HomeMassachusettsBristol County
Bristol County, Massachusetts: commercial real estate data.
Bristol County, Massachusetts had an estimated 588,593 residents on July 1, 2024, up 1.6 percent since the 2020 census base of 579,298, across 553 square miles. County output reached $36.04 bn in 2024, 13,221 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 691 7(a) approvals worth $219.2 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Bristol County
How many people live in Bristol County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024582,270
- Households233,825
- Average household size2.49
- Median household income$85,625
- Median age40.9
- Median gross rent$1,245 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$451,200
- Home value to household income5.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher30.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree11.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over412,523
- Population under 18119,489
- Share under 1820.5 percent
- Population 65 and over103,468
- Share 65 and over17.8 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64359,313
- Civilian labor force310,909
- Unemployment rate5.5 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over67.2 percent
- Rank by population among Massachusetts counties6th of 14
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included117th of 3,222
Bristol County is the 6th largest of 14 Massachusetts counties by population. A median home costs 5.3 times median household income, which is severely unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 20.5 percent against 17.8 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Bristol County
Is Bristol County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024588,593
- Census 2020 base population579,298
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.60 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20243,540
- Births, 20245,215
- Deaths, 20246,033
- Natural change, 2024-818
- Net domestic migration, 2024349
- Net international migration, 20244,012
- Total net migration, 20244,361
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20243,583
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1300th of 3,144
The county has grown 1.60 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Bristol County
Where are people moving to Bristol County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving11,332
- People arriving, from those returns18,453
- Tax returns filed by households leaving11,290
- Net household movement42
- Adjusted gross income arriving$850.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-32.9 m
- Average income of an arriving household$75,014
- Average income of a leaving household$78,205
- Largest single originPlymouth County (2,601 households)
- Largest single destinationPlymouth County (1,704 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plymouth County | 2,601 | 4,437 | $158.9 m |
| Norfolk County | 1,889 | 3,103 | $166.5 m |
| Providence County | 1,150 | 1,877 | $80.7 m |
| Suffolk County | 994 | 1,671 | $80.0 m |
| Middlesex County | 652 | 981 | $81.9 m |
| Barnstable County | 310 | 495 | $17.7 m |
| Worcester County | 305 | 496 | $22.2 m |
| Newport County | 277 | 411 | $18.2 m |
Households arriving report $3,191 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Plymouth County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Bristol County
What is the Bristol County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$36.04 bn
- County GDP, 2023$34.31 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.0 percent
- GDP change over five years29.7 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Massachusetts areas BEA publishes7th of 14
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes167th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$61,897
Output grew 5.0 percent in the latest year and 29.7 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Bristol County
Employment by industry in Bristol County
- Covered employment, annual average227,971
- Establishments reporting17,906
- Average annual pay$64,669
- Average weekly wage$1,244
- Health care and social assistance, employment42,694
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$61,535
- Retail trade, employment31,467
- Retail trade, average annual pay$40,606
- Manufacturing, employment23,116
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$84,766
- Accommodation and food services, employment21,167
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$27,727
- Construction, employment12,550
- Wholesale trade, employment11,839
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 42,694 | 5,478 | $61,535 |
| Retail trade | 31,467 | 1,858 | $40,606 |
| Manufacturing | 23,116 | 663 | $84,766 |
| Accommodation and food services | 21,167 | 1,216 | $27,727 |
| Construction | 12,550 | 1,630 | $87,687 |
| Wholesale trade | 11,839 | 695 | $98,288 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 10,889 | 428 | $63,147 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 10,699 | 843 | $52,510 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 42,694 jobs, 18.7 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Bristol County
How many businesses are in Bristol County?
