Johnson City receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Johnson City
Kingsport-Bristol
Opportunity
56 · Top 48%
vs48 · Bottom 34%
Growth
58 · Top 38%
vs54 · Top 43%
Climate
75 · Top 19%
vs75 · Top 19%
Physical resilience
70 · Top 29%
vs65 · Top 37%
Housing affordability
88 · Bottom 31%
vs95 · Top 48%
Access
94 · Top 18%
vs95 · Top 17%
Economic stability
39 · Bottom 34%
vs31 · Bottom 22%
Measured values
| Metric | Johnson City | Kingsport-Bristol | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 210,729 | 310,842 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $57,762 | $57,792 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,444 | $34,596 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 247/sq mi | 155/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $219,200 | $198,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $939 | $849 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.2% | 74.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.3% | 23.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.9% | 15.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 860 | 901 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.1 | 2.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -35.2% | -13.0% | 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 | 15 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.1 min | 25.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.1 | 45.7 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Johnson City
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Kingsport-Bristol
Elevated or high exposure: landslide, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Johnson City
69
Your Score
68
Area Score
Kingsport-Bristol
66
Your Score
65
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Johnson City, TN Metro Area · Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology