Living in Johnson City, TN
College town in Tennessee
Johnson City is a college town in Tennessee, home to about 71,000 people, with 295,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
Is Johnson City a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Low natural disaster risk: 6 federally declared disasters since 2000
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $310k and rents for $1,400 a month
- Low taxes: no state income tax, 0.7% property tax
- Mild summers: highs around 85°F
👎 Cons
- Fewer family amenities than most places
- Smaller job market: about 295,000 people live within 31 mi
- Fewer outdoor escapes: few parks and no water close by
- Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Johnson City ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Johnson City: common questions
What is the cost of living in Johnson City?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $310k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,400 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 88, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Johnson City?
Tennessee has no state income tax, and homeowners here pay about 0.7% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Johnson City safe?
Violent crime is close to the national rate (1.1× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Johnson City?
Johnson City has cool winters: winter days average around 49°F and summer days around 85°F, with roughly 6″ of snow a year.
Does Johnson City get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding and earthquakes: 6 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.33 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Johnson City?
The nearest major airport is TYS, about 97 mi away.
How Johnson City scores
Each bar compares Johnson City with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Is Johnson City right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.