Bluff city dino, 2022
Bluff City’s story
139 years in pictures
Census counts: 410 in 1880, 1,822 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2021 and 4 maps from 1935 on.
- 1887Bluff City is settled
Bluff CityTN
A town of 1,836, settled in 1887.
Population
1,836
2025 Census estimate · +1.2% since 2020
Typical home
$267K
+2.5% in a year
Household income
$61K
median
Median age
35.9
years
Jobs based here
932
Balanced
Is Bluff City a good place to live?
Bluff City’s best subject grade is a B+ for cost of living; its weakest is a C− for walkability. Only 15 of Tennessee’s 292 towns score higher on hazard risk. Bluff City's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 86% of U.S. towns. Bluff City has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Bluff City stand out
Where Bluff City beats most towns.
How Bluff City grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Tennessee), ordered by how far Bluff City is from typical.
Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 15% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.1 of 20; 0.5% of households have no car; 0.3% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →HealthSycamore Shoals Hospital 8.1 miles awayCOpen →SafetyCOpen →Jobs & income$61K median household income; 932 jobs based hereCOpen →Cost of livingB+Open →SchoolsC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 0% conserved landCOpen →History3 notable people born hereC−Open →Civic life2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsDOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 35.9; 15% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Bluff City: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bluff City, and how to reach them.
PowerCity of Bristol11.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBluff City Water DepartmentNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Bluff City’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Tennessee you can register online until 30 days before Election Day, in person until 30 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereSullivan County Election CommissionSullivan County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP codes37618, 3768637618 92% · 37686 8%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Bluff City.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A−
Bluff City faces a very low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 85% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Bluff City since 2020.
15risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesStrong wind
1
paid flood claims since 2020
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
SchoolsC+
Bluff City’s schools rank behind 58% of Tennessee districts
Its public schools are run by the Sullivan County school district. Its one school is below.
42%of TN districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluff City ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 504 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TN on state tests and graduation
SafetyC
Bluff City reports more crime per resident than 75% of U.S. towns
At 4.9 per 1,000 residents, Bluff City’s violent crime rate is above both the Tennessee town median (2.6) and the median of U.S. towns (1.6). Bluff City’s property crime rate is 14.1 per 1,000 residents.
25%of U.S. towns report more crimeCSafety Grade
| Bluff City | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 4.9 per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 14.1 per 1,000 residents | 11.5 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Bluff City4.9
Tennessee5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Bluff City14.1
Tennessee16.6
U.S.15.5
25th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
9
violent crimes reported in 2025
26
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
HealthC
Health in Bluff City trails 75% of U.S. towns
Bluff City tracks Tennessee closely on all 31 CDC measures. 32% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Bluff City, against 29% in Tennessee’s towns and 23% across U.S. towns. 21% of Bluff City adults report frequent mental distress.
25%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
| Bluff City | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 29% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 20% | 17% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 19% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 41% | 35% |
31 measures vs. Tennessee
0 better31 too close to call0 worse
Sycamore Shoals Hospital
8.1 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
In Bluff City, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Bluff City has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 87°, January nights drop to 27° and about 9 inches of snow falls in a winter.
9″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter29–50°
Spring44–70°
Summer63–86°
Fall45–71°
Oct 24
typical first frost
Apr 16
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade B+
Bluff City’s typical home value is about $267K
The typical Bluff City home is worth about $267,000, up 2.5% in a year, 19% below the Tennessee typical home. 62% of households own their home in Bluff City.
$267KZillow home value
| Bluff City | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 62% | 66% | 73% |
| Median rent | $931 a month | $947 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Bluff City$267K
Tennessee$331K
+2.5%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
Bluff City has 1.3 jobs for every working resident, and 916 people commute in
Most working residents leave Bluff City for work: only 2% work in town. The top destinations are Johnson City (23%), Bristol (14%) and Kingsport (11%).
2%work in town
| Bluff City | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 2.3% | 12% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 15% | 14% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $61,000 | $61,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Bluff City2%
Johnson City23%
Bristol14%
Kingsport11%
Elizabethton4%
11 mi
median commute distance
932
jobs based in Bluff City
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 21% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
0.5%conserved
| Bluff City | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.5% | 1.8% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.5 miles per square mile | 0.2 | 0.4 |
0.5%
conserved · 6 of 1,180 acres
0.9 mi
of trails · 0.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bluff City Ball Park | 0.1 mi | 6 |
| 2. Wells Park | — | 2 |
| 3. Over Mountain Men Victory Memorial Trail | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 23 attractions →Blue Ridge Parkway and 12 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Bluff City. Close and well known come first.
35 mi ParkwayBlue Ridge Parkway16.5M visitors a year
35 mi MountainGrandfather Mountain
11 mi National forestCherokee National Forest13 mi Park & preserveGray Fossil Site29 mi Theme parkLand of Oz
24 mi TheatreBarter TheatreSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Blue Ridge Parkway: Ken Thomas, Public domain · Grandfather Mountain: Original uploader was KyleAndMelissa22 at en.wikipedia, Public domain · Cherokee National Forest: Ryan Rice at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Barter Theatre: RebelAt (talk) (Uploads), Public domain
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Bluff City
20pages on Bluff City
The big questions
SchoolsC+Behind 58% of TN districts · 1 schoolSafetyC4.9 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthCBetter than TN on 0 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingB+$267K typical home · up 2.5% in a yearWork & commuteC$61K median household income · 932 jobs hereNatural hazardsA−FEMA risk higher than 15% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
4 within 15 miles of the center of Bluff City
Northeast State Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Blountville7.5 mi$4,782 in-state tuitionKing UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Bristol10.9 mi$36,194 tuitionEast Tennessee State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Johnson City12 mi$10,472 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Bluff City residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Tennessee.
Famous people from Bluff City
3 notable people were born in Bluff City.
About Bluff City
City in Tennessee, United States
Bluff City is a city in Sullivan County, Tennessee. The population of this town according to the 2024 census is 1,839 occupants. It is part of the Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a component of the Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA Combined Statistical Area, commonly known as the "Tri-Cities" region.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1887
- Area
- 1.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,450 ft
- ZIP code
- 37618
- Area code
- 423
Bluff City’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Bluff City.
BristolBluff City
How the neighbors grade
| Town | TN rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluff City | — | — | B+ | C | C+ | C |
| Bristol | #112 | C− | B− | C− | B+ | C− |
Bluff City has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Compare Bluff City with a neighbor →
Questions about Bluff City
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Bluff City, TN expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.
What is Bluff City, TN known for?
3 notable people were born here, including Jeremy Ray Taylor and Mike Brown.