Bristol, VA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Bristol, VA Summary

Cost of living in Bristol research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Bristol is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Virginia, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Bristol is 84, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Bristol is 0.8x lower than the national average.

  • Bristol ranks as the #9 cheapest in Virginia out of 186.

  • Bristol ranks as the #629 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Bristol is $139,000.

  • The median income in Bristol is $43,879.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
84
Bristol's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Bristol, VA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Bristol has an overall cost of living index of 84, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Virginia, Bristol has a cost of living index that's 0.8x lower than Virginia's index of 102.

The standard of living in Bristol ranks as #9 most affordable out of the 186 places we measured in Virginia. By definition, that implies Bristol ranks as the #177 most expensive place in the Old Dominion.

For more reading on life in Bristol, check out:

9 out of 186
In Virginia
629 out of 6,412
In America

Bristol Cost Of Living Vs. Virginia

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Bristol. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Bristol is 96.

  • The Groceries index in Bristol is 96.

  • The Health index in Bristol is 93.

  • The Housing index in Bristol is 61.

  • The Transportation index in Bristol is 80.

  • The Utilities index in Bristol is 83.

Living Expense Bristol Virginia National Average
Overall 84 102 100
Services 96 102 100
Groceries 96 98 100
Health 93 102 100
Housing 61 107 100
Transportation 80 95 100
Utilities 83 102 100
For more reading on cost of living around Virginia, check out:
Bristol Cost of Living Vs. VA

Bristol, VA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Virginia, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Bristol is $139,000.

  • The Median Rent in Bristol is $737.

  • The Median Income in Bristol is $43,879.

  • The Home Value To Income in Bristol is 3.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Bristol is 0.2x.

Statistic Bristol Virginia United States
Median Home Value $139,000 $295,500 $244,900
Median Rent $737 $1,326 $1,163
Median Income $43,879 $80,615 $69,021
Home Value To Income 3.2x 3.7x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.2x 0.2x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Bristol, VA
$139,000
Median Home Value
$737
Median Rent
$43,879
Median Income

Bristol, VA Costs By Category

Detailed Bristol Services Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Bristol Virginia
Shampoo $0.9 $1.06
Movie $8.99 $10.68
Bowling $18.41 $14.67
Haircut $19.58 $18.62
Beauty Salon $30.41 $39.05

Detailed Bristol Groceries Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Bristol Virginia
Ground Beef $4.74 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.11 $1.39
Milk $2.04 $2.05
Potatoes $3.59 $3.29
Pizza $12.17 $10.62
Beer $10.2 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.6 $2.34

Detailed Bristol Health Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Bristol Virginia
Optometrist $83.87 $108.57
Doctor $90.86 $116.17
Dentist $96.5 $99.13

Detailed Bristol Transportation Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Bristol Virginia
Gasoline $1.85 $2.22
Tire Balancing $38.0 $50.07

Detailed Bristol Utilities Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Bristol Virginia
All Electricity $119.46 $167.67
Phone $184.96 $175.64

Bristol SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
5
Affordability
6
Diversity
6
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8.5
Education
6
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Bristol

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Bristol. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Kingsport, TN has a cost of living index of 85, 1.0x Bristol.

  • Bristol, TN has a cost of living index of 83, 1.0x Bristol.

  • Boone, NC has a cost of living index of 104, 1.2x Bristol.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Bristol
Kingsport, TN 55,019 85 1.0x
Bristol, TN 27,154 83 1.0x
Boone, NC 18,055 104 1.2x
Greeneville, TN 15,361 83 1.0x
Elizabethton, TN 14,112 87 1.0x
Bloomingdale, TN 8,759 81 1.0x
Abingdon, VA 8,350 87 1.0x
Church Hill, TN 6,973 86 1.0x
Erwin, TN 6,052 83 1.0x
Jonesborough, TN 5,747 94 1.1x

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