Jamie Stitt
Assistant Commissioner, Business and Workforce Development
Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development
312 Rosa L. Parks Ave., Nashville, TN 37243Common Search Terms
Sullivan County
County Profile ToolSullivan County
Population & Demographics
Location
Time Zone
Eastern Time Zone
Grand Division
East Tennessee
Area (Square Miles)
413.5
County Seat
Blountville
Metropolitan Area
Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA
ECD Region
Northeast
Population
Population
(2020)
158,163
Population
(2022)
158,722
Population Change
(2020 - 2022)
0.4%
Population Forecast
(2040)
167,311
Foreign Born Population
2,597
Foreign Born Persons (Percentage of Population)
1.60%
Language Other Than English Spoken At Home
2.30%
Civilian Veteran Population
11,547
Race (Percentage of Population)
White Alone
93.20%
Black or African American, alone
2.00%
American Indian And Alaska Native, alone
0.20%
Asian, alone
0.80%
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, alone
0.00%
Some Other Race, alone
0.80%
Two or More Races
3.00%
Hispanic or Latino
2.20%
Age (Percentage of Population)
Male
Female
Total
Under 5 Years Old
Male: 5.00%
Female: 0.045
Total: 4.70%
Under 18 Years Old
Male: 19.90%
Female: 18.30%
Total: 19.10%
18-64 Years Old
Male: 60.00%
Female: 57.90%
Total: 58.90%
65 Years and Over
Male: 20.10%
Female: 23.80%
Total: 22.00%
Median Age
Male: 45.2
Female: 43.7
Total: 46.5
Sources:
U.S. Census Bureau, 2018-2022 5-Year American Community Survey
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Tennessee State Data Center (2024)
Housing & Income
Housing & Income
Households
67,575
Homeownership Rate
72.5%
Persons Per Household
2.31
Living In Same House 1 Year & Over
87.6%
Median Home Value
$173,000
Annual Home Sales
2,316
Median Sale Price of Homes Sold
$245,323
Persons In Households With Income Below Poverty Level
15.2%
Total Personal Income
$8.2B
Personal Income Per Capita
$51,090
County Median Wage
$19.46
Household Income & Benefits
Percent of Household
Less Than $10,000
5.0%
$10,000 to $14,999
5.6%
$15,000 to $24,999
10.9%
$25,000 to $34,999
10.1%
$35,000 to $49,999
15.2%
$50,000 to $74,999
16.9%
$75,000 to $99,999
12.0%
$100,000 to $149,999
13.5%
$150,000 to $199,999
5.4%
$200,000 or More
5.4%
Median Household Income
$54,357
Percentage of Households by Income Range
Sources:
U.S. Census Bureau, 2018-2022 5-Year American Community Survey
Tennessee Housing Development Agency (2023)
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (2023)
Lightcast (2023)
Tax Structure
Property Tax
Property Tax Rate (County)
$2.4962
State Property Tax
None
Assessment Ratio: Residential Property
25%
Assessment Ratio: Farm Property
25%
Assessment Ratio: Commercial/Industrial Property
40%
Assessment Ratio: Public Utility Property
55%
Assessment Ratio: Business Personal Property
30%
State Tax
State Income Tax on Wages
None
State Income Tax: Interest from Bonds and Notes and Dividends from Stock
None (Hall Income tax was fully repealed January 1, 2021)
Excise Tax (State)
6.5% of Tennessee taxable income
Franchise Tax (state)
0.25% of the greater of net worth or real and tangible property in Tennessee. The minimum tax is $100.
