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Living in
Kingsport.
About
Life in Kingsport
Kingsport offers a solid middle-ground option if you're considering the Tennessee-Virginia border region. The job market is stable with major employers like Eastman Chemical anchoring the economy, plus a reasonable 3.8% unemployment rate and median household income around $52,490. Your commute will likely be short—averaging under 19 minutes—and housing costs are moderate with median home values near $234,000 and rents around $907 monthly.
Kingsport at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
43.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
20.7%
Foreign-Born
2.8%
Broadband Internet
88.8%
of households
Population Growth
+3.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.8% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Kingsport: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Kingsport, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (20.4%), and 2.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.6%
of residents
65 and Older
23.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
26.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
35.1%
of households
Married Couples
38.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.22
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 24% below TN average
Rent, home values, and income in Kingsport
In Kingsport, rent runs 24% below the TN average, and home values are 18% below the TN average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
43.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
86.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,645
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
60.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1975
median year built
Vacant Homes
10.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $253,302 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for TN
Unemployment in Kingsport
Unemployment in Kingsport is close to the TN average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Kingsport Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute19.1 min avg
How Kingsport residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Kingsport, most residents drive alone to work (78%), and 78% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 10 mi
Tri-Cities Regional TN/VA Airport (TRI)
Regional airport · few flights251k passengers boarded in 2025
- 129 mi
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
Major hub25.9M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 74% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Kingsport runs 74% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
572
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,223.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Kingsport Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 12 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
71.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Sullivan County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Sullivan County, which includes Kingsport, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 12 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $40,000 |
| 2024 | 11 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2023 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 4 | Flash Flood | None reported |
| 2020 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2,000 |
| 2019 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
2 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Sullivan County, county-wide
Air Quality40 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Sullivan County, which includes Kingsport, is typically good — 296 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
40
Good Days
296
per year
Moderate Days
65
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Sullivan County, county-wide
Climate86°F summers, 29°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Kingsport has warm summers (avg high 86°F) and cold winters (avg low 29°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
70°/45°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
86°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
70°/47°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
49°/29°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
45.0"
Annual Snowfall
5.1"
Hot Days/Year
28
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
83
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
133
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°F | 27°F | 3.88" |
| Feb | 51°F | 30°F | 4.05" |
| Mar | 60°F | 36°F | 4.14" |
| Apr | 71°F | 45°F | 4.05" |
| May | 78°F | 54°F | 3.76" |
| Jun | 84°F | 62°F | 3.71" |
| Jul | 87°F | 66°F | 5.05" |
| Aug | 86°F | 65°F | 3.81" |
| Sep | 81°F | 58°F | 2.98" |
| Oct | 71°F | 46°F | 2.43" |
| Nov | 59°F | 36°F | 3.17" |
| Dec | 50°F | 30°F | 4.00" |
Healthcare3 hospitals, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Kingsport
Kingsport has 3 hospitals, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
3
within city limits
Uninsured
8.8%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Wellmont Holston Valley Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Indian Path Community Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
- Main campus: Indian Path Community Hospital · 2000 Brookside Dr
- Hospital campus: Indian Path Community Hospital · 2300 Pavilion Dr, Kingsport
Creekside Behavioral Health
Psychiatric
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Franklin Woods Community Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 14.8 mi away · Johnson City
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs. Campus locations © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Education14.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Kingsport
Kingsport's student/teacher ratio is 14.0:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 31.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
12
within city limits
Private Schools
6
within city limits
College Degree Rate
31.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Andrew Johnson National Historic Site, 30 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Kingsport
Kingsport has 5 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Andrew Johnson National Historic Site (30 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Andrew Johnson National Historic Site
National Historic Site
30 mi awayCumberland Gap National Historical Park
National Historical Park
60 mi awayBlue Ridge Parkway
Parkway
66 mi awayGreat Smoky Mountains National Park
National Park
83 mi awayCarl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
National Historic Site
87 mi awayPublic Libraries in Kingsport
Kingsport Public Library
400 Broad Street, Kingsport
Cities Near Kingsport
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Kingsport?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Kingsport FAQ
Is Kingsport, Tennessee affordable?⌄
Kingsport's median rent is $907/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $52,490/year. Median home value is $234,100.
Is Kingsport, Tennessee safe?⌄
Kingsport's violent crime rate was 572 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2224 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Kingsport, Tennessee?⌄
Kingsport has an unemployment rate of 3.8%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Kingsport, Tennessee?⌄
The cost of living in Kingsport is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $907/month and median household income is $52,490/year. The median home value is $234,100. About 44% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Kingsport, Tennessee?⌄
The average commute in Kingsport is 19 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from