Washington County · Johnson City · population 73,635
Where Johnson City stands
At or near all-time high. averaging 7.3% annual growth over 5 years.
Home value trajectory · last 10 years
Zillow ZHVI · monthlyLifestyle scores
Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.
Rent trajectory · last 5 years
Zillow ZORI · monthlyHome value vs rent · indexed to 100
Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)Rent vs buy
At a 16.5 price-to-rent ratio, Johnson City is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.
How the momentum score breaks down
methodology →Johnson City has held up across the cycle: home values at $294,254 with +7.3% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.
Johnson City's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.
About Johnson City
Johnson City is a city in Washington County, Tennessee, with an estimated population of 73,635. The population grew 0.9% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Johnson City is $294,254 as of 2026-04, down 0.2% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +7.3% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Johnson City average $1,488 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+2.6%). The composite momentum score is 68 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.
▲ Bull case
▼ Bear case
About Johnson City (Wikipedia)
Johnson City is a city in Washington, Carter, and Sullivan counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, mostly in Washington County. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 71,046, making it Tennessee's eighth-most populous city. Johnson City is the principal city of the Johnson City Metropolitan Statistical Area, which consists of Carter, Unicoi, and Washington Counties and had a population of 207,285 as of 2020. The MSA is also a component of the Tri-Cities region. This CSA is Tennessee's fifth-largest, with a population of 514,899 as of 2020.
Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.
City facts
Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.
Playbook
You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.
Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.
Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.
Local safety & alerts
No active National Weather Service alerts for Washington County right now.
Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Washington County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.
Neighborhoods of Johnson City
3 tracked · ranked by median home valueCities like Johnson City
Run the numbers for Johnson City
Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.
Climate & natural-disaster risk
State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.
Current weather
Find rentals & listings
Open current Johnson City listings on the major real-estate sites.
Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.
Local news & community
Latest news
- Lee's first stop becomes his last goodbyeJohnson City Press · 2h ago
- How Gas Prices Have Changed in Johnson City in the Last WeekStacker · 2d ago
- We Salute You: Jason Moore, Johnson City, TennesseeWCYB · 2d ago
- Joyce McClurg Obituary (2026) – Johnson City, TN – Linnemann Funeral Home – ErlangerLegacy · 2h ago
- Culver’s restaurant for Johnson City in the worksWJHL · 2w ago
- 2172 Haystack Cir, Johnson City, TN 37686Realtor.com · 4d ago
Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.
Local sports teams
Major professional teams the Johnson City area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.
Local economy & environment
Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.
Cities similar to Johnson City
Explore other places with comparable momentum or affordability.