales tax. It rates lower on property crime and violent crime.
Official websitebristolva.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
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66%52%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.4 in3.1 in
humid 62%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$45k12th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$40kbetter than 99% of US counties
Home Value$155k47th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$784better than 58% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 76% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.81%better than 54% of US counties
Income Tax5.80%better than 29% of US counties
Sales Tax5.77%better than 90% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden10.47%better than 33% of US counties
Unemployment4.1%better than 63% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)37°F58th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)75°F39th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation47.3 in63rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall10.8 inbetter than 53% of US counties
Sunny Days233 daysbetter than 45% of US counties
Summer Humidity65°Fbetter than 52% of US counties
Comfortable Days76 daysbetter than 41% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk8.6better than 89% of US counties
Air Quality39 AQIbetter than 70% of US counties
School Quality65.2better than 68% of US counties
Violent Crime2360/100kbetter than 3% of US counties
Property Crime2679/100kbetter than 6% of US counties
Community
Population17,03637th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age43.770th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2343rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.939th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+4051st percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)86.6%62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)6.3%69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)2.6%26th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.3%28th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.2%68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time19 minbetter than 85% of US counties
Walkability8.4/20better than 88% of US counties
Airport Distance119 mibetter than 38% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access75.1%better than 15% of US counties
Amenities Nearby54.00better than 99% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 89% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Bristol an affordable place to live?
- Bristol is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $40k, better than 99% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Bristol?
- The median home value in Bristol is $155k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Bristol?
- Median household income in Bristol is $45k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Bristol?
- Median gross rent in Bristol is $784 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Bristol safe?
- Bristol is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 2360/100k (better than 3%). Property crime is 2679/100k.
- What is the weather like in Bristol?
- Bristol averages 75°F in July and 37°F in January, with 47.3 in of annual precipitation and about 233 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Bristol?
- Public-school quality in Bristol is above average, scoring better than 68% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Bristol?
- The average one-way commute in Bristol is 19 min.
Other counties in Virginia
Explore Virginia
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)