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Kingsport Spirit

Jeff Fleming's unique take on the Kingsport Spirit with stories of faith, family, people, places, & history of his hometown and surrounding region. Jeff retired in 2019 after serving the City of Kingsport for 35 years, rising from planning intern to city manager.

  • History
  • Move To Kingsport
  • People
  • Motivation
  • My Family
  • The TRI Advantage

    On a recent recruiting trip to Long Island, NY, with Tennessee Tourism, one of the most frequently asked questions was about airport accessibility. Our team usually includes representatives from various parts of the state, and this trip featured folks from Nashville, Knoxville, and the Tri-Cities. As a Tri-Cities resident, I was able to share my…

    Jeff Fleming

    January 23, 2025
    Move To Kingsport
    airlines, airport, budget-travel, flights, tennessee, tourism, travel, travel-tips
  • 2024: Kingsport Led the Region in Home Sales

    Housing has been a hot topic nationwide. Typically, the hottest sales markets tend to overheat home prices as well. Kingsport bucked that trend and added a cherry on top–the highest performing schools in the region for 2024. as compiled by Move To Kingsport. Source: Northeast Tennessee Board of Realtors. Don Fenley does a great job…

    Jeff Fleming

    January 18, 2025
    Move To Kingsport
    education, housing, migration
  • Meet the Burchfields

    As I delve into my family tree, small details breathe life into the stories of my ancestors. They seem like fictional characters, yet they are my flesh and blood. I marvel at the hardships they endured and feel grateful for the relative safety and predictability of my own life. Take my maternal grandfather, Charles Blaine…

    Jeff Fleming

    January 17, 2025
    My Family
    ancestry, family, family-history, genealogy, History, tennessee
  • Tennessee: Less Taxing

    We recently participated in the annual Ideal Living show in partnership with Retire Tennessee. Each year, local chambers of commerce and tourism organizations collaborate to answer questions at this bustling event, where attendees explore relocation options. This past weekend, we were in Greater New York (Long Island). Over the next few weeks, we’ll visit New…

    Jeff Fleming

    January 13, 2025
    Move To Kingsport
    housing, new york, retirement, taxes, tennessee
  • ACT scores: Kingsport leads region in Class of 2024

    The Tennessee Department of Education recently released the district-level ACT scores for the 2023-2024 academic year. Since 2018, all students—not just those planning to attend college—have been required to take the ACT. As a nationally standardized test, the ACT serves as a valuable benchmark for evaluating district performance on a nationwide scale. Regionally, Kingsport stood…

    Jeff Fleming

    January 8, 2025
    Move To Kingsport
    ACT, education, Northeast Tennessee, schools, tennessee
  • These Tennessee cities are attracting the most movers, according to U-Haul

    This article by Diana Leyva was originally published in The Tennessean U-Haul migration data has revealed which states welcomed the most new residents in 2024. Southern states led the ranking, with Tennessee among the five leading growth states, marking the fifth consecutive year the Volunteer State has been a top 10 U-Haul growth state. Tennessee also ranked fifth…

    Jeff Fleming

    January 6, 2025
    Move To Kingsport
    City Planning, housing trends, migration patterns, relocation
  • 2024 Ends with Lower Prices, Smaller Home Sizes

    The December 2024 single-family housing market in Kingsport was slower during the holidays with 48 new families relocating from 21 states.  The median purchase price of $285,000 was 15% lower than in the past 12 months, and only 3% higher than the median of all homes sold since 2020.   Although prices were lower, the amount paid per square foot was higher. Buyers…

    Jeff Fleming

    January 3, 2025
    Move To Kingsport
    affordable, housing, housing trends, kingsport, planning, tennessee
  • Sold Out!

    It seems like every time a new subdivision begins construction, social media buzzes with the familiar question: “Who’s going to buy these homes?” It’s as if we imagine knowing every potential homebuyer personally. An assumption is made that it’s only for outsiders. When someone posts on Facebook seeking advice about relocating to the area, responses…

    Jeff Fleming

    January 2, 2025
    Move To Kingsport
    bristol, Elizabethton, housing, Johnson City, kingsport, tennessee, Tri-Cities
  • Beyond the Paycheck: Cost of Living in Northeast Tennessee

    It’s common to hear about recent college graduates receiving higher-paying job offers outside the region and comparing them to similar positions here. However, those comparisons often overlook critical factors, such as cost-of-living and tax implications, which can make a significant difference. Even within Tennessee, where the state government and tax structure are consistent, living costs…

    Jeff Fleming

    January 1, 2025
    Move To Kingsport
    affordable, georgia, north carolina, quality of life, tennessee, virginia
  • Meet in the middle

    When someone mentions “Kingsport,” we often think of the core areas—Downtown, Midtown, or Eastman. But many of the city’s thriving neighborhoods are on its outskirts, offering easy access to Bristol, Johnson City, and other nearby communities. These peripheral neighborhoods benefit from the same excellent schools, public services, and police and fire protection as central Kingsport.…

    Jeff Fleming

    December 29, 2024
    Move To Kingsport
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