Bristol vs Kingsport
Bristol, Tennessee versus Kingsport, Tennessee: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Bristol and Kingsport score about the same overall (52 vs 51 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Bristol | Kingsport |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $49k | $48k |
| Cost of Living | $42k | $46k |
| Home Value | $166k | $182k |
| Monthly Rent | $746 | $772 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.85% | 0.81% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.55% | 9.55% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 6.02% | 6.21% |
| Unemployment | 8.8% | 5.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 37°F | 37°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.0 in | 45.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 9.2 in | 5.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 233 days | 233 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 74 days | 72 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 19.8 | 23.2 |
| Air Quality | 36 AQI | 17 AQI |
| School Quality | 42.9 | 35.3 |
| Violent Crime | 2272/100k | 2534/100k |
| Property Crime | 2301/100k | 4081/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 27,307 | 55,415 |
| Median Age | 40.2 | 44.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.18 | 0.18 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.89 | 0.89 |
| Political Leaning | R+53 | R+37 |
| White (%) | 89.3% | 89.4% |
| Black (%) | 2.8% | 3.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.5% | 2.5% |
| Asian (%) | 0.4% | 1.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.0% | 3.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 21 min | 19 min |
| Walkability | 6.7/20 | 11.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 115 mi | 126 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 84.5% | 85.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 20.87 | 16.96 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Bristol or Kingsport more affordable?
- Bristol has the lower cost of living: its index is $42k, compared with Bristol's $42k and Kingsport's $46k. Median rent is $746 in Bristol versus $772 in Kingsport.
- Is Bristol or Kingsport safer?
- Bristol has the lower violent crime rate. Bristol reports 2272/100k and Kingsport reports 2534/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Bristol or Kingsport?
- The median home value is $166k in Bristol and $182k in Kingsport, so homes are more affordable in Bristol.