The Town FilesBristol, Maine
Town in Lincoln County · population 2,834 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $406,400
- Household income
- $100,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 70 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 61.0
Bristol is a town of 2,834 people in Lincoln County, Maine. The median home is worth $406,400, above the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks better for a vacation home than 98% of Maine towns, better for retirees than 92% of Maine towns, better for families than 91% of Maine towns.
- #7 in The 25 Quietest Small Towns in Maine
- #10 in The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Maine
- #11 in The 50 Best Small Towns to Retire in America With the Fewest Tornadoes
- #11 in The 50 Best Places to Retire in America With the Fewest Tornadoes
- #13 in 25 Small Towns in Maine With the Mildest Winters
- #23 in The 25 Best Small Towns for Families in Maine
How Bristol ranks
Percentile among Maine towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maine towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bristol is worth $406,400, above the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $100,750, which is more affordable than 32% of Maine towns. Median rent is $1,051 a month. 88.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bristol | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $406,400 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $1,051 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $100,750 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.0× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 88.6% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 40.8% | — |
Who lives in Bristol
| People | Bristol | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 61.0 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 42.8% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 13.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 52.7% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.4% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 9.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.2% | — |
| Work from home | 25.0% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 17.8 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.7% | 90.0% |
Weather in Bristol
July highs average 78.3°F and January lows 14.7°F. About 49.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 69.5 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 142 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Bristol since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 5 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on June 20, 2001.
Severe weather in Lincoln County since 1996
Lincoln County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4764: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3598: Hurricane Lee |
| July 6, 2023 | Flood | DR-4719: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4522: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3444: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Lincoln County
Lincoln County had 11,252 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,238 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Bristol itself the ACS puts it at 7.7%.
Public schools in Bristol
1 public school with 187 students, about 11.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol Consolidated School | PK-8 | 187 | 11.7 |
Towns near Bristol
- Boothbay, ME9.1 mi · 3,003 people · home $342,100
- St. George, ME12.0 mi · 2,594 people · home $356,300
- Wiscasset, ME13.7 mi · 3,742 people · home $325,200
- Woolwich, ME15.5 mi · 3,068 people · home $254,500
- Waldoboro, ME16.5 mi · 5,154 people · home $274,900
- Bath, ME18.8 mi · 8,766 people · home $310,900
- Jefferson, ME19.4 mi · 2,551 people · home $311,600
- Warren, ME19.9 mi · 4,865 people · home $232,700
Bristol questions
Is Bristol, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bristol scores better for retirees than 92% of Maine towns and quieter than 89%. 42.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 61.0).
How much does a house cost in Bristol?
The median owner-occupied home in Bristol is valued at $406,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $100,750, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $1,051 a month.
What is the weather like in Bristol?
July highs average 78.3°F and January lows 14.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.2 inches of precipitation a year and 69.5 inches of snow.
Does Bristol get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Bristol in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)