Homeowners in Bristol County, RI pay a median $6,648 a year in property taxes, about 1.29% of the median home value of $513,800.
Data reviewed · ACS 2024 · Mortgage rates weekly · Methodology
Based on what homeowners in Bristol County pay: median taxes paid divided by median home value. Your bill depends on your assessed value and local levies; check your latest tax bill to compare.
Enter any purchase price to see the full cost breakdown for Bristol County.
Everything due at closing plus your first twelve months of ownership. The detail is below.
Your numbers as a one-page PDF: $513,800 home, 20% down, 30-year loan at this week's 7.24%. Rates move every week; the PDF keeps today's.
Very high flood risk. Over 30% of this county lies in a FEMA flood zone. Flood insurance is required for any federally-backed mortgage in the SFHA. Check your property at msc.fema.gov.
All figures are estimates for planning purposes only. Mortgage payment assumes a 30-year fixed rate of 7.24%, the Freddie Mac PMMS average for the week ending October 29, 2026. Your lender will confirm the actual rate. Closing costs vary by lender and transaction. Consult a licensed real estate attorney and lender before making any financial decisions.
Bristol County's 1.29% median tax-to-value ratio ranks 603rd highest among the 3,134 US counties tracked, placing it in the top 25% highest nationally. Within Rhode Island's 5 counties, it's the 2nd highest. On the county's median home value of $513,800, the typical homeowner pays $6,648 annually in property tax, $5,019 more than the national median of $1,629. At closing, Rhode Island's 0.75% combined real estate transfer tax adds roughly $3,854 on a median-priced home, typically paid by the seller. FEMA data shows 30.6% of Bristol County's land area falls within a Special Flood Hazard Area, a very high exposure level. Flood insurance is required for federally-backed mortgages in those zones and commonly adds $800–$3,000 per year.
Ways buyers in Bristol County may reduce their annual property tax. These programs apply statewide; verify county specifics with your local assessor.
Rhode Island has no statewide homestead exemption; cities and towns set their own. Providence offers a 40% owner-occupied residential exemption, North Providence a 20% exemption, and Cranston a ~$12,495 reduction.
View official source →Statutory minimum $282 exemption for qualifying veterans; disabled veteran exemptions scaled from $582 to $5,808 by disability rating; Gold Star parents $5,808. Municipalities may increase amounts locally.
View official source →Most RI cities and towns offer an elderly exemption for residents 65+ (or 62+ on Social Security in some towns). Statutory minimum around $460 with larger local amounts subject to income tests.
View official source →Last verified April 2026. Exemption amounts and eligibility change frequently. Always confirm with your county assessor before claiming.
Answers to common questions about buying a home in Bristol County.
Homeowners in Bristol County pay a median $6,648 a year in property taxes, from 2024 US Census ACS 5-year estimates. There is no single property tax rate for Bristol County. The 1.29% figure commonly quoted is a county-wide median: the median annual property tax paid ($6,648) divided by the median home value ($513,800), from 2024 US Census ACS 5-year estimates. It is a statistic describing the county, not a rate levied on any particular property. Your own bill depends on your assessed value, the millage set by your overlapping taxing districts, any homestead or senior exemptions you qualify for, and special assessments. One thing to watch: the median reflects taxes actually paid by current owners, many of whom hold homestead exemptions and assessment caps, so a new buyer paying today's market price often pays more than 1.29% of the purchase price.
Rhode Island's combined real estate transfer tax is approximately 0.75% of the purchase price. On the median Bristol County home value of $513,800, this adds roughly $3,854 at closing. Rate increased from $2.30/$500 to $3.75/$500 (0.75%) effective January 1, 2026, a 63% increase enacted in the FY2026 budget. Tier 2 threshold for an additional higher rate on luxury portions is $824,000 (adjusted annually). Seller-paid by custom. Revenue dedicated to affordable housing programs.
Yes, substantially. FEMA National Risk Index data shows 30.6% of Bristol County's land area falls within a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). Flood insurance is required for any federally-backed mortgage on a property inside an SFHA and commonly adds $800–$3,000 per year. Check your specific property's flood zone at msc.fema.gov before buying.
On Bristol County's median home value of $513,800 with 20% down, buyer closing costs work out to roughly $6,886–$12,346, or 1.3–2.4% of the purchase price. That covers title insurance $800–$2,000; loan origination fee $2,055–$4,110; home appraisal $400–$700; home inspection $350–$600; real estate attorney $600–$1,500; recording fees $100–$300; prepaid mortgage interest $1,223; homeowners insurance (2 months) $250; property tax escrow (2-3 months) $1,108–$1,662. Transfer tax is listed separately. These are national ranges for each line item rather than Bristol County quotes, so treat them as a planning range and use the calculator above for your own purchase price.
Every county-specific figure on this page links to the exact public dataset it comes from. Verify the numbers yourself against the original source.
Source for the $6,648/yr median taxes paid (ACS 2024 5-year estimates, variable B25103_001E).
Source for the $513,800 median home value (variable B25077_001E). The 1.29% median tax-to-value ratio is median taxes paid divided by median home value.
Source for the transfer tax used in the calculator (buyer 0.00%, seller 0.75%). Verified April 2026.
Source for the county's flood hazard exposure (coastal and inland flood exposure area as a share of county area).
The national dataset behind the county report, including its technical documentation and release notes.
Look up a specific property's flood zone and insurance rate map before making an offer on a home in Bristol County.
Closing cost line items are national ranges, not county data. The methodology lists each range's source and the calculator's assumptions (mortgage rate, insurance, PMI).
Rhode Island property tax exemptions: official sources
Verified April 2026.
What every buyer should read before making an offer.
Seven signs in an HOA's budget, reserve study, minutes and insurance that raise the risk of a special assessment, the numbers behind each, and what to ask.
Read the guide →Your HOA resale packet holds the CC&Rs, budget, reserve study and minutes. What each one says, where the costly rules hide, and the order to read them in.
Read the guide →An HOA capped rentals at 10 of 50 homes and grandfathered the existing landlords. How to find rental restrictions before closing, and what they cost you.
Read the guide →