Johnson City

The nearest city to the first permanent European-American settlement in present-day Tennessee, which was built in 1768 by William Bean. Founded as Johnson Depot in 1856, and incorporated as Johnson City in 1869. Once a railroad boomtown, Johnson City is today a hub for medicine and education, as the home to East Tennessee State University, the largest university in Northeast Tennessee, as well as the headquarters of Ballad Health, the region's largest health system.

• Name — Johnson City • Type — City • Image Flag — Flag of Johnson City, Tennessee.svg • Image Seal — Seal_of_Johnson_City,_TN.png • Image Blank Emblem — City of Johnson City logo.png • Blank Emblem Type — Logo • Seal Size — 80px • Blank Emblem Size — 90px • Pushpin Map — Tennessee#USA • Pushpin Label — Johnson City • Pushpin Relief — yes • Subdivision Type — Country • Subdivision Name — United States • Subdivision Type1 — State • Subdivision Type2 — Counties • Subdivision Name1 — Tennessee • Subdivision Name2 — Washington, Carter, Sullivan • Established Title — Founded • Established Date — 1856 • Established Title2 — Incorporated • Established Date2 — 1869 • Founder — Henry Johnson • Government Type — Council-manager government • Leader Title1 — Mayor • Leader Name1 — Greg Cox • Leader Title2 — Vice Mayor • Leader Title3 — City Manager • Leader Name3 — Cathy Ball • Leader Title4 — City Commissioners • Leader Name4 — Jenny Brock Joe Wise Todd Fowler • Unit Pref — Imperial • Area Total Km2 — 113.32 • Area Total Sq Mi — 43.75 • Area Land Km2 — 112.52 • Area Land Sq Mi — 43.44 • Area Water Km2 — 0.80 • Area Water Sq Mi — 0.31 • Elevation M — 498 • Elevation Ft — 1634 • Population As Of — 2020 • Population Rank — 8th in Tennessee • Population Density Km2 — 631.42 • Population Density Sq Mi — 1635.38 • Population Urban — 128,519 (US: 261st) • Population Metro — 207,285 (US: 215th) • Population Blank1 Title — CSA • Population Blank1 — 514,899 (US: 87th) • Postal Code Type — ZIP codes • Postal Code — 37601-37604, 37614, 37615 & 37684 • Area Codes — 423 and 729 • Website — www.johnsoncitytn.org • Time Zone — Eastern (EST) • Utc Offset — −5 • Time Zone Dst — EDT • Utc Offset Dst — −4 • Custom Label Sec1 — FIPS code • Custom Data Sec1 — 47-38320 • Custom Label1 Sec1 — GNIS feature ID • Custom Data1 Sec1 — 1328579 • Nickname — Little Chicago • Motto — Go. All. Out. • Image Map — File:Carter County Tennessee Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Johnson City Highlighted 4738320.svg • Map Caption — Location of Johnson City in Carter, Sullivan and Washington counties, Tennessee • Pop Est As Of — 2025 • Population Est — 74943 • Population Total — 71046 Johnson City is a city in Washington, Carter, and Sullivan counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, mostly in Washington County. Located in an Appalachian valley near the Boone Lake impoundment of the Watauga River, Johnson City is Tennessee's eighth-most populous city, with a population of 71,046 as of the 2020 Census. Johnson City is the largest city of the Johnson City Metropolitan Statistical Area, as well as the Tri-Cities (Tennessee-Virginia) region of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, which contains Kingsport, Tennessee and Bristol, Tennessee and had a population of 585,041 at the 2020 Census. Johnson City is the nearest city to the first permanent European-American settlement in present-day Tennessee, which was built in 1768 by William Bean. Johnson City was founded as Johnson Depot in 1856, and incorporated as Johnson City in 1869. Once a railroad boomtown, Johnson City is today a hub for medicine and education, as the home to East Tennessee State University, the largest university in Northeast Tennessee, as well as the headquarters of Ballad Health, the region's largest health system.

