• independent city
  • FIPS 51520
  • Largest town: Bristol

Bristol city, Virginia

Bristol city had 16,316 residents in the Census Vintage 2024 estimate, on 12.9 square miles of land. It ranks 92nd of 133 in Virginia by population and 114th by land area.

Population
16,316
#92 of 133 in Virginia · #2,015 in US
Area
12.9 sq mi
#114 of 133 in Virginia · #3,124 in US
Density
1,268 / sq mi
#31 of 133 in Virginia · #124 in US
Median household income
$45,240
#128 of 133 in Virginia · #2,964 in US

Census Vintage 2024 estimates · SAIPE 2023 income · 2024 Gazetteer land area

Bristol city within Virginia. Pin: Richmond.

Measure from here

Tools and pages that start from Bristol city

Bristol city population, land area and income

Bristol city had 16,316 residents in the Census Vintage 2024 estimate, on 12.9 square miles of land. It ranks 92nd of 133 in Virginia by population and 114th by land area. That works out to 1,267.8 people per square mile, 13.2 times the US average of 96.3, and in the top tenth nationally.

The median county-equivalent in Virginia has 27,800 residents; Bristol city is somewhat smaller.

Its SAIPE 2023 median household income of $45,240 is in the bottom quarter among 3,143 counties with an estimate.

National rank among 3,144

Population

16,316

3144th1st

2015th of 3,144 (US)

Land area

13 sq mi

3144th1st

3124th of 3,144 (US)

Density

1,267.8 / sq mi

3144th1st

124th of 3,144 (US)

Median household income

$45,240

3143rd1st

2964th of 3,143 (US)

Rank within Virginia (133)

Population

16,316

133rd1st

92nd of 133 (VA)

Land area

13 sq mi

133rd1st

114th of 133 (VA)

Density

1,267.8 / sq mi

133rd1st

31st of 133 (VA)

Median household income

$45,240

133rd1st

128th of 133 (VA)

How Bristol city's population changed since 2020

Bristol city lost 987 residents between the July 2020 and July 2024 estimates, a drop of 5.7%. That ranks 132nd of 133 in Virginia for growth. The median Virginia county changed by +1.3%, and the state as a whole by +2.0%.

Since the April 2020 estimates base, Bristol city recorded 626 births and 1,403 deaths, a natural change of -777. Net international migration added -2 and net domestic migration, people moving to or from other US counties, came to -114. The largest single component was natural change, which removed 777 people.

17.3k202017.1k202116.9k202216.7k202316.3k2024
Census Vintage 2024 county estimates for July 1 of each year. The axis starts above zero so year-to-year changes are visible.

Components of change, April 2020 to July 2024

Births
626
Deaths
1,403
Net international migration
-2
Net domestic migration
-114
Change, July 2023 to July 2024
-352

Where Bristol city is

The Census internal point of Bristol city is at 36.617000, -82.157600. It sits in UTM zone 17N. The map shades Virginia's 133 county-equivalents by population change from 2020 to 2024, darker for faster growth, with Bristol city outlined. Dots are towns of 1,000+ people with residents in it.

