The Town FilesKingsport, Tennessee
City in Sullivan County · population 55,442 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $234,100
- Household income
- $52,490
- Jan low / Jul high
- 27° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 43.0
Kingsport is a city of 55,442 people in Sullivan County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $234,100, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks more walkable than 95% of Tennessee towns, hipper than 93% of Tennessee towns, more vibrant than 91% of Tennessee towns.
How Kingsport ranks
Percentile among Tennessee towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Tennessee towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Kingsport is worth $234,100, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 4.5 times the median household income of $52,490, which is more affordable than 20% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $907 a month. 60.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Kingsport | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $234,100 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $907 | $863 |
| Median household income | $52,490 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.5× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 60.1% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.0% | — |
Who lives in Kingsport
| People | Kingsport | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.0 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.3% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 20.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.5% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.7% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 9.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.8% | — |
| Work from home | 12.1% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 19.1 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.8% | 88.2% |
Weather in Kingsport
July highs average 87.0°F and January lows 27.3°F. About 45.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 5.1 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 28 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 83 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kingsport since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on July 27, 2014 about 4.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 27, 2014.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 70 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 27, 2014.
Severe weather in Sullivan County since 1996
Sullivan County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 6, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4898: Severe Winter Storm |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3635: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 2, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3625: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 2, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4832: Tropical Storm Helene |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4514: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Sullivan County
Sullivan County had 70,256 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,036 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Kingsport itself the ACS puts it at 4.9%.
Public schools in Kingsport
18 public schools with 10,048 students, about 14.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dobyns - Bennett High School | 9-12 | 2,351 | 14.2 |
| Ross N. Robinson Middle School | 6-8 | 930 | 15.2 |
| John Sevier Middle School | 6-8 | 799 | 13.8 |
| Sullivan Heights Middle School | 6-8 | 646 | 15.8 |
| Andrew Johnson Elementary School | PK-5 | 545 | 14.7 |
| Ketron Elementary School | PK-5 | 528 | 14.3 |
| George Washington Elementary School | K-5 | 526 | 15.5 |
| Thomas Jefferson Elementary School | PK-5 | 507 | 14.5 |
| John Adams Elementary School | PK-5 | 466 | 14.1 |
| Andrew Jackson Elementary School | PK-5 | 432 | 13.1 |
| Abraham Lincoln Elementary School | PK-5 | 417 | 13.9 |
| Rock Springs Elementary | PK-5 | 388 | 14.4 |
Towns near Kingsport
- Colonial Heights, TN3.4 mi · 3,055 people · home $217,100
- Bloomingdale, TN4.8 mi · 8,918 people · home $165,500
- Spurgeon, TN6.9 mi · 3,978 people · home $219,300
- Mount Carmel, TN7.6 mi · 5,473 people · home $179,600
- Oak Grove, TN8.9 mi · 4,482 people · home $260,600
- Church Hill, TN9.5 mi · 6,998 people · home $211,000
- Blountville, TN11.9 mi · 3,120 people · home $177,300
- Johnson City, TN15.2 mi · 71,046 people · home $268,200
Kingsport questions
Is Kingsport, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Kingsport scores better for retirees than 44% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 19%. 23.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.0).
How much does a house cost in Kingsport?
The median owner-occupied home in Kingsport is valued at $234,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $52,490, so homes cost about 4.5 times income. Median rent is $907 a month.
What is the weather like in Kingsport?
July highs average 87.0°F and January lows 27.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.0 inches of precipitation a year and 5.1 inches of snow.
Does Kingsport get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kingsport since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on July 27, 2014. The typical Tennessee town has had 16.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)