William Bean, traditionally recognized as Tennessee's first white settler, built his cabin along Boone's Creek near Johnson City in 1769. In the 1780s, Colonel John Tipton established a farm (now the Tipton-Haynes State Historic Site) just outside what is now Johnson City. During the State of Franklin movement, Tipton was a leader of the loyalist faction, residents of the region who wanted to remain part of North Carolina rather than form a separate state. In February 1788, an armed engagement took place at Tipton's farm between Tipton and his men and the forces led by John Sevier, the leader of the Franklin faction. Founded in 1856 by Henry Johnson as a railroad station called "Johnson's Depot", Johnson City became a major rail hub for the Southeast, as three railway lines crossed in the downtown area. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Johnson City served as headquarters for the narrow gauge East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad (the ET&WNC, nicknamed "Tweetsie") and the standard gauge Clinchfield Railroad. Both rail systems featured excursion trips through scenic portions of the Blue Ridge Mountains and were engineering marvels of railway construction. The Southern Railway (now Norfolk Southern) also passes through the city. During the American Civil War, before it was formally incorporated in 1869, the town's name was briefly changed to "Haynesville" in honor of Confederate Senator Landon Carter Haynes. Henry Johnson's name was quickly restored following the war, with Johnson elected as the city's first mayor on January 3, 1870. The town grew rapidly from 1870 until 1890 as railroad and mining interests flourished. But the national depression of 1893, which caused many railway failures (including the Charleston, Cincinnati and Chicago Railroad or "3-Cs", a predecessor of the Clinchfield), and resulting financial panic halted Johnson City's boom town momentum. In 1901, the Mountain Branch of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers (now the U.S. Veterans Affairs Medical Center and National Cemetery), Mountain Home, Tennessee was created by an act of Congress introduced by Walter P. Brownlow. Johnson City began growing rapidly and became Tennessee's fifth-largest city by 1930. Together with neighboring Bristol, Johnson City was a hotbed for old-time music. It hosted Columbia Records recording sessions in 1928 known as the Johnson City Sessions. Native son "Fiddlin' Charlie" Bowman became a national recording star via these sessions. The Fountain Square area downtown featured a host of local and traveling street entertainers, including Blind Lemon Jefferson. During the 1920s and the Prohibition era, Johnson City's ties to the bootlegging activity of the Appalachian Mountains earned the city the nickname of "Little Chicago". For many years, the city had a municipal "privilege tax" on carnival shows, in an attempt to dissuade traveling circuses and other transient entertainment businesses from doing business in town. The use of drums by merchants to draw attention to their goods is prohibited. Title Six, Section 106 of the city's municipal code, the so-called "Barney Fife" ordinance, empowers the city's police force to draft into involuntary service as many of the town's citizens as necessary to aid police in making arrests and preventing or quelling riots, unlawful assemblies, or breaches of peace.

• Illustration — Midtown Johnson City Johnson City is in northeastern Washington County, According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 112.1 sqkm, of which 111.2 sqkm is land and 0.8 sqkm, or 0.75 percent, is water. Buffalo Mountain, a ridge over 2700 ft high, is a city park on the south side of town. The Watauga River arm of Boone Lake, a Tennessee Valley Authority reservoir, is partly within the city limits.

Johnson City has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa), with warm summers and cool winters. Temperatures in Johnson City are moderated somewhat by its elevation and proximity to the Appalachian Mountains. Precipitation is abundant, with an average of 45.22 in. Summer is typically the wettest part of the year, while early autumn is considerably drier. Snowfall is moderate and sporadic, with an average of 15.6 in.

