Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Bristol, Connecticut
A $252,000 home here costs
$2,364per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $101,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,374. The real number is $990 higher every month, 72% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Naugatuck Valley Planning Region with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Bristol against Naugatuck Valley Planning Region and Connecticut
| Measure | Bristol | Naugatuck Valley Planning Region |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $252,300 | $290,800 |
| Median property tax | $5,385 | $5,926 |
| Effective tax rate | 2.134% | 2.038% |
| Median gross rent | $1,305 | $1,288 |
| Population | 61,129 | 452,303 |
The weather behind that power bill
Bristol sits in Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, which averages a high of 84.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 18.7°F in its coldest, with 44.86" of precipitation a year and 27% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 718 cooling and 5,892 heating degree days, which is what sets the $170 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Naugatuck Valley Planning Region , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Naugatuck Valley Planning Region
Full Naugatuck Valley Planning Region cost breakdown · Every county in Connecticut
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Bristol averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Bristol every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Bristol I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Bristol?
A $252,000 home in Bristol, Connecticut costs approximately $2,364 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $1,374 principal and interest, $448 property tax, $94 homeowners insurance, $238 utilities and $210 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Bristol?
Bristol has an effective property tax rate of 2.134%, based on a median home value of $252,300 and median real estate taxes of $5,385. That is higher than the Naugatuck Valley Planning Region average of 2.038%.
What is the average home price in Bristol?
The median owner-occupied home value in Bristol, Connecticut is $252,300, against $290,800 across Naugatuck Valley Planning Region.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Bristol?
Median gross rent in Bristol is $1,305 a month, against $2,364 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Bristol?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Bristol, Connecticut at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $101,500 a year. That covers the full $2,364 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Bristol, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Connecticut.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.