A. B. Jackson House, State Trunk Highway 50
Bristol’s story
187 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper and 5 maps from 1893 on.
- 1839Bristol is settled
BristolKenosha County, WI
A town of 5,300, settled in 1839.
Population
5,300
2025 Census estimate · +2% since 2020
Typical home
$466K
+5.6% in a year
Household income
$124K
median
Median age
46.7
years
Jobs based here
1,966
Balanced
TownGrade
A
#31 of 357 in WI
Why does Bristol grade so well?
Because it does well by almost any measure. Bristol earns an A, 31st of 357 graded towns in Wisconsin. The median household earns $124K, its public schools beat 84% of Wisconsin towns on state tests and graduation, and residents are healthier than 82% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. Its lowest mark, a C, is in cost of living. On hazard risk, just 37 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns do better. Bristol Woods County Park, at 182 acres with 4.8 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Bristol's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 83% of U.S. towns.
What makes Bristol stand out
Where Bristol beats most towns.
A growing town
Bristol has grown 105% since 2010
2,584 counted in 2010 and 5,192 in 2020; an estimated 5,300 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Bristol grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Bristol is from typical.
Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 4% of U.S. communities; cold waves tops the listA+Open →Jobs & incomeAOpen →SchoolsA−Open →HealthAurora Medical Center Kenosha 1.7 miles awayA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.6 of 20; 1.8% of households have no car; 5.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB+Open →Cost of livingCOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors2% conserved landB−Open →HistoryB−Open →Civic life3.8 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Bristol: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bristol, and how to reach them.
PowerWe Energies20.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBristol Heights MHPNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers93% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Bristol’s trash rules yet
SchoolsWestosha Central High School DistrictBristol No. 1 School District2 districts serve Bristol; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Wisconsin you can register online until 20 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 20 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereVillage of Bristol ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, May 2026
ZIP codes53104, 5314253104 90% · 53142 10%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Bristol.
Bristol sends many workers across the state line to Waukegan, has less food insecurity than most of Wisconsin and has cooler summers than most of the country, though not than most of Wisconsin.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A+
Very low risk in Bristol, with cold waves at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 96% of U.S. communities.
4risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland floodingTornadoes
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
SchoolsA−
Bristol’s grade for schools is an A−
Its public schools are run by the Bristol #1 School District. Its one school is below.
84%of WI districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 830 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WI on state tests and graduation
HealthA−
Bristol’s grade for health is an A−
Its widest gap with Wisconsin is food insecurity: 7.1% of its 4,117 adults worry about having enough food, against 12.1% statewide. Against the 5,214 U.S. towns with household incomes like Bristol’s, it is healthier than 55%, a smaller edge than it has nationally: part of it comes with its incomes.
28% of adults feel lonely in Bristol, against 30% in Wisconsin’s towns and 33% across U.S. towns. 14% of adults report frequent mental distress in Bristol. Bristol beats the Wisconsin average on 10 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1.
82%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Bristol | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 30% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 15% | 17% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 20% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
10 better21 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Bristol | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7.1% | 12.1% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 3.6% | 5.5% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.9% | 8.6% |
Aurora Medical Center Kenosha
1.7 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
79th
percentile among WI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade C
The typical home in Bristol is valued at about $466K
The typical Bristol home is worth about $466,000, up 5.6% in a year, 38% above the Wisconsin typical home.
$466KZillow home value
Typical home value
Bristol$466K
Wisconsin$337K
+5.6%
value change, 1 year
4
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
#174for trails in WI
| Bristol | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 2.5% | 3.8% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
2.5%
conserved · 517 of 21,032 acres
12 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bristol Woods County Park | 4.8 mi | 182 |
| 2. Firemans Park | — | 2 |
| 3. Pine Dunes Forest Preserve | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
Bristol has snowy winters and pleasant summers
July afternoons average 82.5°: cooler than most of the country, but hotter than 90% of Wisconsin places with climate records; January nights average 14.6°.
Bristol has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Bristol’s January low is 15°F, above the Wisconsin town median (11°F) but below the median of U.S. towns (22°F). About 43 inches of snow falls in a winter.