• Single Line — Yes • Location — Johnson City, Tennessee • Jan High F — 45 • Jan Record High F — 78 • Feb High F — 50 • Feb Record High F — 80 • Mar High F — 59 • Mar Record High F — 83 • Apr High F — 68 • Apr Record High F — 89 • May High F — 76 • May Record High F — 94 • Jun High F — 83 • Jun Record High F — 102 • Jul High F — 86 • Jul Record High F — 99 • Aug High F — 85 • Aug Record High F — 99 • Sep High F — 79 • Sep Record High F — 97 • Oct High F — 69 • Oct Record High F — 90 • Nov High F — 59 • Nov Record High F — 84 • Dec High F — 48 • Dec Record High F — 76 • Year High F — 67 • Year Record High F — 102 • Jan Low F — 25 • Jan Record Low F — −21 • Feb Low F — 28 • Feb Record Low F — −12 • Mar Low F — 34 • Mar Record Low F — −1 • Apr Low F — 42 • Apr Record Low F — 20 • May Low F — 51 • May Record Low F — 28 • Jun Low F — 60 • Jun Record Low F — 39 • Jul Low F — 64 • Jul Record Low F — 46 • Aug Low F — 63 • Aug Record Low F — 36 • Sep Low F — 55 • Sep Record Low F — 34 • Oct Low F — 44 • Oct Record Low F — 22 • Nov Low F — 35 • Nov Record Low F — 11 • Dec Low F — 28 • Dec Record Low F — −9 • Year Low F — 44 • Year Record Low F — −21 • Precipitation Colour — green • Jan Precipitation Inch — 3.42 • Feb Precipitation Inch — 3.69 • Mar Precipitation Inch — 3.59 • Apr Precipitation Inch — 3.50 • May Precipitation Inch — 4.44 • Jun Precipitation Inch — 4.56 • Jul Precipitation Inch — 5.44 • Aug Precipitation Inch — 4.15 • Sep Precipitation Inch — 3.03 • Oct Precipitation Inch — 2.44 • Nov Precipitation Inch — 3.34 • Dec Precipitation Inch — 3.62 • Year Precipitation Inch — 45.22 • Jan Snow Inch — 5.2 • Feb Snow Inch — 4.2 • Mar Snow Inch — 2.3 • Apr Snow Inch — 0.4 • May Snow Inch — 0 • Jun Snow Inch — 0 • Jul Snow Inch — 0 • Aug Snow Inch — 0 • Sep Snow Inch — 0 • Oct Snow Inch — 0 • Nov Snow Inch — 0.9 • Dec Snow Inch — 2.6 • Year Snow Inch — 15.6 • Jan Humidity — 59.0 • Feb Humidity — 71.5 • Mar Humidity — 69.0 • Apr Humidity — 67.0 • May Humidity — 69.5 • Jun Humidity — 73.0 • Jul Humidity — 75.0 • Aug Humidity — 76.5 • Sep Humidity — 76.5 • Oct Humidity — 74.0 • Nov Humidity — 68.5 • Dec Humidity — 69.5 • Year Humidity — 74.0

As of the 2020 census, there were 71,046 people and 15,904 families residing in the city. The median age was 36.0 years; 18.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 91.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 89.3 males age 18 and over. 99.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 1.0% lived in rural areas. Of the 29,957 households, 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Married-couple households made up 36.7%, while households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present accounted for 22.8% and households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present accounted for 33.1%. Approximately 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. There were 32,801 housing units, of which 8.7% were vacant; the homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.7%. Racial composition as of the 2020 census • Race — Number — Percent • White — 56,911 — 80.1% • Black or African American — 4,909 — 6.9% • American Indian and Alaska Native — 287 — 0.4% • Asian — 1,727 — 2.4% • Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander — 45 — 0.1% • Some other race — 2,054 — 2.9% • Two or more races — 5,113 — 7.2% • Hispanic or Latino (of any race) — 4,498 — 6.3%

