Bristol County, Massachusetts
202,894 parcels. Parcel data edition 2026-10-26.
Who owns the land
| Measure | County | Of what | Massachusetts | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Out-of-state owners | 3.2% | 6,191 of 195,275 parcels with a known mailing state | 4.8% | 10 of 14 |
| Absentee owners | 22.5% | Estimated from 153,834 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 25.9% | 8 of 13 |
| Vacant lots | 13.0% | 26,466 of 202,894 parcels in all | 12.0% | 8 of 14 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 0.2% | 349 of 202,536 parcels with an owner name | 0.2% | 7 of 14 |
| Owned by individuals | 82.3% | 166,693 of 202,536 parcels with an owner name | 80.5% | 3 of 14 |
| Publicly owned | 3.6% | 7,249 of 202,536 parcels with an owner name | 3.5% | 7 of 14 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 6,191 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | 2,298 | 37.1% |
| Florida | 881 | 14.2% |
| New York | 390 | 6.3% |
| Connecticut | 365 | 5.9% |
| Texas | 259 | 4.2% |
| California | 252 | 4.1% |
| New Hampshire | 217 | 3.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 153 | 2.5% |
| Maine | 110 | 1.8% |
| New Jersey | 95 | 1.5% |
| 42 other states and territories | 1,154 | 18.6% |
| Outside the US, or an unrecognized code | 17 | 0.3% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | Massachusetts | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $1,527/month | $2,227/month (median county) | 14 of 14 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +50.9% | +48.1% (median county) | 5 of 14 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $451,200 | $587,550 (median county) | 9 of 14 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 24.6 | 20.1 (median county) | 4 of 14 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +1.3% | +2.3% | 11 of 14 |
Rent: HUD FMR (FY26); HUD sets one rent for a whole metro area. Rent change: HUD FMR, FY2021 to FY2026. Home value: Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average; price-to-rent divides it by twelve months of the HUD rent above. Housing units: Census Housing Unit Estimates (vintage 2025).
Compared with neighboring counties
| County | Out-of-state owners | Absentee owners | Vacant lots | Inherited (estate or heirs) | Owned by individuals | Publicly owned | 2BR rent | Rent change, 5 yrs | Price-to-rent | Housing units 2020-25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol County | 3.2% | 22.5% | 13.0% | 0.2% | 82.3% | 3.6% | $1,527 | +50.9% | 24.6 | +1.3% |
| Barnstable County | 14.1% | 51.3% | 12.4% | 0.4% | 76.2% | 4.1% | $2,422 | +45.3% | 21.6 | +1.8% |
| Dukes County | 31.4% | no data | 24.4% | 0.3% | 74.4% | 3.6% | $2,143 | +8.5% | 45.3 | +4.1% |
| Norfolk County | 2.1% | 17.4% | 8.2% | 0.1% | 83.9% | 3.5% | $2,311 | +48.1% | 24.7 | +2.3% |
| Plymouth County | 3.1% | 21.7% | 14.2% | 0.1% | 79.6% | 4.4% | $2,311 | +48.1% | 20.0 | +3.1% |
Also borders, in states not covered yet: Bristol County, RI, Newport County, RI, Providence County, RI.