The Town FilesBristol, Wisconsin
Village in Kenosha County · population 5,192 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $312,800
- Household income
- $123,648
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 43 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 46.7
Bristol is a village of 5,192 people in Kenosha County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $312,800, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better transit than 98% of Wisconsin towns, better for young professionals than 95% of Wisconsin towns, more upscale than 94% of Wisconsin towns.
How Bristol ranks
Percentile among Wisconsin towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Wisconsin towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bristol is worth $312,800, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $123,648, which is more affordable than 86% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,328 a month. 82.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bristol | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $312,800 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,328 | $951 |
| Median household income | $123,648 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 82.2% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.2% | — |
Who lives in Bristol
| People | Bristol | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.7 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.6% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 16.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.4% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 1.9% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 5.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.2% | — |
| Work from home | 11.0% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 25.7 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.2% | 89.1% |
Weather in Bristol
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 12.9°F. About 37.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 43.4 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 146 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bristol since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on January 7, 2008 about 8.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 11, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 47 times; the largest was 2.25 inches on May 2, 2018.
Severe weather in Kenosha County since 1996
Kenosha County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Flood | DR-4923: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3454: Covid-19 |
| March 11, 2020 | Flood | DR-4477: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| April 5, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1966: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Kenosha County
Kenosha County had 74,313 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,409 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Bristol itself the ACS puts it at 5.3%.
Public schools in Bristol
1 public school with 814 students, about 15.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol Elementary | PK-8 | 814 | 15.1 |
Towns near Bristol
- Antioch, IL4.8 mi · 14,622 people · home $306,700
- Paddock Lake, WI5.6 mi · 2,919 people · home $255,700
- Pleasant Prairie, WI6.2 mi · 21,250 people · home $360,400
- Salem Lakes, WI6.3 mi · 14,601 people · home $316,100
- Wadsworth, IL7.1 mi · 3,517 people · home $378,900
- Kenosha, WI7.6 mi · 99,986 people · home $225,200
- Lindenhurst, IL8.0 mi · 14,406 people · home $294,100
- Lake Villa, IL8.8 mi · 8,741 people · home $351,700
Bristol questions
Is Bristol, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bristol scores better for retirees than 42% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 13%. 19.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.7).
How much does a house cost in Bristol?
The median owner-occupied home in Bristol is valued at $312,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $123,648, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $1,328 a month.
What is the weather like in Bristol?
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 12.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.5 inches of precipitation a year and 43.4 inches of snow.
Does Bristol get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bristol since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on January 7, 2008. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.
- 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)