States › Connecticut › Bristol

Is Bristol, CT expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 21 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,46417% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$85,283about $7,107/month · 2% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$277,80017% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 60% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 3.3 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $58,560 a year. That is $28 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Connecticut cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Connecticut. It is number 7 of 64 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Bristol
$1,464
Meriden
$2,106
West Hartford
$2,274
West Haven
$1,952
Milford
$2,723
East Hartford
$1,671
New Britain
$1,652

How much do households earn in Bristol?

Under $25k
14.0%
$25k–50k
17.8%
$50k–100k
35.4%
$100k–150k
18.5%
$150k+
9.8%

Share of households by yearly income. 28.3% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Bristol

SizeBristolU.S. average
Studio$1,415$1,338
1 bedroom$1,213$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,568$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,858$1,698
4 bedrooms$2,453$2,098

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Bristol overall?

Everyday prices in Connecticut overall are 4% above the U.S. average (index 103.6, U.S. = 100).

Housing
117
Goods (food, clothes…)
97
Utilities
146
Other services
103
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Bristol, so the Connecticut figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Bristol

🏛️ Property tax$5,449a year · 1.96% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$190a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Bristol

Commute to work23.7 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree30.3%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home64.9%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line10.7%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment7.3%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Bristol?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $464 a month less.

Renting
$1,464
Owning
$1,928

Owning assumes a typical $277,800 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $27,780 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Bristol, CT?

Renting in Bristol costs a median of about $1,464 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Connecticut median is $1,920.

How much do I need to make to live in Bristol?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $58,560 a year, or $28 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Bristol cheap or expensive?

Bristol is rated OK: rent takes 20.6% of the typical household income of $85,283. It ranks 7th cheapest of 64 Connecticut cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Bristol?

The median homeowner in Bristol pays $5,449 a year in property taxes, about 1.96% of the median home value.

Is Bristol more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Connecticut are 4% above the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Bristol?

The median home value in Bristol is $277,800, about 3.3 times the typical yearly household income.

61,462 people live in Bristol. Numbers are typical (middle) values.