City comparison
Bristol, CT is about 50 miles (80 km) from Stamford, CT in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 70 miles, or about 1 h 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 Stamford, CT takes about 6 min, covering roughly 50 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.
Stamford has a population of 135,413, vs 61,052 in Bristol — about 2.2× larger by population. By land area, Stamford covers about 38 sq mi vs 26 sq mi for Bristol.
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 | Stamford | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,228/mo | $2,129/mo | 73.4% higher in Stamford |
| Median home value | $235,700 | $584,700 | 148.1% higher in Stamford |
| Median household income | $82,094 | $100,718 | 22.7% higher in Stamford |
| Groceries index | 97.4 | 109.4 | 12.3% higher in Stamford |
| Utilities index | 148.4 | 124.5 | 19.2% higher in Bristol |
| Transportation index | 101.0 | 105.0 | 3.9% higher in Stamford |
| Healthcare index | 101.8 | 105.7 | 3.8% higher in Stamford |
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 $131,925 in Stamford to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Bristol, CT is about 24.2% cheaper overall than Stamford, CT, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 87% higher in Stamford than in Bristol. If you earn $80,000 in Bristol, you'd need about $105,540 in Stamford to keep the same standard of living.