Skip to main content
Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Bristol, CT

Population: 61,052 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

D
40/100

Below average — significant fiscal challenges in multiple areas

Total Spending
$2.7B
Per Capita
$44,977
Total Revenue
$1.2B
Total Debt
$2.9M

Spending Breakdown

Education
68.0%$1.9B
Other
12.0%$328.7M
Housing & Community Development
7.6%$207.9M
Utilities
4.8%$132.8M
Public Welfare
2.7%$75.5M
Parks & Recreation
1.7%$47.4M
Health
0.9%$25.2M
Fire Protection
0.8%$23.1M
Hospitals
0.6%$16.5M
Highways & Roads
0.5%$13.3M
Sewerage
0.2%$6.8M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Sales Tax
0.4%$5.4M
Income Tax
0.3%$4.1M
Intergovernmental
100.0%$1.2B
Charges & Fees
7.6%$93.3M
Other
11.5%$140.9M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$379/person
Highways & Roads$219/person
Parks & Recreation$777/person
Education$30,607/person
Health$413/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)0/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)0/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)0/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$2.9M
Long-Term Debt$6.5M
Debt Per Capita$47
Cash & Securities$412K

Compare Cities

See how Bristol stacks up against another city.

vs Bridgeport, CTvs New Haven, CTvs Stamford, CT
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Connecticut

Bridgeport, CT

Pop. 148K

B
Total Spending
$7.1B
Per Capita
$48,031

New Haven, CT

Pop. 136K

C
Total Spending
$9.0B
Per Capita
$66,510

Stamford, CT

Pop. 135K

C
Total Spending
$7.1B
Per Capita
$52,355

Hartford, CT

Pop. 121K

C
Total Spending
$9.3B
Per Capita
$76,660

Compare Bristol With

Bridgeport, CT

Spending: $48,031/person · Grade: B

New Haven, CT

Spending: $66,510/person · Grade: C

Stamford, CT

Spending: $52,355/person · Grade: C

Hartford, CT

Spending: $76,660/person · Grade: C

Frequently Asked Questions

Bristol, CT spends $44,977 per resident, based on total expenditures of $2.7B for a population of 61,052. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of D (40/100).

Bristol, CT has total expenditures of $2.7B and total revenue of $1.2B. The city carries $2.9M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Bristol, CT employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Bristol, CT has a Fiscal Health Score of D (40/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

Last updated: