Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Johnson City, TN

    Is Johnson City a good place to live?

    Watch Johnson City

    Johnson City ranks #18 of 28 Tennessee cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (42/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population grew 1.0% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $238,000
    +10.4% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $957
    per month
    Household income
    $55,429
    median
    Unemployment
    5.9%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Johnson City

    The median home value in Johnson City is $238,000 and median rent is $957 a month, against a median household income of $55,429. Homes cost about 4.3× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Johnson City crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Tennessee the 2025 rate was 499 violent and 1,661 property crimes per 100,000 people — #14 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Johnson City, TN

    Johnson City has about 71,455 residents, 5.9% unemployment and 22% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Johnson City with

    Johnson City vs NashvilleJohnson City vs MemphisJohnson City vs KnoxvilleJohnson City vs ChattanoogaJohnson City vs ClarksvilleJohnson City vs MurfreesboroJohnson City vs FranklinJohnson City vs Jackson

    More: Where to move in Tennessee · Best counties in Tennessee

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report