South Bristol is a very small coastal town (i.e. on the ocean, a bay, or inlet) located in the state of Maine. With a population of 1,145 people and just one neighborhood, South Bristol is the 250th largest community in Maine. Much of the housing stock in South Bristol was built prior to World War II, making it one of the older and more historic towns in the country.
South Bristol home prices are not only among the most expensive in Maine, but South Bristol real estate also consistently ranks among the most expensive in America.
South Bristol is neither predominantly blue-collar nor white-collar, instead having a mixed workforce of both blue-collar and white-collar jobs. Overall, South Bristol is a town of professionals, managers, and sales and office workers. There are especially a lot of people living in South Bristol who work in management occupations (19.23%), teaching (10.32%), and sales jobs (9.72%).
Of important note, South Bristol is also a town of artists. South Bristol has more artists, designers and people working in media than 90% of the communities in America. This concentration of artists helps shape South Bristol’s character.
One interesting thing about the economy is that relatively large numbers of people worked from their home: 16.42% of the workforce. While this number may seem small overall, as a fraction of the total workforce this is high compared to the rest of the county. These workers are often telecommuters who work in knowledge-based, white-collar professions. For example, Silicon Valley has large numbers of people who telecommute. Other at-home workers may be self-employed people who operate small businesses out of their homes.
Another notable thing is that South Bristol is a major vacation destination. Much of the town’s population is seasonal: many people own second homes and only live there part-time, during the vacation season. The effect on the local economy is that many of the businesses are dependent on tourist dollars, and may operate only during the high season. As the vacation season ends, South Bristol’s population drops significantly, such that year-round residents will notice that the city is a much quieter place to live.
South Bristol is also nautical, which means that parts of it are somewhat historic and touch the ocean or tidal bodies of water, such as inlets and bays. Quite often, nautical areas such as these attract visitors and locals who come to enjoy the scenery and various waterfront activities.
Being a small town, South Bristol does not have a public transit system used by locals to get to and from work.
Do you like to read, write and learn? If you move to South Bristol, you'll likely find that many of your neighbors like to as well. South Bristol is one of the more educated communities in America, with a full 63.56% of its adults having a college degree or even advanced degree, compared to a national average across all communities of 21.84%.
The per capita income in South Bristol in 2022 was $49,338, which is wealthy relative to Maine and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $197,352 for a family of four.
The people who call South Bristol home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of South Bristol residents report their race to be White, followed by Asian. Important ancestries of people in South Bristol include English, German, Irish, Scottish, and French.
The most common language spoken in South Bristol is English. Other important languages spoken here include Polish and French.
When you see a neighborhood for the first time, the most important thing is often the way it looks, like its homes and its setting. Some places look the same, but they only reveal their true character after living in them for a while because they contain a unique mix of occupational or cultural groups. This neighborhood is very unique in some important ways, according to NeighborhoodScout's exclusive exploration and analysis.
Do you like a coastal setting? If so, this neighborhood may be to your liking. The neighborhood is on the ocean, a bay, or inlet. Often such coastal places have amenities and recreational activities on the waterfront that are attractive to residents and visitors alike. In addition to being coastal, is a very nautical neighborhood, meaning that it is somewhat historic, walkable, densely populated and on the water. This gives the neighborhood a very nautical feel, with some seaside and shipping feel, which some may really enjoy the sights and sounds of.
In addition, vacant homes and apartments are a significant characteristic of this neighborhood. In fact, with 55.7% of the residential real estate vacant, the neighborhood claims the distinction of having a higher vacancy rate than 99.2% of the neighborhoods in America. This can either be because much of the property is seasonally occupied, like in many vacation areas, or that much of the real estate is more permanently abandoned.
In a nation where 1 out of every 4 children lives in poverty, the neighborhood stands out as being ranked among the lowest 0.0% of neighborhoods affected by this global issue.
In addition, if knowledge is power, then imagine the cumulative power of one neighborhood where many of the adults have earned an advanced degree, such as a Masters, law degree, medical degree, or even a Ph.D. This is certainly the case in the neighborhood, where 36.4% have earned an advanced degree. Compare that to the average neighborhood in America, where just 13.7% of adults have completed a post-graduate degree, and you can see why this neighborhood is a stand out. In fact, this neighborhood has a higher rate of adults with an advanced degree than 95.5% of the neighborhoods in America.
