Town · Maine
Bristol, Maine
Bristol, town, in Lincoln County, Maine. Bristol had 2,969 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 4.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,834 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,917 (±21). GEOID 2301507485.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
2,969
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,834 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,917 ±21
Median household income
$100,750
±$18,862 (90% margin)
Maine: $74,733
Median home value
$406,400
±$54,087 (90% margin)
Maine: $296,600
Median gross rent
$1,051
±$106 (90% margin)
Maine: $1,139
Where is Bristol and what county is it in?
Bristol is a town in Lincoln County, Maine. It covers 34.0 square miles of land, 83 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Bristol, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,969 people lived in Bristol on July 1, 2025, up 4.4% since 2020, faster than Maine (+3.8%). The 2020 Census counted 2,834 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,917 (±21).
| Measure | Bristol | Lincoln County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,917±21 | 36,099 | +170 |
| Households | 1,388±108 | 16,592 | +147 |
| Average household size | 2.09±0.15 | 2.13 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,466±174 | 23,922 | no clear change |
Bristol's population since 2000
From 2,644 in 2000 to 2,969 in 2025: up 12.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Bristol as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Bristol?
The median resident of Bristol is 61.0 years old; 13.9% are under 18 and 42.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 87.8%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 9.9%.
| Measure | Bristol | Lincoln County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 61.0±3.2 | 51.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 13.9%±3.7 pts | 16.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 42.8%±7.2 pts | 29.4% | – |
| Male | 49.3%±5.0 pts | 49.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.2%±2.8 pts | 1.4% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 87.8%±7.7 pts | 93.1% | −11.0 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.1%±0.1 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.1%±0.1 pts | 0.7% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.9 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 9.9%±6.8 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.9 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.2%±1.8 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.5%±1.1 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.2%±3.6 pts | 10.8% | – |
| With a disability | 13.9%±3.7 pts | 16.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.3%±3.1 pts | 6.6% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.0%±2.5 pts | 95.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 52.7%±8.3 pts | 40.2% | +16.1 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 20.4%±7.2 pts | 16.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.2%±4.2 pts | 92.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.5%±1.3 pts | 3.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Bristol earn?
Half of Bristol's 1,388 households earn less than $100,750 a year (±$18,862), against $76,875 in Lincoln County and $74,733 in Maine. In 2015-2019 the median was $77,046 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $23,704 after inflation. 6.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Bristol | Lincoln County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $100,750±$18,862 | $76,875 | +$23,704 |
| Mean household income | $140,031±$27,616 | $99,809 | – |
| Per capita income | $66,154±$12,782 | $45,631 | +$19,102 |
| People below the poverty line | 6.4%±3.6 pts | 7.9% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 5.7%±6.6 pts | 8.0% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 7.9%±5.3 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.0%±3.6 pts | 94.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.7%±3.7 pts | 89.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Bristol?
Owners occupy 88.6% of Bristol's occupied homes and renters 11.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $406,400 by its owner (±$54,087). The median renter pays $1,051 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Bristol | Lincoln County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $406,400±$54,087 | $332,700 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,051±$106 | $1,055 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 23.4%±20.1 pts | 27.3% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,670±$463 | $1,605 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 88.6%±5.6 pts | 82.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 11.4%±5.6 pts | 17.5% | – |
| Housing units | 2,466±174 | 23,922 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0%±2.2 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0%±15.9 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 96.0%±2.6 pts | 83.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.5%±2.8 pts | 7.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.4%±0.6 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 5.4%±3.7 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 34.6%±7.7 pts | 26.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.8%±1.9 pts | 4.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Bristol building?
Builders took permits for 26 new housing units in Bristol in 2025 (26 in single-family houses), 8.8 per 1,000 residents against 4.9 across Maine.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Bristol work and get to work?
50.7% of Bristol's workers drive alone and 25.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 17.8 minutes.
| Measure | Bristol | Lincoln County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 44.9%±6.4 pts | 56.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 7.7%±6.1 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 50.7%±9.9 pts | 72.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 17.3%±7.5 pts | 10.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0%±2.6 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 2.2%±2.2 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 25.0%±7.6 pts | 13.2% | +11.9 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 17.8 min±2.8 | 23.3 min | −5.8 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Bristol?
1 census tract lies mostly in Bristol, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9756Lincoln County | 3,954 | $100,598 |
| Tract 9900Lincoln County | 0 | not published |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Bristol) · Census block assignment files
How does Bristol compare with other places in Maine?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Bristol is the 3,598th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 104th-most populous of 454 in Maine.
Bristol ranks 41st of 349 places in Maine with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 104th | 454 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 105th | 273 |
| Residents per square mile | 218th | 353 |
| Median household income | 41st | 349 |
| Per capita income | 15th | 353 |
| Median home value | 58th | 352 |
| Median gross rent | 152nd | 301 |
| Poverty rate | 224th | 277 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32nd | 352 |
| Median age | 9th | 353 |
| Owner-occupied share | 85th | 353 |
| Work from home | 29th | 275 |
| Travel time to work | 302nd | 352 |
Bristol's figures with every place in Maine (CSV)
Every place in Maine, sortable · Compare Bristol with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Bristol?
22 of the 57 figures for Bristol on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Bristol are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.