HousingPermits

Metro area in Tennessee, Virginia · part of the Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA combined area

Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA

The Kingsport-Bristol metro area authorized 1,156 new housing units in 2025. Permits rose 56% between 2024 and 2025, the second-largest increase among the 31 metro areas based in the East South Central states. Per 1,000 residents it authorized 2.8 units a year in 2021–2025, 59% of the national rate of 4.7.

04008001,2001,6002004: 1,445 units (1,366 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 51 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 1,395 units (1,162 single-family, 46 in 2–4 unit, 187 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 1,407 units (1,163 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 236 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,255 units (1,041 single-family, 33 in 2–4 unit, 181 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 699 units (575 single-family, 80 in 2–4 unit, 44 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 554 units (489 single-family, 29 in 2–4 unit, 36 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 464 units (434 single-family, 30 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 385 units (340 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 25 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 439 units (333 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 86 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 417 units (415 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 340 units (316 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 16 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 705 units (419 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 278 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 992 units (379 single-family, 56 in 2–4 unit, 557 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 788 units (469 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 287 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 556 units (503 single-family, 36 in 2–4 unit, 17 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 597 units (453 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 124 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 734 units (565 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 153 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 679 units (663 single-family, 11 in 2–4 unit, 5 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 939 units (815 single-family, 64 in 2–4 unit, 60 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 798 units (748 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 40 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 739 units (701 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 6 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 1,156 units (817 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 319 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252004 high · 1,4452014 low · 34006001,2001,8002004: 1,445 units (1,366 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 51 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 1,395 units (1,162 single-family, 46 in 2–4 unit, 187 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 1,407 units (1,163 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 236 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,255 units (1,041 single-family, 33 in 2–4 unit, 181 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 699 units (575 single-family, 80 in 2–4 unit, 44 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 554 units (489 single-family, 29 in 2–4 unit, 36 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 464 units (434 single-family, 30 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 385 units (340 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 25 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 439 units (333 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 86 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 417 units (415 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 340 units (316 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 16 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 705 units (419 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 278 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 992 units (379 single-family, 56 in 2–4 unit, 557 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 788 units (469 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 287 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 556 units (503 single-family, 36 in 2–4 unit, 17 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 597 units (453 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 124 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 734 units (565 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 153 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 679 units (663 single-family, 11 in 2–4 unit, 5 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 939 units (815 single-family, 64 in 2–4 unit, 60 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 798 units (748 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 40 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 739 units (701 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 6 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 1,156 units (817 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 319 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252004 high · 1,445

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Houses or apartments

In Kingsport, 87% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 10% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Jonesboro (10% in five-plus buildings). Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2016 (557), single-family houses in 2004 (1,366).

2021–202586.8%87%3.2%10.0%10%2004–200686.9%87%1.9%11.2%11%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202586.8%87%3.2%10.0%2004–200686.9%87%1.9%11.2%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Boom, bust and since

Kingsport authorized the most units in 2004 (1,445); 2025 reached 80% of that. Its peak year is shared by 98 other metro areas, among them Roanoke, Kennewick, Green Bay. Annual permits fell from 1,445 during the mid-2000s boom to 385 in 2011, a drop of 73%. The nearest bust profile in the East South Central states was Lexington's (73%). Its quietest year came later, in 2014 (340 units). The 2021–2025 pace of 862 units a year is 39% below the 2004–2006 pace.

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 13 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Kingsport, with 1,327 units or 31% of the total, followed by Sullivan County (unincorporated) with 957.

  • Kingsport31% (1,327 units)
  • Sullivan County (unincorporated)22% (957 units)
  • Hawkins County (unincorporated)15% (651 units)
  • Washington County (unincorporated)11% (467 units)
  • Bristol TN10% (434 units)
  • Scott County3.2% (136 units)
  • Abingdon town2.9% (125 units)
  • Church Hill2.3% (100 units)

Share of the units authorized in the metro area, 2021–2025.

The wider Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol region

The Census Bureau groups Kingsport with one neighboring metro area in the Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 1,894 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Kingsport accounted for 46%. The other, with its yearly average: Johnson City (1,032).

Where in the metro

Sullivan County accounted for 63% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Hawkins County for 19%. The part in Virginia supplied 18%.

  • Sullivan County, TN63% (771 in 2025)
  • Hawkins County, TN19% (141 in 2025)
  • Washington County, VA14% (191 in 2025)
  • Scott County, VA3.2% (32 in 2025)
  • Bristol city, VA1.4% (21 in 2025)

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Roanoke, VA8772.738%
Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV1,6245.95.7%
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL3,45613.932%
Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA1,1562.810%
Sioux Falls, SD-MN2,32712.056%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Kingsport beside Sioux Falls

Every yearly figure behind the chart, split by building size: yearly-units.csv. State view: Tennessee. Counting rules.