Kingsport Spirit

MOVE TO KINGSPORT – FEBRUARY 2026 MONTHLY REPORT

One year ago, our February 2025 report reflected strong post-pandemic momentum. That pace has moderated — and that’s a healthy development.

As of February 2026, 531 out-of-region families from 46 states relocated to Kingsport over the past 12 months, averaging just over two households per workday. The median purchase price among those newcomers was $335,000, signaling a stable, sustainable housing market rather than overheated conditions.

But here is context we rarely publish.

During that same period, 1,819 households moved to Kingsport from within 35 miles. Combined with the 531 out-of-region households, that equals 2,350 tracked relocations.

• 77% of all moves were regional (within 35 miles)
• 23% came from outside the region

Even more telling: 1,034 of those 1,819 regional moves were Kingsport-to-Kingsport. More than half of all regional relocation activity reflects existing residents choosing to remain in the city — simply changing addresses.

That matters.

When families upgrade, downsize, relocate for school districts, or transition into retirement housing — and choose to do so without leaving Kingsport — it signals confidence. It reflects satisfaction with community services, neighborhoods, infrastructure, and overall quality of life. In a mobile society where many mid-sized cities lose residents to larger metros, Kingsport residents are largely staying put when they make housing changes.

Looking beyond internal moves, the largest feeder community within 35 miles was Johnson City, which accounted for 205 households relocating to Kingsport over the past year–more than double the next closest city.

Bristol followed with 85 moves (12 from Virginia), closely trailed by Blountville at 82 and Church Hill at 79. Jonesborough contributed another 68 households. Others include Mount Carmel (29), Fall Branch (27), Rogersville (26), Elizabethton (25), Greeneville (20), Bluff City (19), Gate City (17), and Piney Flats (15).

It is important to note that these numbers are conservative because they do not include mass-metered facilities such as apartment complexes, mobile home parks, assisted living facilities, etc.

Together, these numbers underscore how tightly connected the Tri-Cities region truly is. Families are not simply moving randomly; they are making deliberate choices within a shared economic and cultural corridor. The data confirms that the Tri-Cities functions as a single, integrated housing market — and within that market, Kingsport continues to compete effectively for residents who have options across the region.

The out-of-region map tells a complementary story. Most new arrivals originate within a 300-mile radius — Atlanta, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Louisville, Nashville, and surrounding markets in the Southeast, Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic — with additional interest from Florida and scattered states nationwide. The pattern reflects familiarity and intentional relocation, not speculative surges.

Pricing data reinforces moderation. February’s median newcomer purchase was $345,000, slightly below last February’s median. Price-per-square-foot trends have stabilized compared to the rapid escalations of 2021–2023. Buyers are measured. The market is balanced.

For residents concerned about affordability, the data should provide reassurance. Growth is occurring, but it is not runaway. It is primarily regional, anchored by internal stability, and supplemented by a manageable national inflow.

For employers and civic leaders, the continued 23% out-of-region share is equally important. With an aging population and birth rates insufficient to replace retirees, replacement-level migration is essential to workforce stability, school enrollment, and long-term fiscal health.

Kingsport is not being overtaken. Nor is it stagnating.

We are witnessing something more sustainable: a community where residents largely choose to remain, neighbors from across the region choose to invest, and newcomers from around the country opt in — deliberately.

That is not disruption.

That is confidence in place.