can someone point out difference betwen JC,KP, and Bristol? (Johnson City: for sale, houses)

[kittyranger]

i am getting confused betwweeen what each city offers. I even heard tax rates ,home prices and utility charges different . What city has cheapest tax rate and utility rate? Also I noticed some homes use gas.i know elec heating common due t olow cost of electricity. Is gas cheap also?

[rccrain]

I'll rank the three (based on opinion):

Best to Worst:

Taxes: Bristol (TN), JC, KPT
Utilities: Bristol, KPT, JC
Home Prices: Bristol, KPT, JC

Traffic: JC, Bristol, KPT
Downtown: KPT, Bristol, JC
Retail: JC, Bristol, KPT
Restaurants: JC, KPT, Bristol
Employment: KPT, JC, Bristol
Diversity: JC, KPT, Bristol

Gas is a little more expensive than electric, typically. Most homes are not set up for gas.

Bristol TN has the lowest combination of taxes, but Bristol VA would be the highest due to VA income tax.

[mbmouse]

Originally Posted by kittyranger

i am getting confused betwweeen what each city offers. I even heard tax rates ,home prices and utility charges different . What city has cheapest tax rate and utility rate? Also I noticed some homes use gas.i know elec heating common due t olow cost of electricity. Is gas cheap also?

Hello,
As far as property taxes, it depends where you live within the counties.
The Tri-Cities (the three actual cities) sits in two different counties, Washington and Sullivan. The property taxes differ depending on where within those counties you live.
For example, in Washington County the property tax rate is $1.9139 (per $1000 of assessed value) for the county and if you live within the Johnson City city limits you add $1.54 for a total property tax rate of $3.4539.
If you live in the Jonesborough city limits it is a little less of a combined county/city tax rate of $3.0949
In Sullivan County, the tax rate is $2.1307 for county properties.
If you live in the Kingsport City limits you add $1.9400 for a total of $4.0707. Within the Bristol City limits, add $2.1900 for a total of $4.3207.
Within Bluff City limits (between JC, Bristol and Kingsport) add $1.0300 for a total of $3.1607.
If you live in Sullivan County and the Johnson City limits (this only happens within a few square miles of the Piney Flats area ) you add $1.54 for a total of $3.6707
So to have the lowest possible property tax rate in the Tri-Cities, you need to find a house to buy in Washington County, outside of any city limits.
Or for the really lowest rate in the region you could live in east Greene County that has a county only tax rate if $1.5069, which is one of the lowest rates in the state and really still part of the Tri-Cities, just a bit "further out".
You can look through the chart here:TN Comptroller of the Treasury - Division of Property Assessments - 2009 Property Tax Rates (http://www.comptroller1.state.tn.us/PAnew/LR.asp?W=09 - broken link)

Sales tax varies a little bit over the region.For the most part, the state sales tax is 7% and it is 5.5% for non prepared food items. Then the counties and cities can add up to 2.75% on top of those.
In Johnson City it all depends on where you are shopping. In Washington County portion of JC, you will pay 9.50% on everything except food which is 8% but if you are in the Carter County portion of JC you will pay 9.75% and 8.25%. In the Sullivan County portion of JC you will pay 9.25% and 7.75% on food.
In Sullivan county it is primarily 9.50% and 8%.
You can see the chart here:http://tennessee.gov/revenue/pubs/taxlist.pdf

As far as utilities, I think Appalachian electric, which services Kingsport is the cheapest around. Johnson City Power Board is the highest rates around.
Johnson City Power Board charges 7.744 cents per KWH
Appalachian Power charges 5.98769 cents per KWH
But then again, I am not sure who services Bristol TN for power...is it AEP too? Anyone?
As for gas, I am not really sure as I do not use it, but according to Atmos Energy's web site, who provides the majority of gas, the rate is $0.1347 per ccf and I have no idea how that compares to a KWH.

As for housing cost differences, well, that is very hard to determine because each house is different and there is no real set rate per square foot or anything like that. The only way I can think of to compare is to pull up houses for sale within the 3 different city limits that are approximately the same size and style. So doing that, here is what I came up with...again, nothing scientific or factual on this one. I am looking at what I think are comparable neighborhoods and looks too.


JC-3 bedrooms, 2 bath 2 car garage. 0 land. 2 story. Year built 2000
Finished sq ft-1662. Un finished/garage sq ft-528. $187,000
Taxes- $1,372.81

Kingsport-3 bed, 2 1/2 bath, 2 car garage, .09 acre, 2 story. year built 2004
Finished sq ft-1620. unfinished/garage-462. $169.900
Taxes-$1,927.17

Bristol-3 bed, 2 1/2 bath 2 car garage, .29 acre, 2 story, year built 2002
Finished sq ft-1628. unfinished/garage sq ft- 480. $185,000
Taxes-$1,713.28



That was fun hahahaha. I like reasurch and that was a good way to spend a cold morning and I learned a few things too about the sales tax, so thanks for asking those questions! I hope it helps

[DubbleT]

Originally Posted by mbmouse

Hello,
As far as utilities, I think Appalachian electric, which services Kingsport is the cheapest around. Johnson City Power Board is the highest rates around.
Johnson City Power Board charges 7.744 cents per KWH
Appalachian Power charges 5.98769 cents per KWH
But then again, I am not sure who services Bristol TN for power...is it AEP too? Anyone?

I have BTES in Bristol. The website says a base of $6.42 per month, plus 7.449 cents per KWH usage.

[mbmouse]

Thanks DubbleT

[rccrain]

Kingsport Power expects up to 20% rate hike Jan. 1 - Kingsport Times-News Online
However, electric company officials also said Friday even with the increase and other changes in electric rates throughout the region, Kingsport area power rates would remain the lowest in the Tri-Cities also served by the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Webb said if the proposed increase goes into effect Jan. 1 — and accounting for a TVA fuel surcharge decrease — the monthly charge for 1,500 kilowatt hours in the greater Tri-Cities would be as follows:

•About $115 for Kingsport Power, up from about $93.89 in December and $98.32 in November. Kingsport Power serves the greater Kingsport area including eastern Hawkins County and part of middle Sullivan County.

•$146.05 for the Johnson City Power Board, which serves Colonial Heights and part of south Kingsport.

•$156.49 for Bristol Virginia Utilities.

•$132.40 for Bristol Tennessee Essential Services.

•$142.08 for Holston Electric Cooperative, which serves most of Hawkins County.

[Ripshin]

Overall, very little difference. Unfortunately.

[Mountain Sprite]

Thanks for the information guys. Great research on your part mbmouse. Well, actually on ALL of your parts. You make this so easy

[Beretta]

Mod Note: Resurrected for Current Poster Request

[SickofNC]

Thank You Beretta. This helps a lot. Especially the 2nd post. Seems Bristol is best according to them in everything except employment and diversity lol....Never really considered Bristol went there one time and it just didn't click with me...maybe I need to give it another chance.