The Tri-Cities region closed 757 home sales in April 2026 at a median price of $288,000 — both volume and prices rising, a sign the prime buying and selling season is underway. Kingsport led on volume (122 sales) and posted the strongest price growth (+22.1%); Jonesborough held the region's highest median at $400,000. Compiled by Sam Timlick, NMLS# 2776469.
The numbers at a glance
| Market | Closed sales (Apr) | Median price | Year-over-year note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tri-Cities (all) | 757 | $288,000 | Volume and prices both rising |
| Kingsport | 122 | $301,875 | +22.1% price — top all-around performer |
| Johnson City | 106 | — | Price gains above the regional pace |
| Jonesborough | 54 | $400,000 | Region's highest median (+4%) |
| Greeneville | 48 | — | Tracks the regional average |
| Elizabethton | 41 | — | Sales more than doubled YoY |
Median prices shown where broken out for the month. Together, Kingsport and Johnson City accounted for nearly one in three sales across the entire region. Source: NETAR data, as reported by Don Fenley, CoreData; commentary mine.
Where prices are highest
Jonesborough commands the region's top median at $400,000 — a consistently premium submarket, and April's ~4% price gain kept it in line with the regional trend. Among markets with meaningful volume, the next tier of price leaders included Johnson City (outpacing the regional price gain), Gray (notable price acceleration), Bluff City (a high, stable price point, essentially flat year-over-year), and Abingdon (solid gains above the regional pace).
Kingsport stands out as the best all-around performer. It led on volume, grew faster than the region, and its $301,875 median jumped 22.1% — the strongest price growth among high-volume markets.
Markets moving against the grain
Bristol, VA saw sales fall about 40% — the sharpest volume decline among markets with enough transactions to be meaningful — with prices off roughly 5.7%. That diverges from the regional momentum, and from Bristol, TN just across State Street, which posted a ~12.5% sales gain even as its prices eased ~12.5% — a sign buyers there are finding deals. Erwin was the only other market to post both a year-over-year sales and price decline.
Elizabethton is the volume story of the month: sales more than doubled year over year, the biggest surge in the region by a wide margin. One month doesn't make a trend — a spike that large can reflect a backlog clearing rather than a fundamental shift — but it's worth watching next month.
Three markets — Bulls Gap, Gate City, and Surgoinsville — had five or fewer sales in April. Those counts are too small to draw reliable conclusions and were left out of the narrative.
What this means if you're buying
Rising prices alongside rising volume means the competitive season is here — homes are moving. But the region is far from uniform: a buyer priced out of Jonesborough may find real value across the line in Bristol, TN, and zero-down USDA and VA options still open doors across much of the area. The right move depends on your price point and timeline — that's a free conversation, and the earlier we have it, the more options you have.
For agents
Working a listing or a buyer in one of these submarkets? Use these numbers with your clients however helps — that's exactly why I publish them. If you'd like the monthly read as it comes out, here's how I work with agents.