What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bristol has the most renters (33.9% rent).

Cumberland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bristol	Cumberland
People
Population	22,220Lowest	36,820Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2%Lowest RI: +4.3%	+8.7%Highest RI: +4.3%
Median age	43±2.2Lowest 6% above RI	43.5±1.2Highest 7% above RI
	Cumberland and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	12.9%±1.9Lowest RI: 18.8%	23.4%±2.4Highest RI: 18.8%
Age 65+	22.9%±2Highest RI: 18.7%	18.9%±1.7Lowest RI: 18.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.6%Highest RI: 37.7%	44.8%Lowest RI: 37.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	18.6%±1.4Highest RI: 8.3%	3.1%±0.7Lowest RI: 8.3%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$97,764±$8kLowest 11% above RI	$117,522±$8kHighest 34% above RI
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$485,000±$25kHighest 20% above RI	$431,000±$15kLowest 7% above RI
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,579±$118Highest 18% above RI	$1,379±$109Lowest about the RI average
	Bristol and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,393Highest 10% above RI	$4,870Lowest about the RI average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.9%±8.1Lowest RI: 48%	47.9%±9.2Highest RI: 48%
	Cumberland and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.5%Highest RI: 11.2%	3.9%Lowest RI: 11.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	66.1%Lowest RI: 63.6%	76.3%Highest RI: 63.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Lowest 2 yrs newer than RI	1972Highest 10 yrs newer than RI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest about the RI average	26 minHighest 3% above RI
Work from home	11.2%±2.7Lowest RI: 13%	14.8%±2.4Highest RI: 13%
	Cumberland and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#20 of 38 in RI	#18 of 38 in RI
School district	Bristol Warren	Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland
High school in town	Mt. Hope High School	Cumberland High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.5Lowest	13.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.