Category: economy
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Don’t Blame Newcomers
As we watch home prices and property values increase, it’s tempting to pin the blame on newcomers. After all, the narrative is simple: more people equal more demand, which drives prices up. But that’s not the full story—and it’s not the real problem. Only about 2% of Kingsport’s population consists of recent transplants. Over the…
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Kingsport, Bristol, and Sullivan County: East Tennessee’s Tightest Housing Market
Realtor.com’s May 2025 supply-demand chart offers a revealing look at home values and market dynamics across 26 communities in the surrounding region. Amid a mix of balanced, buyer, and seller markets, two names jump out: Kingsport, Bristol, and Sullivan County. These areas share a unique—and telling—position in the current housing landscape: they are among the…
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Rate vs. Reality: The Real Math of Property Taxes
Explaining how property tax works is difficult at best. Today, in two separate publications from Tennessee and Virginia, I saw articles detailing rate changes. One was in Radford, Virginia, the other in Kingsport/Sullivan County, Tennessee. The articles state that Radford will increase it’s tax rate by almost 20% to $0.92, while Sullivan County’s preliminary certified…
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From Magic to Momentum: Playing the Long Game in Kingsport
Lately, I’ve been thinking about the natural life cycle of a city—of any built environment really. When you are a city manager, the challenges you face are based on when you arrive on the scene during that life cycle. If it’s a brand-new city, you have a clean slate. But there’s no infrastructure. So you…
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Sullivan Shines
Most often we focus on cities, but let’s take a look at counties on both sides of the Blue Ridge. Over the past ninety days ending May 26, 2025, single‐family home sales across East Tennessee and Western North Carolina have offered a revealing snapshot of regional real-estate vitality. In Tennessee’s lineup of top markets, Sullivan…
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Both Sides of the Blue Ridge: How Mid-Sized Cities Are Powering the Region’s Housing Market
We looked at recent home sales across all counties in East Tennessee and Western North Carolina—on both sides of the Blue Ridge. Why? Because these areas share many of the same traits. They’re clustered in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, the highest peaks in Eastern North America. The communities in this region are…
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Kingsport Grows, Nashville Suburbs Surge
Kingsport’s population is now officially 57,109, up from 55,510 in 2020 according to the Census Bureau’s newly released 2024 population estimates for cities over 20,000. Kingsport led the Tri-Cities in year-over-year growth at 0.6%, compared to 0.3% for Johnson City and 0.1% for Bristol. Remember when we were racing to hit 50,000—mostly through annexation? That…
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Tri-Cities Airport: Local Perk on a Global Scale
My wife and I recently decided to apply for “Trusted Traveler” status through the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Global Entry program. It’s a great option, offering expedited customs processing and including TSA PreCheck for faster airport security. The application process is pretty straightforward: you fill out an online form, then complete an in-person interview…
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A New Generation Leads: How Millennials and Gen Z Are Shaping Kingsport’s Future
The City of Kingsport is going through a major generational shift. Many still think of Kingsport as a retirement city, but now there are more citizens under 40 than over 40. This means there are more Millennials and Gen Z living in Kingsport than Boomers and Gen X. Although it’s a group I revere, the…
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Making Fair Comparisons: Housing Markets Across Eastern Tennessee
Comparing cities can be tricky—it’s a lot like comparing yourself to someone else. For example, if your friend saves $10,000 while you save $5,000, they might seem more successful. But if they earn twice your salary, you’re actually saving at a higher rate. It’s the difference between saying, “Who has more?” versus “Who is doing…
Kingsport Spirit 