Bristol receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Bristol
Kingsport
Opportunity
60 · Top 42%
vs62 · Top 38%
Growth
67 · Top 21%
vs54 · Top 43%
Climate
75 · Top 28%
vs75 · Top 28%
Physical resilience
72 · Top 33%
vs72 · Top 34%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 17%
vs77 · Bottom 45%
Schools
29 · Bottom 21%
vs49 · Bottom 47%
Access
93 · Top 45%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
49 · Bottom 30%
vs32 · Bottom 9%
Measured values
| Metric | Bristol | Kingsport | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,636 | 56,262 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $58,162 | $52,490 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,687 | $36,414 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 845/sq mi | 1,060/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $194,500 | $234,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $842 | $907 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.4% | 60.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.2% | -1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.6% | 31.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.6% | 20.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 141 | 203 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.1 | 3.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -19.4% | -49.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.0" | 44.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.5 min | 20.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.1 | 43.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 30.7% | 33.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 28.3% | 32.7% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Bristol
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Kingsport
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Bristol, TN · Kingsport, TN · How this is calculated: methodology