Unemployment Insurance Tax (state)
2.7% of the first $7,000 in wages for new employers
Sales Tax
State Sales Tax Rate
7.0%
County Sales Tax Rate
2.25% - 2.50%
Local Sales Tax Collections
(FY 2023)
$80,646,698
Local Sales Tax Collections
(FY 2024)
$82,017,185
Local Sales Tax Collections Growth
(FY 2023 - FY 2024)
-1.67%
State Bond Ratings
Moody's
Aaa
Standard & Poor's
AAA
Fitch
AAA
Debt per Capita
State Debt per Capita
$988
County Debt Per Capita
$1,381
Sources:
Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury (2024)
Tennessee Department of Revenue (2024)
The Tax Foundation (2024)
Labor Force
Labor Force Estimates (2023)
Tennessee
Sullivan
Labor Force
Tennessee: 3,379,605
Sullivan: 69,003
Employment
Tennessee: 3,267,935
Sullivan: 66,605
Unemployment
Tennessee: 111,670
Sullivan: 2,398
Unemployment Rate
Tennessee: 3.30%
Sullivan: 3.50%
Unemployment Rate*
Tennessee
Sullivan
2019
Tennessee: 7.40%
Sullivan: 7.10%
2020
Tennessee: 4.50%
Sullivan: 4.40%
2021
Tennessee: 3.40%
Sullivan: 3.50%
2022
Tennessee: 3.30%
Sullivan: 3.50%
Unemployment Rate (by percentage)
Sources:
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Industries
Industry
Employment
Establishments
Avg. Annual Wages
Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction
Employment: 43
Establishments: 5
Avg. Annual Wages: $76,141
Utilities
Employment: 115
Establishments: 7
Employment: $95,391
Construction
Employment: 3,887
Establishments: 301
Employment: $59,877
Manufacturing
Employment: 10,898
Establishments: 172
Employment: $98,264
Wholesale Trade
Employment: 2,055
Establishments: 241
Employment: $73,647
Retail Trade
Employment: 8,822
Establishments: 555
Employment: $34,523
Transportation and Warehousing
Employment: 2,813
Establishments: 113
Employment: $46,580
Information
Employment: 683
Establishments: 95
Employment: $78,034
Finance and Insurance
Employment: 1,827
Establishments: 244
Employment: $74,148
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
Employment: 481
Establishments: 126
Employment: $45,489
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
Employment: 3,033
Establishments: 415
Employment: $64,757
Management of Companies and Enterprises
Employment: 1,088
Establishments: 32
Employment: $104,793
Administrative, Support, Waste Management and Remediation
Employment: 5,611
Establishments: 193
Employment: $39,017
Educational Services
Employment: 493
Establishments: 32
Employment: $37,105
Health Care and Social Assistance
Employment: 10,229
Establishments: 568
Employment: $69,212
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
Employment: 583
Establishments: 57
Employment: $29,328
Accommodation and Food Services
Employment: 6,686
Establishments: 331
Employment: $20,451
Other Services (except Public Administration)
Employment: 1,632
Establishments: 289
Employment: $34,528
Government
Employment: 6,869
Establishments: 57
Employment: $48,044
Total
Employment: 67,872
Establishments: 3,840
Employment: $57,827
Unique Occupations*
Employment
Location Quotient*
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders
Employment: 840
Location Quotient*: 16.75
Chemical Plant and System Operators
Employment: 161
Location Quotient*: 14.53
Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers
Employment: 69
Location Quotient*: 11.94
Chemical Engineers
Employment: 131
Location Quotient*: 11.28
Gas Plant Operators
Employment: 84
Location Quotient*: 11.09
Key Cluster
Total Employment
Advanced Materials
263
Aerospace & Defense
180
Appliances & Electrical
1,144
Automotive
271
Business Services
4,331
Chemicals
547
Distribution & Logistics
3,558
Film, Music & Entertainment
131
Food & Beverage
459
Healthcare & Medical Devices
1,024
Top Employers
Top County Employers
Estimated Employees
City
Eastman Chemical Company
Est. Employees: 6,719
City: Kingsport
Holston Valley Medical Center
Est. Employees: 1,400
City: Kingsport
Sullivan County Board of Education
Est. Employees: 1,247
City: Blountville
Kingsport City Schools
Est. Employees: 1,100
City: Kingsport
Wellmont Health System
Est. Employees: 1,100
City: Bristol
Sullivan County Government
Est. Employees: 1,074
City: Blountville
Teleperformance USA
Est. Employees: 943
City: Bristol
Agero, Inc.
