Bristol County, Rhode Island

County Distress Index: Healthy · 33.1 | 50,255 people · 5th most distressed in Rhode Island
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Bristol County, RI ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 33.1 — 2754th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Rhode Island, it ranks 5th of 5 counties. It scores lower than all 4 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Bristol County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 67.9 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 67.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 69
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 71
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 96
Homeownership Rate 56
Rent-to-Income Ratio 47
Employment & Wages 52.1
Unemployment Rate 38
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 92
Business Formation Rate 26
Income & Poverty 20.3
Poverty Rate 7
Income vs. State Median 50
Child Poverty Rate 4
Debt & Delinquency 17.6
Debt in Collections 10
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 44
Auto Loan Delinquency 2
Credit Card Delinquency 31
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 12
Community Vulnerability 7.5
Uninsured Rate 1
Disability Rate 14

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Bristol County compares to its 4 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Bristol County
Bristol County, RI 33.1 Healthy —
Providence County, RI 58.4 Elevated +25.3
Bristol County, MA 57.9 Elevated +24.8
Kent County, RI 46.7 Normal +13.6
Newport County, RI 42.0 Normal +8.9

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Bristol County
Washington County, PA 33.1 Healthy +0.0
Grand Forks County, ND 33.2 Healthy +0.1
Winnebago County, WI 33.2 Healthy +0.1
Cache County, UT 32.9 Healthy -0.2
Stafford County, VA 33.3 Healthy +0.2

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Bristol County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Bristol County

Find an Attorney

Rhode Island Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Rhode Island Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 401-421-5740

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Bristol County residents at no cost.

Rhode Island Legal Services (RILS) 401-274-2652

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Rhode Island →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Bristol County, Rhode Island?

    Bristol County has a County Distress Index score of 33.1 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,754th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 5th in Rhode Island out of 5 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bristol County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bristol County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 67.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Bristol County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bristol County (33.1) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Providence County, RI (58.4); Bristol County, MA (57.9); Kent County, RI (46.7).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • What is the population of Bristol County?

    Bristol County, Rhode Island has a population of approximately 50,255 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.