Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Bristol, Pennsylvania
A $236,000 home here costs
$2,152per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.32% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $92,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,297. The real number is $855 higher every month, 66% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Bucks County 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 Bucks County and Pennsylvania
| Measure | Bristol | Bucks County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $236,400 | $421,700 |
| Median property tax | $4,009 | $5,833 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.696% | 1.383% |
| Median gross rent | $1,281 | $1,537 |
| Population | 9,874 | 645,993 |
The weather behind that power bill
Bristol sits in Bucks County, which averages a high of 85.6°F in its hottest month and a low of 23.3°F in its coldest, with 47.67" of precipitation a year and 31% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 959 cooling and 5,160 heating degree days, which is what sets the $178 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Bucks County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Bucks County
Full Bucks County cost breakdown · Every county in Pennsylvania
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 $236,000 home in Bristol, Pennsylvania costs approximately $2,152 per month with 20% down at 7.32%. That is $1,297 principal and interest, $334 property tax, $79 homeowners insurance, $246 utilities and $197 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Bristol?
Bristol has an effective property tax rate of 1.696%, based on a median home value of $236,400 and median real estate taxes of $4,009. That is higher than the Bucks County average of 1.383%.
What is the average home price in Bristol?
The median owner-occupied home value in Bristol, Pennsylvania is $236,400, against $421,700 across Bucks County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Bristol?
Median gross rent in Bristol is $1,281 a month, against $2,152 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, Pennsylvania at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $92,000 a year. That covers the full $2,152 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 Pennsylvania.
- 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.