Bristol County, Rhode Island Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Bristol County is located in Rhode Island with a total population of 50,490. It is the 5th most populous county out of 5 in Rhode Island.

Age Demographics

The median age in Bristol County is 44.2 years. This is 9% higher than the state median of 40.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Bristol County is $114,490. This is 30% higher than the state median of $87,796. It is also 42% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 6.5%. This is 41% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.2%. The unemployment rate is 3.0%. This is 47% lower than the state rate of 5.8%. The median home value is $513,800. Housing costs are 27% higher than the state median of $404,200. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.5x. 71.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 13% higher than the state average of 63.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Bristol County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 88.3% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 4.2%. The Black or African American population (1.0%) is well below the state average of 4.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population (4.2%) is well below the state average of 17.7%.

Education

53.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 40% higher than the state rate of 37.7%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 93.6%. Notably, 24.7% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Bristol County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Rhode Island and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.