As of the census of 2000, there was a population of 55,469, with 23,720 households and 14,018 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,412.4 per square mile. There were 25,730 housing units at an average density of 655.1 /mi2. The racial makeup of the city was 90.09 percent white, 6.40 percent African American, 0.26% Native American, 1.22 percent Asian, 0.02 percent Pacific Islander, 0.69 percent from other races, and 1.32 percent from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.89 percent of the population. There were 23,720 households, out of which 25.0 percent had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.1 percent were married couples living together, 11.6 percent had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.9 percent were non-families. 33.9 percent of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5 percent had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20, and the average family size was 2.82. In the city, the population was spread out, with 19.8 percent under the age of 18, 13.7 percent from 18 to 24, 28.1 percent from 25 to 44, 22.5 percent from 45 to 64, and 15.9 percent who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.0 males. The median income for a household in the city was $30,835, and the median income for a family was $40,977. Males had a median income of $31,326 versus $22,150 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,364. About 11.4 percent of families and 15.9 percent of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.9 percent of those under age 18 and 12.7 percent of those age 65 or over.

• Illustration — Mountain Dew traces its origins to the city. Johnson City is an economic hub largely fueled by East Tennessee State University and the medical "Med-Tech" corridor, anchored by the Johnson City Medical Center and Niswonger Children's Hospital, Franklin Woods Community Hospital, ETSU's Gatton College of Pharmacy, and ETSU's Quillen College of Medicine. The citrus soda Mountain Dew originated in Johnson City. In 2012, PepsiCo announced a new malt-flavored version of the drink named Mountain Dew Johnson City Gold. Johnson City and its metropolitan area had a gross metropolitan product of 9.1 billion in 2019. Top employers in Johnson City (2008) • Employer — Number of employees • Ballad Health — 3541 • East Tennessee State University — 1990 • Washington County School System — 1275 • James H. Quillen VA Medical Center — 1259 • American Water Heater Company — 1194 • AT&T Mobility — 1000

• American Water Heater Company (owned by A.O. Smith Corp.) • Advanced Call Center Technologies • Cantech Industries • General Shale (owned by Wienerberger) • LPI, Inc. • Moody Dunbar, Inc. • Mullican Flooring • R.A. Colby, Inc. • TPI Corporation • VCV Rack

• JD Squared, manufacturer of tube and pipe benders and other fabrication tools

• Illustration — Monument of Chief Junaluska in Metro-Kiwanis Park, Johnson City

Public art includes 12 to 15 sculptures that change every two years. Also, 24 bronze statuettes of animals indigenous to the Appalachian Highlands, cast by faculty and students at ETSU, are installed in various downtown locations; staff at the Johnson City Public Library created a list of clues to aid in the search for all the animals. Other public art includes banners and art on light poles and traffic boxes, and quote stones along sidewalks and paths. Two annual art events take place in the city.

As a regional hub for a four-state area, Johnson City is home to a large variety of retail businesses, from well-known national chains to local boutiques and galleries. The Mall at Johnson City is the city's only enclosed shopping mall. Much of the new retail development is in North Johnson City, along State of Franklin Road. Johnson City Crossings is the largest of these developments.

• Buffalo Mountain Park • East Tennessee State University Arboretum • ETSU/Mountain States Health Alliance Athletic Center • Founders Park • Freedom Hall Civic Center • Johnson City STOLport • Thomas Stadium, baseball venue • Tipton-Haynes State Historic Site • Tweetsie Trail • Watauga River • William B. Greene Jr. Stadium

Several Minor League Baseball teams have been based in Johnson City. Professional baseball was first played in the city by the Johnson City Soldiers in the Southeastern League in 1910. The city's longest-running team was the Johnson City Cardinals, who played in the Appalachian League as the Rookie affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals from 1975 to 2020 and the earlier Johnson City Cardinals (1939–1955) also of the Appalachian League. In conjunction with a contraction of Minor League Baseball beginning with the 2021 season, the Appalachian League was reorganized as a collegiate summer baseball league, and the Cardinals were replaced by the Johnson City Doughboys, a new franchise in the revamped league designed for rising college freshman and sophomores.

