Bristol is a medium-sized coastal town (i.e. on the ocean, a bay, or inlet) located in the state of Rhode Island. With a population of 22,069 people and four associated neighborhoods, Bristol is the 18th largest community in Rhode Island.

Housing costs in Bristol are among some of the highest in the nation, although real estate prices here don't compare to real estate prices in the most expensive communities in Rhode Island.

Also of interest is that Bristol has more people living here who work in computers and math than 95% of the places in the US.

One interesting thing about the economy is that relatively large numbers of people worked from their home: 7.96% of the workforce. While this number may seem small overall, as a fraction of the total workforce this is high compared to the rest of the county. These workers are often telecommuters who work in knowledge-based, white-collar professions. For example, Silicon Valley has large numbers of people who telecommute. Other at-home workers may be self-employed people who operate small businesses out of their homes.

Because there are quite a few people attending college in Bristol, it is thought of as a college town. To the benefit of the many students in the area, Bristol provides a number of services, amenities and opportunities geared towards their needs and activities.

Bristol, while not large, also appears to be attractive to some younger, educated professionals, who help shape the character of the town.

The overall crime rate in Bristol is one of the lowest in the US. This makes it one of the safer places to live in the country in terms of crime.

Bristol is also nautical, which means that parts of it are somewhat historic and touch the ocean or tidal bodies of water, such as inlets and bays. Such areas are often places that visitors and locals go for waterfront activities or taking in the scenery.

The citizens of Bristol are among the most well-educated in the nation: 45.43% of adults in Bristol have a bachelor's degree or even advanced degree, whereas the average US city has 21.84% holding at least a bachelor's degree.

The per capita income in Bristol in 2022 was $46,559, which is middle income relative to Rhode Island, and wealthy relative to the rest of the US. This equates to an annual income of $186,236 for a family of four.

The people who call Bristol home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Bristol residents report their race to be White, followed by Asian. Important ancestries of people in Bristol include Italian, Irish, Portuguese, English, and German.

The most common language spoken in Bristol is English. Other important languages spoken here include Portuguese and Spanish.