- Establishments, all industries13,221
- Employment at those establishments201,320
- Annual payroll$11.89 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents22.7
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Bristol County
Building permits in Bristol County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024863
- Declared construction value permitted$210.2 m
- Single family units authorized514
- Multifamily units authorized349
- Multifamily share of units40.4 percent
- Average declared value per unit$243,530
- Units authorized per 1,000 households3.7
Multifamily is 40.4 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Bristol County
SBA loans in Bristol County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded691
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$219.2 m
- Average 7(a) approval$317,170
- Median 7(a) approval$100,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$650,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)7,119
- Jobs per approval10.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active73
- Distinct industries receiving approvals218
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer7.4 percent
- Loans on real estate terms51
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter622
- Franchise loans66
- Franchise share of approvals9.6 percent
- Leading industry by approval countLandscaping Services (31)
- Most active lenderBristol County Savings Bank (121)
- 504 approvals recorded305
- 504 gross approval dollars$202.9 m
- Average 504 approval$665,098
- Median 504 approval$361,000
- Distinct CDCs active7
- 504 jobs per approval6.7
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved10.1
- Most active CDCSouth Eastern Economic Development Corporation (78)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$422.0 m
The average approval of $317,170 sits well above the median of $100,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 7.4 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Bristol County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Bristol County
Do SBA loans in Bristol County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded131
- Paid in full118
- Charged off13
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans9.9 percent
- Status: Paid in full118
- Status: Charged off13
- Status: Exempt from disclosure424
- Status: Cancelled104
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed32
Of the 131 loans that have reached a final outcome, 9.9 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Bristol County
SBA lending by place in Bristol County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending39
- New Bedford, approvals77
- Fall River, approvals65
- Taunton, approvals65
- Attleboro, approvals47
- North Attleboro, approvals43
- Seekonk, approvals39
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| New Bedford | 77 | $29,074,800 |
| Fall River | 65 | $26,832,600 |
| Taunton | 65 | $14,590,900 |
| Attleboro | 47 | $14,479,400 |
| North Attleboro | 43 | $10,124,800 |
| Seekonk | 39 | $12,398,300 |
| North Dartmouth | 37 | $9,294,400 |
| South Easton | 28 | $7,645,200 |
| 31 other borrower cities | 290 | $94,724,200 |
New Bedford accounts for 77 approvals against 65 in Fall River. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Bristol County
How large is Bristol County?
- Land area553 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Massachusetts counties7th of 14
- Width, east to west29 mi
- Height, north to south41.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land1,053
- Establishments per square mile23.91
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Bristol County
Flood risk in Bristol County
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book20
- Of those, participating in the NFIP20
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 9
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
- Radon levels in Bristol County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The EPA places Bristol County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 9, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Bristol County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Bristol County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024582,270
- Households233,825
- Average household size2.49
- Median household income$85,625
- Median age40.9
Common questions
Bristol County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Bristol County, Massachusetts?
The Census Bureau estimates 588,593 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 582,270, in 233,825 households, ranking 6th of 14 Massachusetts counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Bristol County's population growing?
The population has grown 1.60 percent since the 2020 census base of 579,298, to 588,593 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 5,215 births against 6,033 deaths, with net migration of 4,361. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Bristol County?
$85,625. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $451,200, which is 5.3 times income, and median gross rent is $1,245 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Bristol County?
13,221 establishments, employing 201,320 people with an annual payroll of $11.89 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Bristol County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 42,694 jobs, 18.7 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 227,971 jobs at an average annual pay of $64,669, or $1,244 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Bristol County?
691 7(a) approvals totaling $219.2 m since FY2020, across 73 lenders, with a median approval of $100,000, plus 305 504 approvals worth $202.9 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Bristol County get paid back?
Of the 131 loans that have reached a final outcome, 118 were paid in full and 13 charged off, a charge-off rate of 9.9 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Bristol County?
863 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $210.2 m. Multifamily was 40.4 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Bristol County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Bristol County come from?
The largest single origin is Plymouth County, with 2,601 households. Arriving households report an average income of $75,014 against $78,205 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Bristol County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Bristol County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Bristol County
Cities and places in Bristol.
15 Census places lie wholly or partly in Bristol County. All 15 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Bedford | city | 100,998 | 77 | Wholly in this county |
| Fall River | city | 94,082 | 65 | Wholly in this county |
| Taunton | city | 60,433 | 65 | Wholly in this county |
| Attleboro | city | 46,762 | 47 | Wholly in this county |
| North Attleborough Town | city | 30,984 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Somerset | CDP | 18,298 | 16 | Wholly in this county |
| Mansfield Center | CDP | 7,222 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bliss Corner | CDP | 5,405 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| North Westport | CDP | 5,289 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Raynham Center | CDP | 4,841 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Smith Mills | CDP | 4,612 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ocean Grove | CDP | 3,453 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| North Seekonk | CDP | 2,974 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Acushnet Center | CDP | 2,810 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Norton Center | CDP | 2,663 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 419 of the county's 691 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Bristol County, the largest being North Attleboro (43), Seekonk (39), North Dartmouth (37). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.