Bristol, Connecticut
Bristol is a city located in
Hartford County,
Connecticut, 20 miles (32 km) southwest of
Hartford. As of the
2000 census, the city had a total population of 60,062.
Bristol is the eleventh largest city in
Connecticut and is primarily known as the home of
ESPN, whose central studios are in the town. Bristol's nickname is
Mum City because it was once a leader in
chrysanthemum production. The city is also home to
Lake Compounce, the oldest continuously operated amusement park in North America, and to both the New England Carousel Museum and the American Clock and Watch Museum. The name of the local daily newspaper is the
Bristol Press. It is also home to The
Tattoo teen newspaper, one of the first online newspapers.
Associated Spring,
ESPN,
Otis Elevator,
CIGNA Insurance, and Bristol Hospital are among the largest private employers in Bristol. ESPN is the city's largest taxpayer.
According to the
United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 69.5
km² (26.8
mi²).
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Amos Bronson Alcott, the father of
Louisa May Alcott, taught school in Bristol on two different occasions: in 1823 and, after teaching in Cheshire for a time, again in Bristol from 1827-1828. Alcott later moved to
Concord, Massachusetts where he became acquainted with many prominent
Transcendentalists and literary figures.
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Gary Burghoff, a native of Bristol (born 1943) is the actor who played the character
Corporal Walter "Radar" O'Reilly in both the
film and
television series
M*A*S*H.
*
Bob Crane (1928-1978), the actor who played the title role in the
television series
Hogan's Heroes, worked for WBIS radio station in Bristol early in his career.
Historical population of
Bristol[1][2] |
| 1790 | 2,462 |
| 1800 | 2,722 |
| 1810 | 1,428 |
| 1820 | 1,362 |
| 1830 | 1,707 |
| 1840 | 2,109 |
| 1850 | 2,884 |
| 1860 | 3,436 |
| 1870 | 3,788 |
| 1880 | 5,347 |
| 1890 | 7,382 |
| 1900 | 9,643 |
| 1910 | 13,502 |
| 1920 | 20,620 |
| 1930 | 28,451 |
| 1940 | 30,167 |
| 1950 | 35,961 |
| 1960 | 45,499 |
| 1970 | 55,487 |
| 1980 | 57,370 |
| 1990 | 60,640 |
| 2000 | 60,062 |
| 2002 | 60,541 (estimate) |
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 60,062 people, 24,886 households, and 16,175 families residing in the city. The population density is 874.8/km² (2,265.8/mi²). There are 26,125 housing units at an average density of 380.5/km² (985.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 91.60% White, 2.68% African American, 0.22% Native American, 1.47% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.40% from other races, and 1.60% from two or more races. 5.27% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 24,886 households out of which 29.6% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.6% are married couples living together, 11.5% have a female householder with no husband present, and 35.0% are non-families. 28.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.38 and the average family size is 2.94.
In the city the population is spread out with 23.2% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 38 years. For every 100 females there are 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 90.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $47,422, and the median income for a family is $58,259. Males have a median income of $40,483 versus $30,584 for females. The per capita income for the city is $23,362. 6.6% of the population and 4.8% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 8.7% of those under the age of 18 and 5.9% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
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City of Bristol
