City profile · Tennessee · Census ACS 2023

Johnson City, TN

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Johnson City - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

71,455
Residents
$55,429
Median income
$238,000
Median home
$1,132
Median rent (state)

Johnson City - the verdict

Johnson City ranks in the 28th percentile for household income and the 19th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

28th
percentile, household income
53rd
percentile, home value
31st
percentile, median rent
19th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Johnson City, TN

Johnson City is a small city in Tennessee, home to 71,455 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $55,429 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 12.0%. Typical homes in Johnson City are valued around $238,000, and the median resident age is 35.1 years. 41.8% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 58.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 615 residential building permits were authorized in Johnson City (Building Boom), up 166% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 2704.7 in FBI UCR data, near the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Tennessee run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Tennessee at 91.9 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,132 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Tennessee run around $218, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. The average commute for Johnson City workers runs 16.8 minutes, with 78.7% driving alone and 10.4% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 61.2 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Moderate).

Population

71,455 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Tennessee

Median Household Income

$55,429 /yr

Poverty 12.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

91.9 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Tennessee average

How does Johnson City compare to other US cities?

Here's how Johnson City stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 28% higher than other cities
Home value 53% pricier than other cities
Median rent 31% pricier than other cities
Safety 19% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Tennessee, Johnson City ranks #137 of 174 Tennessee cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Johnson City's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Tennessee, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

28thIncome percentile
19thSafety percentile

28th percentile nationally for median household income · 19th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Johnson City's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Johnson City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 35 Avg. percentile National median
Johnson City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Johnson City's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$238,000 47th percentile more affordable than 47% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). This entry sits in this band. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Johnson City $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Johnson City, TN Johnson City, TN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Johnson City, TN-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Johnson City, TN median $55,429/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Johnson City, TN's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Johnson City, TN. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 41.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 12.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.7%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
71,455
Median Income
$55,429
Median Home Value
$238,000
Median Age
35.1
Poverty Rate
12.0%
Labor force participation
58.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
41.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2704.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
402.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2302.5
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
17
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
70,000 residents72,000 residents74,000 residents76,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 71,072 residents 74,943 residents ▲ +5.4%
Johnson City's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
615
housing units authorized
Single-Family
241
detached homes
Multifamily
374
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
8.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 231
2020 535
2021 247
2022 210
2023 371
2024 615

Permit volume increased 166% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
16.8 minutes
Drive Alone
78.7%
Carpool
7.4%
Public Transit
0.5%
Walk
2.1%
Work from Home
10.4%
Other
0.9%

Based on 34,120 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Tennessee - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$120
avg/month
Natural Gas
$58
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$218
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Tennessee state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Tennessee state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Johnson City sits in

Cost of Living Index
91.9
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,132/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
61.2 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Tennessee

Jackson
68,098 people
Hendersonville
62,390 people
Franklin
85,575 people
Bartlett
56,998 people
Kingsport
55,807 people
Smyrna
55,066 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Johnson City's 71,455 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Camden, NJ
71,471 people
Rogers, AR
71,411 people
Lake Elsinore, CA
71,516 people
St. Joseph, MO
71,542 people
Marysville, WA
71,570 people
Blaine, MN
71,261 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Johnson City's $55,429 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Attalla, AL
$55,429 median income
Havana, IL
$55,428 median income
Bloomingdale, GA
$55,427 median income
Scottsmoor, FL
$55,433 median income
Valley, AL
$55,422 median income
Goshen, IN
$55,436 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Johnson City, TN Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Johnson City, TN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 84.0% 6.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.6% White 84.0% Black or African American 6.3% Asian 2.0% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 2.0% Two or more races 5.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Johnson City compares to nearby Tennessee cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Johnson City (this city) 71,455 $55,429
Jackson 68,098 $51,552
Hendersonville 62,390 $91,503
Franklin 85,575 $115,000
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TN FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Johnson City, TN?

What is the population of Johnson City, TN? +

71,455 people live in Johnson City, TN according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Johnson City, TN? +

In Johnson City, the typical household earns $55,429 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Johnson City? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Johnson City; the closest available measure is the Tennessee state average, a cost of living index of 91.9 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Tennessee vary by metro area.

Is Johnson City, TN safe? +

Johnson City has a total crime rate of 2704.7 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Johnson City, TN? +

Johnson City's median home value sits at $238,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.