Kingsport, TN Crime Map

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Kingsport, TN

What is Kingsport's overall crime grade?

Kingsport earns an A- overall crime grade, placing it among the safer mid-sized cities in Tennessee. With a population of approximately 98,767 residents and a density of just 394 people per square mile, the city's relatively spread-out layout contributes to lower crime concentration compared to denser urban centers. An A- grade means Kingsport outperforms the majority of U.S. cities of comparable size, though pockets of higher activity do exist — particularly in areas with elevated poverty rates, given that roughly 19.7% of residents live below the poverty line.

What is the crime rate in Kingsport, and how does it compare?

Kingsport's A- crime grade reflects a meaningfully safer environment than most U.S. cities. Property crime remains the more prevalent concern — nationally, property offenses account for roughly 85–90% of all reported incidents in cities of this profile, and Kingsport follows that pattern. Violent crime rates are comparatively low. The city's unemployment rate of 6.3% and median household income of $42,066 are economic factors that researchers consistently link to crime levels; Kingsport's numbers sit in a moderate range, which aligns with its strong-but-not-perfect A- grade rather than a perfect A. Residents can consult the interactive crime map above to filter incidents by type and date for the most granular picture.

What are the safest neighborhoods in Kingsport?

While hyperlocal crime scores vary block by block, several Kingsport areas are consistently associated with lower incident rates. Colonial Heights is frequently cited by long-term residents as one of the more stable, family-oriented sections of the city, benefiting from higher owner-occupancy and active neighborhood engagement. Areas near Kingsport City Park and the Dobyns-Bennett High School corridor also tend to show lower property-crime concentrations on the map. Conversely, corridors with higher commercial density or proximity to high-poverty census tracts — factors reflected in the city's 19.7% poverty rate — can show elevated incident clusters. Use the heat-map layer on the crime map to compare specific zones before making housing decisions.

Is Kingsport safe to live in?

By measurable standards, yes. An A- crime grade puts Kingsport in the top tier of safety for Tennessee cities. The median home value of $148,961 and median rent of $666 make it one of the more affordable safe cities in the region, which is a meaningful combination for families and first-time buyers. The 6.3% unemployment rate is slightly above the national average, and the 19.7% poverty rate is a genuine community challenge — both metrics correlate with property crime risk in national research. Still, the overall data picture is positive: the vast majority of Kingsport's roughly 98,767 residents experience no direct crime impact in a given year. Standard precautions — secured vehicles, porch lighting, neighborhood-watch participation — go a long way in a city already performing at this safety level.

What types of crime are most common in Kingsport?

Consistent with its A- grade, Kingsport's incident mix skews heavily toward lower-severity offenses. Property crimes — including larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and burglary — make up the largest share of reported incidents, as is typical for U.S. cities at this population and density level (394 per sq mi). Violent crimes such as aggravated assault represent a much smaller fraction and tend to cluster in specific corridors rather than being distributed city-wide. Substance-related offenses also appear in the data, a pattern common across Appalachian Tennessee communities. The interactive crime map lets you filter by incident category — theft, assault, vandalism, and more — so you can assess risk for your specific neighborhood or commute route.

How does Kingsport's poverty rate affect its crime statistics?

Kingsport's 19.7% poverty rate is the most notable risk factor behind the city's A- rather than a straight A grade. Academic research consistently shows that poverty rates above 15–20% correlate with elevated property crime, even in otherwise well-managed cities. With a median household income of $42,066 — below both the Tennessee and national medians — some census tracts face economic stress that shows up as higher incident density on the crime map. That said, Kingsport's law enforcement and community programs have clearly kept overall crime well-controlled given these pressures, which is precisely why the city still earns a strong A- overall. Prospective residents should use the map's neighborhood-level filters to identify the specific tracts where economic stress and crime overlap.