According To Realtor.Com, The Emerging Housing Market Index For Johnson City, Kingsport And Bristol, Remains In The Top 14 Best Areas In The Nation. Johnson City Ranked 9th While Kingsport/Bristol Ranked 14th. Compared To Last Fall, Johnson City Moved Up Two Spots While The Kingsport/Bristol Metro Market Moved Down Three Spots. Despite Recent Improvements In Mortgage Rates, The Housing Market Remains Largely Unaffordable, Forcing Buyers To Seek Out Areas, Such As The Tri-Cities, Where Homes Remain More Reasonable.