Martinsville city: +2.7%Norton city: -5.5%Charlottesville city: -3.6%Winchester city: -0.7%Bristol city: -5.7%Manassas Park city: -3.2%Fluvanna County: +5.3%Clarke County: +5.3%Lunenburg County: +0.9%Colonial Heights city: +2.8%Franklin city: +2.8%Lexington city: +6.7%Petersburg city: +2.0%Suffolk city: +8.8%Emporia city: -5.1%Middlesex County: +3.2%Fairfax city: +8.9%Fredericksburg city: +7.1%Floyd County: +1.2%Radford city: +7.2%Waynesboro city: +5.5%Hopewell city: -0.2%Staunton city: +2.1%Buena Vista city: -0.6%Covington city: -1.4%Poquoson city: +3.1%Madison County: +2.8%Falls Church city: +2.4%Franklin County: +2.1%Mecklenburg County: +1.8%Smyth County: -2.2%Pittsylvania County: -1.6%Frederick County: +6.7%Russell County: -1.3%Nottoway County: -0.1%Scott County: -0.9%Mathews County: +1.0%Stafford County: +7.1%Goochland County: +13.5%Henrico County: +1.1%Caroline County: +8.2%Prince George County: +1.2%Prince William County: +2.9%Cumberland County: +4.0%Essex County: +0.8%Fairfax County: +1.1%Henry County: -2.9%Carroll County: +0.3%Grayson County: -0.1%Louisa County: +11.4%James City County: +5.5%Albemarle County: +4.2%Lynchburg city: +1.7%King William County: +7.3%Charles City County: -2.7%Northumberland County: +4.7%Alexandria city: -0.0%Salem city: +2.0%Galax city: +0.3%Isle of Wight County: +5.8%Newport News city: -1.6%Tazewell County: -3.8%Amherst County: +1.1%Manassas city: +2.2%Buckingham County: +1.7%Shenandoah County: +2.7%Richmond city: +3.0%Alleghany County: -3.7%Culpeper County: +6.4%Warren County: +4.1%Northampton County: -1.7%Southampton County: -0.1%Portsmouth city: -1.5%Rockingham County: +4.6%Orange County: +7.1%Sussex County: -0.4%Bland County: -1.1%Chesapeake city: +2.1%Harrisonburg city: -1.0%Powhatan County: +6.4%Virginia Beach city: -1.1%Dinwiddie County: +2.5%Campbell County: -0.5%Gloucester County: +3.7%Greene County: +5.5%Page County: -0.0%Halifax County: -1.4%Hanover County: +4.6%Buchanan County: -8.0%Highland County: +4.8%Surry County: +0.4%Westmoreland County: +3.9%Wythe County: -0.8%Greensville County: -2.2%Roanoke city: -2.0%Loudoun County: +4.9%Spotsylvania County: +8.1%Brunswick County: -0.5%King George County: +7.4%Bedford County: +3.3%Patrick County: -1.6%Lancaster County: +1.4%Nelson County: +0.2%Montgomery County: -0.6%Amelia County: +3.4%York County: +1.7%Norfolk city: -2.8%Williamsburg city: +3.6%Bath County: -2.8%Accomack County: +0.0%Washington County: +0.4%Pulaski County: -0.7%Rockbridge County: -1.3%Roanoke County: +0.4%Wise County: -3.0%Fauquier County: +3.9%Craig County: -1.0%Charlotte County: -2.4%Richmond County: +3.3%Lee County: -1.5%Chesterfield County: +6.7%Danville city: -1.4%King and Queen County: +2.4%Prince Edward County: +1.7%Hampton city: +0.2%Appomattox County: +4.9%Botetourt County: +1.5%Arlington County: +0.4%Rappahannock County: +2.1%New Kent County: +17.7%Augusta County: +1.3%Giles County: -1.5%Dickenson County: -4.7%
Change 2020 to 2024
  1. < -1.4%
  2. < +0.3%
  3. < +2.1%
  4. < +4.7%
  5. ≥ +4.7%
no data

Orange pin: Bristol city internal point. Dark pin: Richmond.

Internal point

Decimal
36.617000, -82.157600
DMS
36°37'1.20"N 82°09'27.36"W
UTM
17N 396485.0E 4053010.1N
Geohash
dnt863ytm
Plus code
868VJR8R+QX

Towns in Bristol city

One incorporated place of 1,000+ people has residents in Bristol city, 16,316 people together, or 100% of the county. Each figure counts only the part of the town inside Bristol city; towns marked "part" extend into another county. The largest is Bristol with 16,316.

  1. 01Bristol16,316
Census Vintage 2024 subcounty estimates, county parts of incorporated places (SUMLEV 157).

Counties bordering Bristol city

The Census 2024 county adjacency file lists 2 neighbors for Bristol city, including 1 across a state line. The most populous is Sullivan County, TN, with 162,703 residents. Distances run between Census internal points in a straight line.

Distance to Richmond and the nearest big city

Richmond is 268.0 miles ENE of Bristol city's internal point in a straight line. The nearest place of 100,000 or more is Knoxville, TN (population 198,722), 109.3 miles away. The nearest place of 10,000 or more is Bristol, VA (population 16,316), 0.0 miles away.

Bristol city FIPS code

The FIPS code of Bristol city is 51520: state code 51 for Virginia plus independent city code 520. Use it as text, with the leading zero, when joining Census, BLS, or CDC county tables. SAIPE lists its 2023 median household income as $45,240.

Questions people ask

What is the population of Bristol city, Virginia?

The Census Vintage 2024 estimate for July 1, 2024 is 16,316. That is down 987 people (5.7%) from the July 2020 estimate of 17,303.

What is the FIPS code of Bristol city?

51520. The first two digits (51) are Virginia; the last three (520) identify the independent city.

What is the largest town in Bristol city?

Bristol, with 16,316 residents inside Bristol city in 2024.

Which counties border Bristol city?

2 county-equivalents border it in the Census 2024 adjacency file: Sullivan County, TN; Washington County, VA.

Sources and data as of

Data as of: Census Vintage 2024 population estimates, 2024 Gazetteer land area and internal points, SAIPE 2023 median household income.

  1. 01Census Vintage 2024 county population estimates
  2. 02Census 2024 Gazetteer, counties
  3. 03Census SAIPE 2023 state and county estimates
  4. 04Census Vintage 2024 subcounty population estimates
  5. 05Census 2024 county adjacency file
  6. 06Census 2024 cartographic boundary file, counties (1:5,000,000)

How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.