Bristol County is a county of 50,490 people in Rhode Island. 53% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 36% nationally. Few US counties rank higher on income. At a median age of 44.2, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Households here earn about 30% more than in Rhode Island as a whole. There are 2,092 people per square mile.
At a glance
Wealthier
median household income $114,490, above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 44.2
US median: 38.9
More educated
53% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 73%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Bristol County
What changed most since 1990
Adults with a bachelor's degree27.4% → 53.0%(+25.6 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
White share97.5% → 88.3%(−9.2 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Median home value (2024 dollars)$387,611 → $513,800(+33%)US over the same years: +67%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)23.7%(517)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)20.3%(443)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era28.1%(612)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War14.8%(322)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II3.3%(72)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 2,181 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Bristol County, decade by decade
Bristol County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
48,859
$90,096
$387,611
27.4%
6.1
2000
50,648
$92,425
$297,841
34.3%
9.6
2010
49,875
$98,302
$522,345
41.1%
13.6
2020
50,793
$103,524
$441,788
49.2%
27.9
2024
50,490
$114,490
$513,800
53.0%
27.0
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
