Town · New Hampshire
Bristol, New Hampshire
Bristol, town, in Grafton County, New Hampshire. Bristol had 3,251 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 3,244 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 3,273 (±27). GEOID 3300907700.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
3,251
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 3,244 · ACS 2020-2024: 3,273 ±27
Median household income
$78,438
±$9,840 (90% margin)
New Hampshire: $99,031
Median home value
$258,300
±$63,172 (90% margin)
New Hampshire: $402,500
Median gross rent
$1,310
±$97 (90% margin)
New Hampshire: $1,491
Where is Bristol and what county is it in?
Bristol is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire. It covers 16.7 square miles of land, 194 residents per square mile in 2020.
One place lies inside Bristol: Bristol (CDP, 1,911 in 2020).
Bristol is in the Lebanon-Claremont, NH-VT micropolitan statistical area, which takes in 4 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
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 3,251 people lived in Bristol on July 1, 2025, up 0.1% since 2020, slower than New Hampshire (+2.7%). The 2020 Census counted 3,244 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 3,273 (±27).
| Measure | Bristol | Grafton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,273±27 | 92,120 | +194 |
| Households | 1,325±141 | 37,107 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.44±0.25 | 2.29 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,399±201 | 51,920 | no clear change |
Bristol's population since 2000
From 3,033 in 2000 to 3,251 in 2025: up 7.2%. 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 42.7 years old; 24.3% are under 18 and 23.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 86.3%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 7.0%. 4.9% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Bristol | Grafton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.7±5.7 | 44.1 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 24.3%±5.0 pts | 15.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 23.2%±5.1 pts | 23.0% | – |
| Male | 50.2%±4.4 pts | 49.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.1%±1.6 pts | 2.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 86.3%±5.6 pts | 87.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.1 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 4.6%±3.0 pts | 3.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 7.0%±3.7 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.0%±1.5 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 4.9%±2.4 pts | 5.6% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 5.2%±3.7 pts | 6.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.8%±2.9 pts | 7.2% | – |
| With a disability | 12.8%±3.5 pts | 14.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.7%±3.0 pts | 5.4% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.9%±3.7 pts | 94.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 35.5%±5.6 pts | 46.7% | +12.9 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 15.7%±4.8 pts | 24.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 85.0%±8.5 pts | 86.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.2%±2.4 pts | 6.4% | – |
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 1,325 households earn less than $78,438 a year (±$9,840), against $88,261 in Grafton County and $99,031 in New Hampshire. In 2015-2019 it was $75,668 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 10.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Bristol | Grafton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $78,438±$9,840 | $88,261 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $91,641±$13,227 | $125,563 | – |
| Per capita income | $39,771±$4,686 | $52,790 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 10.3%±5.5 pts | 10.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 10.5%±10.2 pts | 10.8% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 11.9%±5.5 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.6%±4.2 pts | 95.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 89.4%±5.2 pts | 90.3% | – |
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 69.7% of Bristol's occupied homes and renters 30.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $258,300 by its owner (±$63,172). The median renter pays $1,310 a month including utilities, and 35.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Bristol | Grafton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $258,300±$63,172 | $344,500 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,310±$97 | $1,301 | +$281 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 35.5%±13.5 pts | 36.9% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,837±$144 | $2,070 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 69.7%±6.8 pts | 71.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 30.3%±6.8 pts | 28.7% | – |
| Housing units | 2,399±201 | 51,920 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0%±3.7 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 10.3%±10.8 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 62.5%±6.2 pts | 61.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 12.8%±4.6 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.7%±1.8 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.3%±2.9 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 17.1%±5.5 pts | 20.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.3%±4.6 pts | 6.3% | – |
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 7 new housing units in Bristol in 2025 (7 in single-family houses), 2.2 per 1,000 residents against 3.6 across New Hampshire.
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?
70.7% of Bristol's workers drive alone and 11.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 27.8 minutes.
| Measure | Bristol | Grafton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 62.4%±6.3 pts | 60.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.9%±1.5 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 70.7%±8.4 pts | 67.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 11.6%±6.6 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0%±2.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 4.3%±3.0 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 11.8%±5.1 pts | 17.2% | +6.9 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 27.8 min±3.7 | 22.2 min | no clear change |
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 9612.01Grafton County | 3,010 | $80,515 |
| Tract 9612.02Grafton County | 1,432 | $78,036 |
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 New Hampshire?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Bristol is the 3,358th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 95th-most populous of 221 in New Hampshire.
Bristol ranks 176th of 235 places in New Hampshire with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 95th | 221 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 171st | 187 |
| Residents per square mile | 121st | 241 |
| Median household income | 176th | 235 |
| Per capita income | 185th | 240 |
| Median home value | 198th | 239 |
| Median gross rent | 108th | 221 |
| Poverty rate | 52nd | 160 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 137th | 239 |
| Median age | 164th | 239 |
| Owner-occupied share | 175th | 241 |
| Work from home | 155th | 214 |
| Travel time to work | 120th | 241 |
Bristol's figures with every place in New Hampshire (CSV)
Every place in New Hampshire, 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?
16 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.