City comparison
Bristol, CT is about 10 miles (20 km) from Meriden, CT in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 20 miles, or about 16 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Bristol, CT to Meriden, CT takes about 2 min, covering roughly 10 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Bristol has a population of 61,052, vs 60,556 in Meriden — about the same size. By land area, Bristol covers about 26 sq mi vs 24 sq mi for Meriden.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Bristol | Meriden | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,228/mo | $1,191/mo | 3.1% higher in Bristol |
| Median home value | $235,700 | $199,100 | 18.4% higher in Bristol |
| Median household income | $82,094 | $63,671 | 28.9% higher in Bristol |
| Groceries index | 97.4 | 97.4 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 148.4 | 148.4 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 101.0 | 101.0 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 101.8 | 101.8 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Bristol, you'd need $99,886 in Meriden to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Bristol and Meriden have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Bristol, you'd need about $79,908 in Meriden to keep the same standard of living.