Est. Employees: 908
City: Blountville
Eastman Credit Union
Est. Employees: 805
City: Kingsport
Home Shopping Network
Est. Employees: 789
City: Piney Flats
Transportation & Logistics
Transportation
Nearest Commercial Service Airport
Tri-Cities Regional
Daily Flights At Nearest Commercial Service Airport
14
Nearest General Aviation Airport
Tri-Cities Regional, TN/VA (Bristol/Johnson City/Kinsport)
Runway Length at Nearest General Aviation Airport
8,000'
Mean Travel Time to Work (Minutes)
21.9
Access of Interstate
I-26 & I-81
U.S. Highways
11, 19, 421
State Highways
1, 34, 36, 37, 44, 75, 93, 126, 137, 346, 347, 355, 357, 358, 390, 394, 435
Nearest Port (From County Seat)
Knoxville
Railroads Serving County
CSX, NS
Sources:
Tennessee Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation Administration, Aeronautical Data (2024)
U.S. Census Bureau, 2018-2022 5-Year American Community Survey
Education
General Stats
Sullivan
Tennessee
Population Aged 25-64 With High School Degree Or Higher
Sullivan: 90.1%
Tennessee: 91.5%
Population Aged 25-64 With Associate's Degree Or Higher
Sullivan: 37.2%
Tennessee: 41.2%
Population Aged 25-64 With Bachelor's Degree Or Higher
Sullivan: 26.4%
Tennessee: 32.8%
High School Graduation Rate
Sullivan: 92.2%
Tennessee: 90.6%
College Going Rate
Sullivan: 60.9%
Tennessee: 56.7%
Average ACT Score
Sullivan: 19.7
Tennessee: 19.0
High School Graduation Rate
College Going Rate
Average ACT Score
Sullivan County Schools
Enrollment
Elementary Schools
Enrollment: 3,729
Middle Schools
Enrollment: 1,852
High Schools
Enrollment: 2,535
Bristol
Enrollment
Elemetary Schools
Enrollment: 1,667
Middle Schools
Enrollment: 932
High Schools
Enrollment: 1308
Kingsport
Enrollment
Elemetary Schools
Enrollment: 3,321
Middle Schools
Enrollment: 1,705
High Schools
Enrollment: 2514
Regional Higher Education Institutions
City
Enrollment
Northeast State Community College
City: Blountville
Enrollment: 5,100
King University
City: Bristol
Enrollment: 1,357
East Tennessee State University
City: Johnson City
Enrollment: 13,483
Milligan College
City: Milligan College
Enrollment: 1,105
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Elizabethton
City: Elizabethton
Enrollment: 495
Sources:
U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 1-Year American Community Survey,
U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 5-Year American Community Survey
Tennessee Department of Education (2022-2023)
National Center for Education Statistics
Tennessee Board of Regents and Tennessee Higher Education Commission
† Regional higher education institutions include those within the selected and surrounding counties.
Due to data availability, federal graduation rates were used for Clay, Fentress, and Haywood counties.
Health & Public Safety
Doctors
Number of Doctors
743
Overweight & Obesity Prevalence
Adults*
32.1
Children** (Grade 8)
39.4
Regional Hospitals
Number of Beds
City
Bristol Regional Medical Center
Number of Beds: 312
City: Bristol
Rehabilitation Hospital of Kingsport, A Joint Venture of Ballad Health and Encompass Health
Number of Beds: 50
City: Kingsport
Holston Valley Medical Center
Number of Beds: 505
City: Kingsport
Indian Path Community Hospital
Number of Beds: 239
City: Kingsport
Select Specialty Hospital - TriCities, Inc.
Number of Beds: 35
City: Bristol
Sources:
American Medical Association (2023)
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Tennessee Department of Health
† Regional hospitals include those within the selected and surrounding counties.
Climate
Climate
Average High Temperature
69.2°F
Average Low Temperature
45.8°F
Average Annual Temperature
57.5°F
Annual Rainfall
49.81"
Elevation (at County Seat)
1,672'
Prevailing Winds
West
Sources:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (2023)
Community Information
Bluff City
Population (2022)
2,062
Charter Type
Private Act
Local Option Sales Tax Rate
2.25%
City Property Tax Rate
$1.28
Phone Number
(423) 538-7144
Retire Tennessee Participant
No
Tennessee Downtowns Participant
No
Main Street Participant
No
Bristol
Population (2022)
26,852
Charter Type
Private Act
Local Option Sales Tax Rate
2.25%
City Property Tax Rate
$2.16
Phone Number
(423) 989-5500
Retire Tennessee Participant
Yes
Tennessee Downtowns Participant
No
Main Street Participant
Yes
Johnson City
Population (2019)
66,515
Charter Type
Home Rule
Local Option Sales Tax Rate
2.25%
City Property Tax Rate
$1.95
Phone Number
(423) 434-6000
Retire Tennessee Participant
No
Tennessee Downtowns Participant
No
Main Street Participant
Yes
Kingsport
Population (2022)
53,376
Charter Type
Private Act
Local Option Sales Tax Rate
2.50%
City Property Tax Rate
$2.06
Phone Number
(423) 229-9400
Retire Tennessee Participant
Yes
Tennessee Downtowns Participant
No
Main Street Participant
Yes
Additional Community Information
ThreeStar Certified County
Yes
Sources:
Tennessee Municipal Technical Advisory Service
Tennessee Department of Revenue (2015)
Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury (2015)
U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2014 5-Year American Community Survey