United States › Virginia › Bristol city COUNTY
Bristol Virginia · 16,418 residents (2025 est.) · 12.9 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Bristol is a county of 16,849 people in Virginia. That trails the Virginia median by roughly 46%. The median age is 43.4, about 4 years above the US median. About 25% of adults have finished a four-year degree. 2% of locals were born outside the United States. The typical home is worth $184,100, having more than doubled since 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 43.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
25% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 46%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 17,367 in 2000
16,418 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,309 / sq mi
−4%since 2009
from 1,362 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 41.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
17K 17K 18K 18K 19K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Bristol Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $50,404
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $27,389 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $17,311 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 14.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 16.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.472 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 5.3%
Public administration 3.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 1%
Transportation & warehousing 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.3%
Education & health services 0.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$184,100
+46%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $69,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$801
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $409 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 65.1% in 2000
36.4% rent
from 9.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.12 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 27.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 39.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.8 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 91.9%(15,964)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 84.5%(14,230)
Hispanic / Latino 2.8%(465)
from 22 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 28 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 13 more ancestry groups with data from 17.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 72.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 81.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 12.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 13.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 11.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 55.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 71.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 12.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 28.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 21.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 16.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 71.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 83.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 83.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 39.4%(2,674)
Women 15+
Never married 27.5%(2,021)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 16.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 40.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 15.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 24.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 25.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 56.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 46.6% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
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) 18.6%(187)
Share of the 1,007 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
Drill deeper
Places similar to Bristol Head to head
Compare Bristol to nearby counties BRISTOL VS
Sullivan County
Income $58,807 +17%
Home value $213,300 +16%
Population 163,759 +897%
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BRISTOL VS
Washington County
Income $64,552 +28%
Home value $214,000 +16%
Population 53,898 +228%
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BRISTOL VS
Johnson County
Income $53,129 +5%
Home value $178,600 −3%
Population 18,718 +14%
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BRISTOL VS
Russell County
Income $50,012 −1%
Home value $120,600 −34%
Population 25,332 +54%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Bristol, Virginia? Bristol, Virginia has about 16,849 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Bristol, Virginia? The typical household in Bristol, Virginia earns about $50,404 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Bristol, Virginia expensive? In Bristol, Virginia, the median home is worth about $184,100, and the typical rent is about $801 a month.
How educated are people in Bristol, Virginia? About 24.8% of adults age 25 and over in Bristol, Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Bristol, Virginia? About 18.0% of people in Bristol, Virginia live below the federal poverty line.
Has Bristol, Virginia grown since 1990? Yes, Bristol, Virginia has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,577 residents, a change of about -9 percent over that period.
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