Compare towns
Barrington vs Bristol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Rhode Island.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barrington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Bristol has the most renters (33.9% rent).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Barrington | Bristol |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 17,126Lowest |
22,220Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest RI: +4.3% |
-2%Lowest RI: +4.3% |
| Median age | 43.8±1.1Highest 8% above RI |
43±2.2Lowest 6% above RI |
| Barrington and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 26.5%±2.5Highest RI: 18.8% |
12.9%±1.9Lowest RI: 18.8% |
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±1.8Lowest RI: 18.7% |
22.9%±2Highest RI: 18.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 73%Highest RI: 37.7% |
47.6%Lowest RI: 37.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.3Lowest RI: 8.3% |
18.6%±1.4Highest RI: 8.3% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $153,198±$9kHighest 74% above RI |
$97,764±$8kLowest 11% above RI |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,100±$25kHighest 59% above RI |
$485,000±$25kLowest 20% above RI |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,943±$505Highest 45% above RI |
$1,579±$118Lowest 18% above RI |
| Barrington and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,656Highest 97% above RI |
$5,393Lowest 10% above RI |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±10Highest RI: 48% |
37.9%±8.1Lowest RI: 48% |
| Barrington and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest RI: 11.2% |
6.5%Highest RI: 11.2% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.5%Highest RI: 63.6% |
66.1%Lowest RI: 63.6% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 6 yrs older than RI |
1964Highest 2 yrs newer than RI |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 16% above RI |
25 minLowest about the RI average |
| Work from home | 22.1%±3.3Highest RI: 13% |
11.2%±2.7Lowest RI: 13% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #1 of 38 in RI | #20 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Barrington | Bristol Warren |
| High school in town | Barrington High School | Mt. Hope High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Highest |
12.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet |
RI average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.