States › Pennsylvania › Bristol

Is Bristol, PA expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 28 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,93210% higher than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$82,011about $6,834/month · 6% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$271,10019% lower than U.S. average

Rent is higher than in 65% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 3.3 years of household income. Commutes are long, about 32 minutes each way.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $77,280 a year. That is $37 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Pennsylvania cities?

No. Rent here is more expensive than in most of Pennsylvania. It is number 230 of 269 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Bristol
$1,932
Brentwood
$871
Morrisville
$1,152
Uniontown
$858
Woodlyn
$1,320
Mechanicsburg
$1,833
Croydon
$1,448

How much do households earn in Bristol?

Under $25k
12.3%
$25k–50k
22.7%
$50k–100k
31.3%
$100k–150k
23.7%
$150k+
7.4%

Share of households by yearly income. 31.2% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Bristol

SizeBristolU.S. average
Studio$686$1,338
1 bedroom$992$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,568$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,922$1,698

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

How expensive is Bristol overall?

Everyday prices in Pennsylvania overall are 2% below the U.S. average (index 97.6, U.S. = 100).

Housing
85
Goods (food, clothes…)
99
Utilities
109
Other services
100
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 Pennsylvania figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Bristol

🏛️ Property tax$4,257a year · 1.57% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$161a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Bristol

Commute to work32 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree20.9%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home61%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line8.6%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment5.1%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Bristol?

Buying is cheaper month to month: about $51 a month less than renting.

Renting
$1,932
Owning
$1,881

Owning assumes a typical $271,100 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $27,110 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Bristol, PA?

Renting in Bristol costs a median of about $1,932 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Pennsylvania median is $1,367.

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

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $77,280 a year, or $37 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Bristol cheap or expensive?

Bristol is rated OK: rent takes 28.3% of the typical household income of $82,011. It ranks 230th cheapest of 269 Pennsylvania cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Bristol?

The median homeowner in Bristol pays $4,257 a year in property taxes, about 1.57% of the median home value.

Is Bristol more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Pennsylvania are 2% below 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 $271,100, about 3.3 times the typical yearly household income.

9,902 people live in Bristol. Numbers are typical (middle) values.