Housing decision brief
Bristol County, RI Housing Market
Bristol County screens as a higher purchase price, rent that needs comparison, a higher tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
3rd lowest home value out of 5 Rhode Island counties with data | 4th lowest rent out of 5
Median home value
$468,000
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,348/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$2,080/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
4.2x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
27.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$732/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Rent burden below pressure line
27.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 80.6 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
1.39% effective property-tax rate is 1% above Rhode Island county median
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
Poor Fit For
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Bristol County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $468,000 | $468,000 | $281,900 | Near state medianAt the Rhode Island county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,348 | $1,303 | $1,163 | Near state median3% above Rhode Island county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $2,080 | $1,837 | $1,672 | 13% pressure13% above Rhode Island county median |
Median household income | $110,926 | $100,859 | $74,755 | 10% favorable10% above Rhode Island county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.39% | 1.37% | 1.02% | Near state median1% above Rhode Island county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 27.00% | 30.00% | N/A | 10% favorable27.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$57,006
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$21,783
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Bristol County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $1,348/month representing approximately 14.6% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 27.0%.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Bristol County is $1,348/month, while owner costs run $2,080/month. Renting saves approximately $732/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $53,920/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $89,143/year. With a median household income of $110,926, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 27.0% of renter households in Bristol County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Rhode Island, Bristol County is more affordable than Kent County by roughly 7% ($1,348/mo vs $1,264/mo).
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County, RI | $469,800 | $1,303/mo | Same-state comparison near $469,800 home value and $1,303/mo rent. |
| Newport County, RI | $559,700 | $1,652/mo | Same-state comparison near $559,700 home value and $1,652/mo rent. |
| Oconee County, GA | $425,100 | $1,347/mo | Out-of-state peer near $425,100 home value and $1,347/mo rent. |
| Davis County, UT | $470,500 | $1,516/mo | Out-of-state peer near $470,500 home value and $1,516/mo rent. |
| Sitka City and Borough, AK | $442,100 | $1,350/mo | Out-of-state peer near $442,100 home value and $1,350/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Bristol County
Is Bristol County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Bristol County?
How much income do you need for housing in Bristol County?
What should I double-check before moving to Bristol County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.