In the United States House of Representatives, Johnson City is represented by Republican Diana Harshbarger of the 1st district. Johnson City is run by a five-person board of commissioners. The mayor is John Hunter; the city manager is Cathy Ball. During Ball's tenure, Johnson City faced national scrutiny over the Sean Williams scandal, which involved allegations that local law enforcement failed for years to properly investigate reports of sexual assault and drugging connected to Williams. Ball was later drawn into controversy after reporting revealed that she had attempted to purchase Williams's condominium in 2022 while he was a fugitive, though the city stated that she was unaware of the full circumstances surrounding him and denied wrongdoing.

East Tennessee State University has around 16,000 students in addition to a K–12 University School, a laboratory school of about 540 students. University School was the first laboratory school in the nation to adopt a year-round academic schedule. Milligan University is just outside the city limits in Carter County, and has about 1,200 students in undergraduate and graduate programs. Northeast State Community College has renovated a building in downtown Johnson City for use as a new satellite teaching site. After a dispute over the leasing amount being increased from $1,000/month to nearly $30,000/month, Northeast State decided not to renew their lease in 2023. This building is now being utilized by East Tennessee State University to house the Department of Biological Sciences whilst Brown Hall, the main academic hall for the department on ETSU's main campus, goes through a new phase of renovations. Classes will begin being offered at this downtown satellite campus by ETSU in the Fall 2025 semester. Tusculum University has a center on the north side of Johnson City in the Boones Creek area.

Within Washington County, the vast majority of the city is in the Johnson City Independent School District, while small parts of the city are in the Washington County School District. The portion in Carter County is within the Carter County School District. The portion in Sullivan County is within the Sullivan County School District. Schools in the Johnson City School System include: Elementary schools • *Cherokee Elementary *Fairmont Elementary *Lake Ridge Elementary *Mt. View Elementary — *North Side Elementary *South Side Elementary *Towne Acres Elementary *Woodland Elementary Middle schools • Indian Trail Middle School • Liberty Bell Middle School High schools • Science Hill High School • University School (K–12)

• Ashley Academy (PreK–8) • St. Mary's (K–8) • Providence Academy (K–12) • Tri-Cities Christian Schools (PreK–12)

Johnson City is in the Tri-Cities (Tennessee-Virginia) media market, the 101st largest media market in the United States. WJHL-TV, the local CBS and NBC affiliate, is produced from a studio in downtown Johnson City.

There are four radio stations directly licensed to Johnson City. WETB is a commercial radio station affiliated with Compass Media Networks playing classic hits playing on 93.7 FM and 790AM. WETS-FM is the local NPR affiliate, and broadcasts talk radio, Americana, and classical music via three subchannels from a studio at East Tennessee State University. WJCW, owned by Cumulus Media, broadcasts talk radio at 910 AM. WQUT, also owned by Cumulus Media, broadcasts classic rock at 101.5 FM.

Johnson City has one commercial daily print newspaper, the Johnson City Press.

• Illustration — Transit center in downtown Johnson City Johnson City is served by Tri-Cities Regional Airport in Blountville, Tennessee and Johnson City Airport (0A4) in Watauga, Tennessee. Johnson City was formerly served by Greyhound; some time between the 2022 discontinuation of Greyhound's lease and 2026, Greyhound service was discontinued.

• Interstate 26 • U.S. Route 19W • U.S. Route 11E • U.S. Route 321 • U.S. Route 23

Johnson City Transit, the first municipal transit system created in Tennessee after World War II, operates 11 fixed bus routes using a 13 bus fleet. In 2025, it provided 386,917 trips. Johnson City Transit also operates BucShot, a transit circulator, for East Tennessee State University. The Southern Railway used to serve Johnson City with several trains: the Birmingham Special (ended 1970), the Pelican (ended 1970) and the Tennessean (ended 1968). Several recent proposals have been made to restore rail service to Johnson City, including as a stop on an Amtrak line between Houston to New York and as a stop on a Tennessee-supported line connecting Knoxville and Bristol, and Virginia is currently pursuing study of an extension of the Northeast Regional from Roanoke, Virginia to nearby Bristol, Virginia.

