City · Tennessee
Kingsport, Tennessee
Kingsport, city, mostly in Sullivan County (95.1% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Hawkins County, Tennessee. Kingsport had 57,530 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 3.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 55,442 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 56,262 (±45). GEOID 4739560.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
57,530
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 55,442 · ACS 2020-2024: 56,262 ±45
Median household income
$52,490
±$2,581 (90% margin)
Tennessee: $69,595
Median home value
$234,100
±$12,306 (90% margin)
Tennessee: $286,700
Median gross rent
$907
±$39 (90% margin)
Tennessee: $1,189
Where is Kingsport and what county is it in?
Kingsport is a city mostly in Sullivan County (95.1% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Hawkins County, Tennessee. It covers 53.1 square miles of land, 1,044 residents per square mile in 2020.
Kingsport is in the Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 5 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
| County | 2020 residents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Sullivan County | 52,724 | 95.1% |
| Hawkins County | 2,718 | 4.9% |
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Kingsport, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 57,530 people lived in Kingsport on July 1, 2025, up 3.6% since 2020, slower than Tennessee (+5.8%). The 2020 Census counted 55,442 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 56,262 (±45).
| Measure | Kingsport | Sullivan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 56,262±45 | 160,624 | +2,886 |
| Households | 25,021±651 | 68,907 | +1,381 |
| Average household size | 2.22±0.06 | 2.30 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 27,842±638 | 76,324 | +1,310 |
Kingsport's population since 2000
From 44,905 in 2000 to 57,530 in 2025: up 28.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Kingsport as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Kingsport?
The median resident of Kingsport is 43.0 years old; 20.6% are under 18 and 23.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 89.2%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 3.7%. 2.8% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Kingsport | Sullivan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.0±2.0 | 45.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 20.6%±1.4 pts | 19.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 23.3%±1.4 pts | 22.2% | – |
| Male | 46.3%±1.2 pts | 49.0% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.7%±0.6 pts | 2.6% | +1.4 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 89.2%±1.1 pts | 91.6% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 2.7%±0.7 pts | 2.0% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.0%±0.5 pts | 0.7% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1%±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.2%±0.7 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.2%±0.2 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.8%±0.7 pts | 1.9% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.3%±0.8 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.3%±1.0 pts | 8.1% | – |
| With a disability | 20.8%±1.9 pts | 18.7% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 8.8%±1.3 pts | 8.9% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 90.6%±1.4 pts | 89.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 31.5%±2.2 pts | 26.8% | +4.4 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 12.0%±1.3 pts | 9.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 86.5%±2.2 pts | 89.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.8%±0.8 pts | 2.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Kingsport earn?
Half of Kingsport's 25,021 households earn less than $52,490 a year (±$2,581), against $58,807 in Sullivan County and $69,595 in Tennessee. In 2015-2019 it was $52,743 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 20.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Kingsport | Sullivan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $52,490±$2,581 | $58,807 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $80,183±$3,595 | $82,467 | – |
| Per capita income | $36,414±$1,679 | $35,877 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 20.7%±2.4 pts | 15.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 33.3%±6.3 pts | 26.0% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 16.5%±2.0 pts | 13.1% | – |
| Households with a computer | 91.7%±1.5 pts | 92.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 88.8%±1.7 pts | 88.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Kingsport?
Owners occupy 60.1% of Kingsport's occupied homes and renters 39.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $234,100 by its owner (±$12,306). The median renter pays $907 a month including utilities, and 40.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Kingsport | Sullivan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $234,100±$12,306 | $213,300 | +$54,665 |
| Median gross rent | $907±$39 | $889 | +$101 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 40.4%±4.7 pts | 35.0% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,387±$71 | $1,290 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 60.1%±2.4 pts | 72.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 39.9%±2.4 pts | 27.9% | – |
| Housing units | 27,842±638 | 76,324 | +1,310 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.4%±0.4 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.1%±2.1 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 63.4%±2.3 pts | 70.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.0%±0.9 pts | 10.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.8%±0.4 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 7.9%±1.3 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 8.0%±1.4 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 7.4%±1.4 pts | 4.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Kingsport building?
Builders took permits for 408 new housing units in Kingsport in 2025 (178 in single-family houses), 7.1 per 1,000 residents against 5.9 across Tennessee.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Kingsport work and get to work?
78.3% of Kingsport's workers drive alone and 12.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 19.1 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.9%.
| Measure | Kingsport | Sullivan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 54.7%±2.0 pts | 56.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9%±1.3 pts | 5.4% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 78.3%±2.0 pts | 79.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 6.1%±1.3 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.2%±0.2 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 1.2%±0.6 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 12.1%±1.4 pts | 10.6% | +8.4 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 19.1 min±0.9 | 21.9 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Kingsport?
15 census tracts lie mostly in Kingsport, and 12 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $28,556 (Tract 406) to $83,689 (Tract 410).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 405Sullivan County | 4,641 | $35,200 |
| Tract 412Sullivan County | 6,531 | $81,436 |
| Tract 406Sullivan County | 3,932 | $28,556 |
| Tract 408Sullivan County | 3,449 | $32,397 |
| Tract 409Sullivan County | 3,527 | $75,075 |
| Tract 421Sullivan County | 5,609 | $54,231 |
| Tract 418Sullivan County | 4,196 | $56,651 |
| Tract 411Sullivan County | 2,702 | $51,580 |
| Tract 407Sullivan County | 2,687 | $41,867 |
| Tract 403Sullivan County | 2,530 | $46,635 |
| Tract 423Sullivan County | 7,047 | $79,293 |
| Tract 417Sullivan County | 3,518 | $51,969 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Kingsport) · Census block assignment files
How does Kingsport compare with other places in Tennessee?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Kingsport is the 719th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 13th-most populous of 345 in Tennessee.
Kingsport ranks 177th of 287 places in Tennessee with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 13th | 345 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 116th | 230 |
| Residents per square mile | 66th | 289 |
| Median household income | 177th | 287 |
| Per capita income | 85th | 289 |
| Median home value | 123rd | 285 |
| Median gross rent | 124th | 265 |
| Poverty rate | 80th | 239 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 66th | 276 |
| Median age | 102nd | 289 |
| Owner-occupied share | 197th | 289 |
| Work from home | 83rd | 167 |
| Travel time to work | 258th | 288 |
Kingsport's figures with every place in Tennessee (CSV)
Every place in Tennessee, sortable · Compare Kingsport with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Kingsport?
5 of the 57 figures for Kingsport on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Kingsport are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Kingsport.