43″snow a winter
| Bristol | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 15°F | 11°F | 22°F |
| July high | 83°F | 82°F | 85°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter18–33°
Spring36–57°
Summer60–80°
Fall42–61°
Oct 21
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
Bristol has 0.8 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
29% of working residents cross a state line to work, Waukegan among the top destinations.
Most working residents leave Bristol for work: only 5% work in town. 1.9% of Bristol residents live below the poverty line. Jobs based in Bristol grew to 1,966 in 2023, 386 more than in 2013.
5%work in town
| Bristol | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $124,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 1.9% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 5.5% | 8.4% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Bristol5%
Kenosha15%
Pleasant Prairie11%
Milwaukee4%
Racine3%
14 mi
median commute distance
1,966
jobs based in Bristol
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 68% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Who lives here
Fewer children than Wisconsin overall
The median household earns $123,648, against $77,485 across Wisconsin, one input to its A for jobs and income.
Children under 18 are 17% of residents (21% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 43% of residents (38% statewide). Bristol’s median age is 46.7 years. Bristol has grown 2% since 2020, to 5,300 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
46.7median age · WI 40.2
| Bristol | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 17% | 21% | 22% |
| Median age | 46.7 years | 42.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 36% | 32% | 29% |
BristolWisconsinUnited States
Ages · share of residents
20%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma3%
High school22%
Some college27%
Associate’s11%
Bachelor’s22%
Graduate15%
Women and men · all residents
45% women, 55% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±5.3 points. Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women. Among residents 18 to 24, 77% are men (WI 51%).
| Bristol | WI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 7.1% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.5% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 13.2% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 7.6% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 9.5% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.9% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 19.6% | 13.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 15% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 4.6% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 3.4% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 22.2% | 29.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 27.1% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 10.9% | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 21.5% | 22% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 14.9% | 11.4% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Nearby attractions
All 185 attractions →Six Flags Great America and 45 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Bristol. Close and well known come first.
Big draw12 mi Theme parkSix Flags Great America3.0M visitors a year
37 mi Stadium & arenaAllstate Arena
34 mi MuseumMcDonald's #1 Store Museum
36 mi Stadium & arenaFiserv Forum
36 mi MuseumMilwaukee Art Museum350K visitors a year
34 mi MuseumIllinois Railway MuseumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Six Flags Great America: Feather Better, CC BY 4.0 · Allstate Arena: Nkon21, CC BY-SA 4.0 · McDonald's #1 Store Museum: Bruce Marlin, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Fiserv Forum: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Milwaukee Art Museum: Michael Hicks (Mulad), CC BY 2.0 · Illinois Railway Museum: The original uploader was Slambo at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 2.0
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Bristol
18pages on Bristol
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
6 within 15 miles of the center of Bristol
Gateway Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Kenosha9.7 mi$4,956 in-state tuitionHerzing University-KenoshaUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Kenosha10.2 mi$13,450 tuitionUniversity of Wisconsin-ParksideUniversity or college · Public · Kenosha11.2 mi$8,270 in-state tuition
About 7 of every 100 Bristol residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Wisconsin.
Bristol’s neighbors
6 towns share a border with Bristol.
At #31 in WI, it grades higher overall than all 3 graded towns on its borders; Salem Lakes (B−) comes closest.
KenoshaPleasant PrairieSalem LakesAntioch TownshipParisNewport TownshipBristol
How the neighbors grade
| Town | WI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol | #31 | A | C | — | A− | A− |
| Kenosha | #333 | C− | C+ | C+ | C− | C+ |
| Pleasant Prairie | #311 | C+ | C− | C+ | C− | B+ |
| Salem Lakes | #239 | B− | C | — | B+ | B |
| Paris | — | — | C+ | — | A− | B− |
Paris has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Bristol, Salem Lakes and Paris report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Bristol with a neighbor →
Questions about Bristol
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Bristol, WI a good place to live?
Yes, by almost any measure. Bristol grades A overall, better than 94% of U.S. towns and #31 of 357 in Wisconsin. It grades A− for health and A− for schools.
Is Bristol, WI expensive?
That is 5.7 years of the area's median household income ($81,239 across the Kenosha, WI metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.