Bristol County, Massachusetts Housing Market Prices
Bristol County Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price 26% below the Massachusetts median Among the top 5 cheapest counties in Massachusetts$367,046
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Median rent 29% below the Massachusetts median Among the top 5 cheapest counties in Massachusetts$1,244
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Bristol County | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $367,046 | $494,523 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 7.1% | 6.6% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,244 | $1,761 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 5.2% | 5.7% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Bristol County is about 26% lower than in Massachusetts. Rent is about 29% lower than the Massachusetts average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in Bristol County, up about 7.1% and 5.2% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Bristol County rose about 51.6% between 2015 and 2024, from $820 to $1,244. Over the same span, rent in Massachusetts rose about 59.8%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 4.3 yearly household incomes in Bristol County.
Buying the median-priced home in Bristol County costs roughly 24.6 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Bristol County. The price-to-rent ratio in Massachusetts is about 23.4.
| Metric | Bristol County | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $367,046 | $494,523 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $85,695 | $104,336 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 4.3 | 4.7 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Bristol County rose about 84.1%, while median household income rose about 48.2% between 2009 and 2025 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Bristol County | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 59.4% | 57.5% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 36.0% | 34.4% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 4.6% | 8.1% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 17.0 | 16.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
Bristol County has a homeownership rate of 59.4%, higher than the Massachusetts average of 57.5%. Its housing vacancy rate is 4.6%, compared with 8.1% in Massachusetts.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Bristol County | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.43 people | 2.44 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1962 | 1963 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.6 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Bristol County was built around 1962. On average, 2.4 people live in a home with about 5.6 rooms, staying for about 17.0 years on average.
Bristol County, MA Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Bristol County, MA is the 2nd largest of the 5 counties compared here, 582,104 residents against a local median of 352,824. Where Bristol County, MA breaks from the counties next to it is median rent, sitting 28% below the local median of $1,730 at $1,244.
Median home price tells the same story from another angle: $367,046 against a local median of $460,466, 20% below it. The counties themselves spread $823 on median rent, so Bristol County, MA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Bristol County, MA has the 5th highest median rent of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol County, MA | 582,104 | $367,046 #4/5 | $1,244 #5/5 | 62.3% #5/5 |
| Newport County, RI | 84,657 | $456,969 | $1,713 | 67.9% |
| Plymouth County, MA | 534,586 | $463,963 | $1,747 | 77.6% |
| Norfolk County, MA | 729,949 | $597,016 | $2,149 | 68.7% |
| Kent County, RI | 171,061 | $327,059 | $1,326 | 73.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Bristol County, Massachusetts.
What is the median home price in Bristol County, Massachusetts?
The median home price in Bristol County, Massachusetts is $367,046, lower than the Massachusetts average of $494,523.
What is the average home price in Bristol County, Massachusetts?
The typical home price in Bristol County, Massachusetts, reported as the median sale price, is $367,046. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Bristol County, Massachusetts?
The median gross rent in Bristol County, Massachusetts is $1,244 per month, lower than the Massachusetts average of $1,761.
What was the median gross rent in Bristol County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Bristol County, Massachusetts was $933 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Bristol County, Massachusetts?
The price-to-rent ratio in Bristol County, Massachusetts is about 24.6, meaning it would take roughly 24.6 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Bristol County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Bristol County, Massachusetts?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Bristol County, up about 7.1% and 5.2% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Bristol County, Massachusetts?
59.4% of households in Bristol County, Massachusetts own their home, higher than the Massachusetts average of 57.5%.
What is the vacancy rate in Bristol County, Massachusetts?
The housing vacancy rate in Bristol County, Massachusetts is 4.6%, lower than the Massachusetts average of 8.1%.
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