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Buying a home in Bristol County, Massachusetts

The typical owner-occupied home in Bristol County is worth about $451,200, 20% below the Massachusetts median of $562,100 and 36% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $4,807 a year in property taxes, about 1.07% of their home's value, close to the Massachusetts rate of 1.07%. The median household earns $85,625 a year, so the median home costs 5.3 times the median income (5.4 times for Massachusetts). 62% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 66% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Bristol County at a glance

Bristol County Massachusetts U.S.
Median home value $451,200 $562,100 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $4,807 $5,992 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.07% 1.07% 0.94%
Median household income $85,625 $103,960 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 62% 63% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 66% 66% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $2,394 $2,726 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 22.3% 21.9% 21.0%
Median rent $1,245 $1,762 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 31.1% 30.9% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1964 1964 1980
Vacant homes 4.6% 8.1% 10.1%
Population 582,270 7,044,056 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Bristol County

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Bristol County home of $451,200 with 20% down costs about $3,019 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $3,770, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $129,365 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 42% of the median Bristol County household income of $85,625; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $299,000.

The median rent here is $1,245 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,774 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$90,240
Loan amount$360,960
Principal and interest$2,428
Property taxes (1.07% a year)$402
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$188
PMI$0
Total per month$3,019

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$15,792
Loan amount$443,028
Principal and interest$2,980
Property taxes (1.07% a year)$402
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$188
FHA mortgage insurance$200
Total per month$3,770

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Questions about home buying in Bristol County

What is the median home value in Bristol County?

About $451,200 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Bristol County?

Homeowners pay a median $4,807 a year, which is about 1.07% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Bristol County?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $3,019 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $129,365 a year.

More about Bristol County

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data