Labor Market Conditions In The Tri Cities Region Were Mixed In The First Quarter Of 2015. That According To The Tri Cities Labor Market Report. ETSU Economist Dr. Steb Hipple Said The Jobless Rate In Bristol Was 6 Percent, While Kingsport And Johnson City Saw A 6.4 Unemployment Percent Rate. According To Hipple, Those Numbers Point To A Sign Of Weakness Experienced In The Local Labor Market.