Kingsport Spirit

The housing market across Northeast Tennessee shows a layered pattern of activity when you look at both overall sales and sales per capita.

Over the past 30 days, Kingsport, Johnson City, and the Bristol twin cities clearly dominate the region in total homes sold, reflecting their size, employment bases, and regional influence.

Kingsport leads with 103 closings, followed closely by Johnson City with 98 and the combined Bristol TN-VA market with 95. Together, they represent nearly 300 sales in a month — the backbone of the region. These three hubs are where job centers, healthcare networks, and retail corridors concentrate, so even modest turnover represents thousands of households engaged in the local economy. Bristol, TN alone accounted for 57 sales and Bristol, VA for 38, demonstrating that both sides of State Street continue to generate steady activity. Together, the twin cities function as one metropolitan housing basin, bridging two tax systems but one lifestyle market.

Beyond those anchors, several mid-sized communities perform strongly relative to their populations. Greeneville posted 46 sales, showing depth for a manufacturing-based county seat, while Jonesborough recorded 39, Elizabethton 22, and Erwin 18. Jonesborough’s historic character and small-town vibe continue to attract families moving to the region, while Elizabethton offers an affordable, tight-knit alternative to Johnson City, and Erwin benefits from affordability and proximity to both Johnson City and Asheville.

Smaller communities like Church Hill, Piney Flats, and Chuckey also recorded notable activity for their size. Each posted about a dozen sales, which is impressive for places with fewer than 10,000 residents. Church Hill, a Kingsport suburb, has become a popular alternative for commuters looking for newer housing at a lower price point. Piney Flats, situated along Boone Lake and near the Tri-Cities Airport, draws professionals and retirees seeking space with easy access to both Bristol and Johnson City. Chuckey, nestled between Greeneville and Jonesborough, offers rural views and county taxes with convenient access to urban centers. These “relocation buffer” towns represent a middle ring of growth — not rural isolation, but small-town living close to the core.

At the other end of the spectrum, tiny communities such as Trade, Laurel Bloomery, Mohawk, Watauga, Kyle’s Ford, and Flag Pond register few or no monthly sales. In markets like these, there may be only one or two closings in an entire quarter. Their limited turnover underscores how thin buyer pools can be in remote areas, where second-home ownership is minimal and family property often stays off the open market.

When you adjust for population, the leaderboard tightens. By sales per capita, Roan Mountain is a clear No. 1, followed by Eidson, Fall Branch, and Mooresburg. Church Hill and Limestone sit in a virtually dead heat just behind that group, with Bristol, TN next, edging Butler and Chuckey. The story behind the numbers tracks the landscape: Roan Mountain’s TN-NC border scenery attracts buyers searching nearby in NC. Eidson overperforms on a tiny base with Clinch Mountain views. Fall Branch leverages I-81/I-26 access and larger acreage lots for steady commuter demand. Mooresburg is lifted by Cherokee Lake’s waterfront and seasonal homes. Church Hill sustains suburban momentum tied to Kingsport employers, while Limestone blends Nolichucky Valley farmland and affordability. Butler (Watauga Lake) and Chuckey round out the list with consistent, if smaller, lake and rural-residential activity.

These per-capita leaders tell a different story from the sheer volume markets. They highlight where lifestyle and geography drive decision-making — lake communities, scenic valleys, and bedroom towns within a 20-minute commute of a metro core. Buyers here are often motivated by views, land, or a slower pace of life rather than employment relocation. Meanwhile, Greeneville and Jonesborough illustrate transitional markets where small-city stability intersects with rural charm, sustaining healthy turnover despite modest population sizes.

A third measure—homes for sale per capita—reframes supply. In this cut, the highest listing ratios sit in Roan Mountain and Eidson, well above the pack; both are small markets where a few cabin/acreage listings translate into large per-capita signals (and where seasonal and second-home stock is common). Blountville follows with an elevated rate tied to new construction and subdivision turnover near the airport/I-81 corridor. Mooresburg, Flag Pond, and Mount Carmel cluster just behind: Mooresburg’s level matches the rhythm of a lake market with second-home rotation, Flag Pond’s tiny population magnifies even one active listing, and Mount Carmel’s inventory reflects its Kingsport-suburban role. Pairing supply with sales per capita suggests Roan Mountain is both active and well-supplied; Eidson and Mooresburg show healthy turnover with manageable stock; Blountville leans toward softer absorption (higher supply, lower recent sales per capita); and Mount Carmel looks near equilibrium with mid-range supply and steady, commuter-driven demand.

Taken together, the data shows two tiers of strength. Kingsport, Johnson City, and Bristol define the regional backbone in raw sales, providing scale and liquidity. The smaller communities — Mooresburg, Butler, Limestone, and Church Hill — demonstrate the energy of lifestyle migration and suburban expansion. The geography of activity follows the I-26, I-81, U.S. 11E and U.S. 11W corridors, radiating outward toward lakes and valleys. Urban cores anchor stability, while amenity towns capture the movement of people seeking space, scenery, and value. In that mix lies the true health of the Tri-Cities housing market: steady fundamentals at the center, and vibrant per-capita motion along the edges where affordability meets natural beauty.