Kingsport Spirit

It is a term coined by John Campbell, former Kingsport city manager, to describe the city’s core strength. He grew up in the Model City with an intimate understanding of its history and design, but spent much of his professional life away from home, measuring his memories of Kingsport against communities across the state. His guiding principle was simple: embrace the future, but respect the past, always striving for moderation and balance.

So how are we doing?

We reviewed homes sold during the past 12 months ending March 2026 for peer cities across Tennessee, from Johnson City to Jackson, Cookeville to Collierville, Morristown to Millington, Oak Ridge to East Ridge, and all points in between.

Kingsport still performs better than most peers when it comes to the availability of affordably priced homes, especially relative to local incomes. Bristol belongs in that conversation, too.

That does not mean housing feels cheap. It does not. Mortgage rates, insurance, taxes, and monthly payments are real pressures for working families. But if the question is whether Kingsport and Bristol still offer a deeper pool of attainable homes than many comparable communities, the answer is yes.

Kingsport’s median household income, at about $52,490, ranks in the lower half of the places reviewed. Yet when the data looks at affordable homes sold per capita, Kingsport ranks far better than its income level alone would suggest.

That matters.

It means Kingsport still has something increasingly rare in today’s housing market: a meaningful share of homes changing hands below the upper price tiers. Roughly 63 percent of Kingsport’s single-family sales in this comparison were under $300,000. Bristol was even slightly more weighted toward the affordable end, at nearly 65 percent. That gives both cities a more attainable sales profile than many peer communities, including some with stronger incomes and more new construction.

But affordable does not always mean ideal, at least not by modern marketing standards.

Many of the homes that make Kingsport and Bristol look strong on affordability are not necessarily the homes buyers would choose if price were no object. They may have fewer bathrooms, dated kitchens and finishes, smaller square footage, or older floor plans. They were often built at a time when the average household relied on a one-car garage, or no garage at all, and a single driveway that can make maneuvering multiple vehicles more difficult than in newer subdivisions.

But those same homes often offer something else: good bones. Many were built with materials, craftsmanship, and details that are harder to find in much of today’s new construction. They are also more likely to be in mature neighborhoods, where tall trees, sidewalks, established lots, and curb appeal are already part of the package.

That is the tradeoff. Do you prefer quaint, walkable neighborhoods with architectural variety and closer proximity to the city center? Or do you prefer newer homes with more bathrooms, larger garages, and modern finishes, often farther out, where driving 15 minutes to the grocery store becomes a necessity rather than a choice?

The contrast with Johnson City is especially revealing. Johnson City has a higher median household income, a much larger share of new homes in its sales mix, and a more expensive overall profile. In short, Johnson City looks newer and more expensive. Kingsport and Bristol look more mature and affordable.

That is both a strength and a warning. It is a strength because these cities are still absorbing demand through real neighborhoods with real housing choices. But it is also a warning because older housing stock cannot carry the whole load forever. A healthy market needs both preservation and replenishment.

In some ways, cities are like people. When we are younger, we tend to focus on what is newest, flashiest, and most outwardly appealing. As we age, we begin to value depth, substance, maturity, and character. We realize that what lasts is not always what first grabs our attention. Kingsport and Bristol offer something many people come to appreciate over time: attainability, authenticity, and a sense of place. For many, that is not settling. It is knowing what matters.