Kingsport Spirit

For years, Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia faced a demographic challenge: our population was barely growing, deaths outnumbered births, and too few newcomers arrived to make up the difference.

That picture has changed—and that’s worth celebrating.

The latest Census Bureau estimates show our nine-county region added 20,221 residents between 2020 and 2025, reaching 623,799. That’s 3.4% growth in five years. During the comparable 2010–2015 period, we lost roughly 1,200 residents.

Here’s an interesting juxtaposition. We’re roughly half the size of the Knoxville region, with 1.24 million residents, and less than one-third the size of the Nashville region, with nearly 2.2 million. Both are growing faster—6.9% and 9.1%, so the population gap is widening.

And perhaps that’s our sweet spot. We enjoy many of the amenities of larger places without becoming one of them.

Are we growing too fast?

A healthy local economy needs 5% to 10% population growth per decade. That’s a planning assumption, not an economic law. Too little growth can shrink the workforce and tax base. Too much, without preparation, can strain housing, schools, roads, and utilities.

At our recent pace, we’d grow about 7% over a decade—within that range.

But growth looks different depending on where you live.

Washington County, Tennessee, finds itself in the bullseye, adding nearly 8,000 residents and growing 6% in five years. Sustained over a decade, that pace would exceed 12%. Greene and Hawkins counties are on the cusp, each growing about 5%. Johnson County, Tennessee, grew 4.1%; Sullivan, 3.5%; and Carter, 1.7%. Unicoi remained essentially unchanged.

Across the state line, Scott County lost about 400 residents, while Washington County, Virginia, including Bristol, lost about 900.

Much of our progress comes from people choosing to live here. Between 2020 and 2025, the region gained about 38,200 net domestic migrants. Meanwhile, roughly 48,200 deaths exceeded 27,200 births—a natural population loss of more than 21,000. Without newcomers, we’d be shrinking.

Sullivan County gained more than 10,300 net domestic migrants; Washington County, Tennessee, more than 9,300; Greene, about 6,100; and Hawkins, 4,900. Even Washington County, Virginia, including Bristol, gained roughly 1,800, though not enough to offset natural losses.

Growth brings opportunity—and changes daily life. Just ask Interstate 26 commuters between Kingsport and Johnson City. Our traffic doesn’t compare with Knoxville or Nashville, but around here, we’re not accustomed to traffic slowdowns. Ever.

For REALTORS® and homebuyers, the region’s variety is an asset. Choosing a home means choosing a way of life and anticipating how it might change. Some want shopping, dining, and services nearby. Others value the seclusion of a rural or suburban setting. Some appreciate Amazon and DoorDash; others prefer shopping locally and socializing.

To each his own. Just make an informed choice about commutes, services, and future development.

We’re not growing too fast as a region, although some places are changing more rapidly than others. Let’s celebrate the communities that make us, well, us—the storied streets of Jonesborough, Elizabethton’s covered bridge, Greeneville’s presidential history, the state line dividing Bristol, Bays Mountain’s silhouette above Kingsport, and Johnson City’s youthful college town energy.

We love our little corner of Tennessee and Virginia. To us, it’s pretty darn perfect.

Whether your family has lived here for centuries or you’ve just arrived, let’s make a pinky promise: We’ll give this region our best effort—creating good jobs, preserving our history, and protecting the mountains, lakes, and streams we love.