Johnson City serves as a regional medical center for northeast Tennessee and southwest Virginia, along with parts of western North Carolina and southeastern Kentucky. Johnson City Medical Center includes a level 1 trauma center, the Niswonger Children's Hospital, and Woodridge Hospital, an inpatient psychiatric hospital. Franklin Woods Community Hospital is an 80-bed hospital with emergency services. James H. and Cecile C. Quillen Rehabilitation Hospital serves patients who have suffered debilitating trauma, including stroke and brain-spine injuries.

• Bill Bain, management consultant, one of the founders of the management consultancy Bain & Company • Sam Bettens, lead singer of rock band K's Choice; Johnson City firefighter for a year • Jerry Blevins, Major League Baseball pitcher (New York Mets) • Ernie Bowman, Major League Baseball (San Francisco Giants, 1961–63) • Joe Bowman, bootmaker and marksman; guardian of western culture • Mike Brown, American Motorcyclist Association rider • Jonny Campbell, soccer player • Jo Carson, playwright and author • George Lafayette Carter, entrepreneur • David Cash, professional wrestler • David Cole, founding member of C+C Music Factory • Patrick J. Cronin, television and film actor, a professor in English and Theater at ETSU • Matt Czuchry, actor (Gilmore Girls), attended Science Hill High School • David Davis, Tennessee state senator; U.S. congressman 2007–2009 • Lindsay Ellis, film critic, YouTuber, cinematographer, and author • Ray Flynn, miler with 89 sub-four-minute miles; graduated ETSU, president/CEO of Flynn Sports Management • Aubrayo Franklin, defensive tackle, San Francisco 49ers • Wyck Godfrey, film producer and studio executive • Jake Grove, born in Johnson City; played center for Virginia Tech, won the Rimington Trophy, played for the Miami Dolphins • Del Harris, NBA coach, attended Milligan College • Holly Herndon, electronic musician • Mark Herring, Attorney General of Virginia • Herman Hickman, College Football Hall of Fame player for the Tennessee Vols and NFL player. • Jim Hickman, professional baseball player, played outfield for the Brooklyn Dodgers • Steven James, novelist, attended ETSU • Drew Johnson, political commentator and columnist, and founder of the Beacon Center of Tennessee • Amythyst Kiah, Americana singer/songwriter • Brownie King, NASCAR driver • Catherine Marshall, author, born in Johnson City, later worked on her novel Christy while staying with relatives in town • John Alan Maxwell, artist and illustrator, raised in Johnson City, illustrated for Pearl S. Buck, John Steinbeck, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, spent his last 18 years in Johnson City; permanent collection housed at Carroll Reece Museum at ETSU • Eddie McCreadie, Scottish born soccer player • Johnny Miller, NASCAR driver • Daniel Norris, Major League Baseball, debuted with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2014 • Eureka O'Hara, drag queen and television personality • Mike Potter, NASCAR driver • David Phil Roe, mayor of Johnson City, and representative for Tennessee's 1st congressional district 2009–2021 • Bryan Lewis Saunders, artist and writer, ETSU alumnus • Connie Saylor, NASCAR driver and Johnson City business owner • Constance Shulman, actress, singer, producer • Steve Spurrier, Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback and College Football Hall of Fame coach, spent most of his childhood in Johnson City and attended Science Hill High School; namesake of the school's football field • Robert Love Taylor and Alfred A. Taylor, brothers who were both governor of Tennessee; each owned and resided in Robins' Roost, historic house on South Roan Street • Brad Teague, NASCAR driver • Phyllis Tickle, prominent author on religion and spirituality • Ed Whitson, MLB pitcher known for a brief but colorful stint with the Yankees in the 1980s • Samuel Cole Williams, historian, jurist, first dean of the Emory University School of Law • Van Williams, NFL running back and kick returner for Buffalo Bills, All-American at Carson-Newman, attended Science Hill High School

Johnson City's sister cities are: • Guaranda, Ecuador • Ronneby, Sweden • Rybinsk, Russia • Teterow, Germany