Also, if you are planning to retire in Maine, this neighborhood should be on your must-see list. For many reasons, may be considered a retiree's dream neighborhood. According to NeighborhoodScout's exclusive analysis and metrics, it's peaceful and quiet, has above average safety from crime compared to other neighborhoods in Maine, while also offering a diverse range of housing options. This, along with the vibrant mix of very educated seniors and other age groups who choose to live here, makes the neighborhood more retiree-friendly than 95.3% of neighborhoods in ME. If a Maine retirement is in your future, this neighborhood should be one of the places you visit. In addition to being an excellent choice for active retirees, this neighborhood is also a very good choice for college students.
Each year, fewer and fewer Americans make their living as farmers, foresters, or fishers. But the neighborhood truly stands out among U.S. neighborhoods. According to exclusive NeighborhoodScout analysis, this neighborhood has a greater proportion of farmers, foresters, or fishers than 97.1% of all American neighborhoods. This is truly a unique cultural characteristic of this neighborhood.
In the neighborhood, walking to work is a real option for many. In fact, NeighborhoodScout's exclusive research reveals walking to and from work is the chosen way to commute for 10.3% of residents here. This is a higher proportion of walking commuters than we found in 95.0% of American neighborhoods. Get ready to put on your walking shoes if you move here!
Did you know that the neighborhood has more Scottish and English ancestry people living in it than nearly any neighborhood in America? It's true! In fact, 12.9% of this neighborhood's residents have Scottish ancestry and 28.5% have English ancestry.
There are two complementary measures for understanding the income of a neighborhood's residents: the average and the extremes. While a neighborhood may be relatively wealthy overall, it is equally important to understand the rate of people - particularly children - who are living at or below the federal poverty line, which is extremely low income. Some neighborhoods with a lower average income may actually have a lower childhood poverty rate than another with a higher average income, and this helps us understand the conditions and character of a neighborhood.
The neighbors in the neighborhood in South Bristol are middle-income, making it a moderate income neighborhood. NeighborhoodScout's exclusive analysis reveals that this neighborhood has a higher income than 41.7% of the neighborhoods in America. In addition, 0.0% of the children seventeen and under living in this neighborhood are living below the federal poverty line, which is a lower rate of childhood poverty than is found in 100.0% of America's neighborhoods.
A neighborhood is far different if it is dominated by enlisted military personnel rather than people who earn their living by farming. It is also different if most of the neighbors are clerical support or managers. What is wonderful is the sheer diversity of neighborhoods, allowing you to find the type that fits your lifestyle and aspirations.
In the neighborhood, 52.0% of the working population is employed in executive, management, and professional occupations. The second most important occupational group in this neighborhood is manufacturing and laborer occupations, with 18.8% of the residents employed. Other residents here are employed in sales and service jobs, from major sales accounts, to working in fast food restaurants (18.4%), and 5.7% in clerical, assistant, and tech support occupations.
Languages
The most common language spoken in the neighborhood is English, spoken by 96.3% of households. Some people also speak Polish (2.1%).
Ethnicity / Ancestry
Culture is the shared learned behavior of peoples. Undeniably, different ethnicities and ancestries have different cultural traditions, and as a result, neighborhoods with concentrations of residents of one or another ethnicities or ancestries will express those cultures. It is what makes the North End in Boston so fun to visit for the Italian restaurants, bakeries, culture, and charm, and similarly, why people enjoy visiting Chinatown in San Francisco.
In the neighborhood in South Bristol, ME, residents most commonly identify their ethnicity or ancestry as English (28.5%). There are also a number of people of German ancestry (17.5%), and residents who report Irish roots (15.4%), and some of the residents are also of Scottish ancestry (12.9%), along with some French ancestry residents (6.2%), among others.
Even if your neighborhood is walkable, you may still have to drive to your place of work. Some neighborhoods are located where many can get to work in just a few minutes, while others are located such that most residents have a long and arduous commute. The greatest number of commuters in neighborhood spend under 15 minutes commuting one-way to work (55.4% of working residents), one of the shortest commutes across America.
Here most residents (65.9%) drive alone in a private automobile to get to work. In addition, quite a number also hop out the door and walk to work to get to work (10.3%) and 7.4% of residents also carpool with coworkers, friends, or neighbors for their daily commute. In a neighborhood like this, as in most of the nation, many residents find owning a car useful for getting to work.
