Bristol County, Massachusetts Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Bristol County is located in Massachusetts with a total population of 578,436. It is the 6th most populous county out of 14 in Massachusetts. The county encompasses 5 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Bristol County is 40.9 years. This is 2% higher than the state median of 40.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Bristol County is $84,198. This is 17% lower than the state median of $101,341. Compared to the national median of $78,538, household income here is 7% higher. The poverty rate stands at 11.7%. This is 17% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.0%. The unemployment rate is 5.6%. This is 9% higher than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $421,800. Housing costs are 20% lower than the state median of $525,800. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.0x. 62.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Bristol County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 76.7% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 9.8%. The Asian population (2.4%) is well below the state average of 7.0%.

Education

30.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 34% lower than the state rate of 46.6%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 86.3%.