Bristol, TN housing market
The typical Bristol home is worth about $238,000, down 1.1% in a year, 29% below the Tennessee typical home. Homes typically sell in 50 days, below asking.
Home values, sales, trends and how Bristol compares with the towns next door — updated as new data is published.
Bristol at a glance
A seller's market
Supply is tight — about 3.5 months of homes for sale at the current pace. Buyers should expect competition on well-priced homes.
Typical home value, 2016–2026
Show as a table
| January | Bristol | Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $129,000 | $174,000 |
| 2018 | $133,000 | $187,000 |
| 2019 | $135,000 | $198,000 |
| 2020 | $153,000 | $215,000 |
| 2021 | $160,000 | $238,000 |
| 2022 | $189,000 | $287,000 |
| 2023 | $206,000 | $313,000 |
| 2024 | $230,000 | $326,000 |
| 2025 | $240,000 | $334,000 |
| 2026 | $238,000 | $333,000 |
| August 2026 | $238,000 | $334,000 |
127 new homes permitted in 2025
Builders were permitted 127 new homes in Bristol in 2025: 108 single-family houses and 19 in buildings with two or more homes, worth about $12.1 million to build. That's 4.6 per 1,000 residents, slower than across Tennessee (7.8). Over the past 10 years, Bristol has permitted 880 homes in all.
Homes vs. people, 2010–2020
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Bristol gained 445 residents while 806 new homes were permitted: about 0.6 new residents per new home. Building outpaced population growth, which usually means smaller households or homes used part of the year. Across Tennessee: 2 new residents per new home.
How Bristol ranks on housing keeping up with growth →
Residents: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 and 2020 censuses. New homes: permits issued 2010–2019.
Show as a table
| Year | New homes | Single-family | 2+ per building | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Jan–Aug) | 93 | 79 | 14 | $8.1 million |
| 2025 | 127 | 108 | 19 | $12.1 million |
| 2024 | 145 | 127 | 18 | $12.4 million |
| 2023 | 65 | 19 | 46 | $6.2 million |
| 2022 | 70 | 19 | 51 | $6.5 million |
| 2021 | 27 | 27 | 0 | $4.3 million |
| 2020 | 159 | 11 | 148 | $11.5 million |
| 2019 | 149 | 25 | 124 | $12.7 million |
| 2018 | 73 | 38 | 35 | $8.6 million |
| 2017 | 65 | 33 | 32 | $7.6 million |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2015 | 320 | 42 | 278 | $19.5 million |
| 2014 | 32 | 28 | 4 | $6 million |
| 2013 | 71 | 71 | 0 | $10.8 million |
| 2012 | 26 | 26 | 0 | $2.6 million |
| 2011 | 17 | 8 | 9 | $1.5 million |
| 2010 | 53 | 53 | 0 | $7.3 million |
| 2009 | 66 | 46 | 20 | $5.9 million |
| 2008 | 49 | 45 | 4 | $6.8 million |
| 2007 | 250 | 154 | 96 | $24.3 million |
| 2006 | 187 | 135 | 52 | $21.7 million |
| 2005 | 190 | 150 | 40 | $16.2 million |
| 2004 | 135 | 135 | 0 | $12.8 million |
| 2003 | 100 | 100 | 0 | $7.6 million |
| 2002 | 78 | 78 | 0 | $7.5 million |
| 2001 | 118 | 118 | 0 | $8.4 million |
| 2000 | 102 | 102 | 0 | $7.8 million |
Bristol's permit office didn't report to the Census in 2025, so the 2025 figures are Census estimates.
How Bristol ranks on new homes being built →
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, through August 2026.
Bristol and its neighbors
| Town | Typical value | 1-yr change | 2-bed rent | New homes 2025 | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol | $238K | −1.1% | $1,090 | 127 | $58,162 |
| Walnut Hill | — | −0.1%† | $1,090 | — | $51,742 |
| Blountville | $317K | +1.4% | $990 | — | $54,754 |
| Bristol | $203K | −1.5% | $1,080 | 21 | $50,404 |
| Bluff City | $272K | +2.8% | $1,140 | 0 | $61,059 |
† FHFA price index change, where Zillow has no home value for the town.
4.1 years of income
The typical Bristol home costs about 4.1 years of the town's median household income, less than across Tennessee (4.8 years).
How Bristol ranks on affordability →
Home value ÷ ACS median household income.
Owners, rent & taxes
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,090
HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Bristol is $1,090 a month, utilities included: roughly what a modest, recently rented unit costs. Renters already in Bristol pay a median of $842, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put. A two-bedroom takes about 22% of the town's median household income.
Studio $750 · 4 bedrooms $1,520
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (37617, 37618, 37620; Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA), weighted by land area. A Fair Market Rent is the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, August 2026. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center, May 2026. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. New homes: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Listings link to their publishers.