Jobs, pay and daily life in Bristol, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Bristol is a city in Virginia with 16,849 residents. The median household earns $50,404 a year and the median rent is $801 a month, which is 19.1% of the median household income. It is part of the Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA metropolitan area, where BLS counts 119,560 jobs.
How Bristol compares. Among the 100 largest places in Virginia, Bristol is #82 by population, #1 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #2 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #97 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Bristol City, is #102 of 133 counties for average pay ($46,921).
Bristol has 16,849 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of Virginia. It covers 13 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,309 people per square mile. The median age is 43.4, 11% older than the state median (43.4 against 39.0).
The median gross rent is $801 a month (rent plus utilities), 49% below the state median ($801 against $1,579). Over a year that is 19.1% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $184,100, which is 3.7 times the median household income ($50,404); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 63.6% of households own their home, 6% below the state average (63.6% against 67.3%).
The Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA metropolitan area has 119,560 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $45,240 a year, 11% below the national median ($45,240 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (14,040 jobs, median $39,920); food preparation and serving related (11,880 jobs, median $28,040); production (11,850 jobs, median $47,160). The area is most specialised in production (1.8 times) and installation, maintenance, and repair (1.3 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($110,070) and healthcare practitioners and technical ($76,010). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Bristol City was 4.3%. 55.7% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Bristol City; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 78.4% drive alone, 0.1% use public transit, 3.4% walk, 11.6% work from home. 4.6% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 74% below the state average (4.6% against 17.6%).
24.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 41% below the state share (24.8% against 42.2%). 2.2% of residents were born outside the United States, 83% below the state share (2.2% against 13.1%). The poverty rate is 17.9%, 81% above the state rate (17.9% against 9.9%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 71°F (21.6°C), and the coolest is Jan at 31°F (-0.4°C). About 1,206 mm (47 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jul is the wettest month (127 mm) and Jan the driest (82 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Bristol (5 miles, rent 5% higher); Bloomingdale (20 miles, rent 4% higher); Elizabethton (20 miles, rent 8% lower); Kingsport (22 miles, rent 13% higher). Rent differences are against Bristol; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Virginia (1,132) →State guide: VirginiaCountry guideBristol CityVirginia rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 1,132 federal postings open in Virginia (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Virginia →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 4,170 | 1.41 | $26,890 | $22,250 | $33,830 | -14% |
| Retail Salespersons | 3,620 | 1.21 | $31,200 | $24,250 | $45,850 | -12% |
| Cashiers | 3,090 | 1.30 | $27,420 | $21,470 | $33,920 | -17% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 2,910 | 1.33 | $35,760 | $28,820 | $45,300 | -4% |
| Registered Nurses | 2,660 | 1.02 | $76,730 | $62,280 | $100,750 | -21% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 2,610 | 1.15 | $35,300 | $29,080 | $46,870 | -12% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 2,130 | 1.07 | $36,130 | $29,380 | $56,870 | -19% |
| General and Operations Managers | 2,030 | 0.76 | $97,450 | $47,340 | $210,070 | -8% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 1,960 | 1.82 | $39,480 | $31,820 | $51,130 | -12% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,880 | 1.19 | $54,700 | $39,060 | $69,580 | -7% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,800 | 1.03 | $28,210 | $15,080 | $48,990 | -20% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,690 | 0.89 | $38,030 | $26,800 | $56,770 | -16% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 1,600 | 2.16 | $36,800 | $31,140 | $51,970 | -20% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,540 | 0.91 | $31,070 | $27,340 | $44,590 | -16% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 1,430 | 1.22 | $46,520 | $31,970 | $72,250 | -6% |
| Construction Laborers | 1,430 | 1.69 | $45,370 | $33,890 | $66,240 | -4% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 1,410 | 1.29 | $29,260 | $23,070 | $45,420 | -20% |
| Nursing Assistants | 1,400 | 1.25 | $37,550 | $30,100 | $43,710 | -11% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 1,380 | 1.25 | $60,690 | $40,940 | $94,070 | -13% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,290 | 0.39 | $29,760 | $25,810 | $39,270 | -17% |
These figures are for the whole Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $45,240 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.5% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 21.1% |
| Manufacturing | 15.5% |
| Retail trade | 14.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 11.9% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 11.6% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.5% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.1% |
| Public administration | 4.8% |
| Construction | 4.6% |
| Other services | 3.3% |
| Information | 1.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.9% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.3% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Bristol lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol City | 16,849 | n/a | n/a | 10,383 | 614 | $46,921 | +3.4% | 4.3% | 7,349 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 1,590 | 26.8% | $56,101 | 1.86 |
| Retail trade | 1,398 | 23.5% | $30,083 | 1.35 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,078 | 18.2% | $45,702 | 0.72 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 591 | 10.0% | $49,966 | 1.34 |
| Administrative and waste services | 302 | 5.1% | $35,044 | 0.49 |
| Finance and insurance | 272 | 4.6% | $89,676 | 0.65 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 232 | 3.9% | $37,268 | 0.74 |
| Professional and technical services | 187 | 3.1% | $38,855 | 0.26 |
| Information | 93 | 1.6% | $64,674 | 0.48 |
| Educational services | 92 | 1.5% | $41,490 | 0.43 |
| Management of companies | 69 | 1.2% | $132,804 | 0.39 |
| Real estate and rental | 35 | 0.6% | $29,990 | 0.22 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 78.4% |
| Public transit | 0.1% |
| Walk | 3.4% |
| Work from home | 11.6% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 4.6% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $50,404 |
| Income per person | $31,284 |
| Median gross rent per month | $801 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 19.1% |
| Median home value | $184,100 |
| Homeowners | 63.6% |
| Poverty rate | 17.9% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 86.4 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $45,240 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 5.75%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 43.4 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 90.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 24.8% |
| Born abroad | 2.2% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 55.7% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -0.4 | 31 | 82 |
| Feb | 1.3 | 34 | 85 |
| Mar | 5.7 | 42 | 93 |
| Apr | 11.1 | 52 | 111 |
| May | 15.8 | 60 | 114 |
| Jun | 19.9 | 68 | 110 |
| Jul | 21.6 | 71 | 127 |
| Aug | 21.3 | 70 | 109 |
| Sep | 18.1 | 65 | 101 |
| Oct | 12.0 | 54 | 91 |
| Nov | 5.8 | 42 | 86 |
| Dec | 1.8 | 35 | 97 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol | TN | 5 mi | 27,636 | $58,162 | $842 |
| Bloomingdale | TN | 20 mi | 9,292 | $52,317 | $836 |
| Elizabethton | TN | 20 mi | 14,374 | $46,975 | $740 |
| Kingsport | TN | 22 mi | 56,262 | $52,490 | $907 |
| Johnson City | TN | 23 mi | 72,222 | $57,254 | $1,023 |
| Boone | NC | 39 mi | 20,032 | $30,065 | $1,111 |
| Greeneville | TN | 48 mi | 15,646 | $49,889 | $650 |
| Lenoir | NC | 60 mi | 18,299 | $49,910 | $664 |
| Pikeville | KY | 63 mi | 7,490 | $39,955 | $862 |
| Morganton | NC | 66 mi | 17,646 | $51,355 | $944 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
16,849 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$801 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 19.1% of the median household income.
$50,404 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.3% (BLS county, Bristol City (latest month 2026M09)).
Virginia. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.