It depends on how you earn your income and what you own. Bristol, Tennessee has no broad state income tax, while Virginia taxes income at rates up to 5.75%. Bristol, Virginia taxes real estate at $0.93 per $100 of fair market value and also taxes vehicles every year. Median home values are a little lower on the Virginia side.
How do income taxes differ across State Street?
Tennessee repealed its last broad personal income tax, the Hall tax, beginning January 1, 2021. Virginia taxes income at 2% up to $3,000, 3% to $5,000, 5% to $17,000, and 5.75% above $17,000, per the 2025 Form 760 instructions.
For retirees, Virginia subtracts taxable Social Security from income and offers an age deduction of up to $12,000 per person for those born on or before January 1, 1961, reduced as income rises above set levels. Pension and investment income are a different story, so the right side depends on your mix of income. Talk to your tax professional or attorney about your situation.
How do property taxes compare?
Bristol, Virginia taxes real estate at $0.93 per $100 of 100% of fair market value and reassesses citywide every four years. On a home assessed at $300,000, that is $2,790 a year.
Bristol, Tennessee taxes 25% of appraised value at the city rate of $1.845 for 2025 plus Sullivan County's $1.6129. On a home appraised at $300,000, that is about $2,593 a year. Assessed values and sale prices are not the same number on either side, so compare actual tax bills on the homes you are considering.
What about car taxes?
Virginia localities tax vehicles every year. Bristol, Virginia charges $2.60 per $100 of J.D. Power clean trade in value, due December 5. A household with two newer vehicles should put that in the budget alongside the mortgage and real estate tax.
How do the two cities compare on price and size?
- Bristol, Tennessee: 28,107 residents (July 1, 2025 estimate), median owner occupied home value $194,500 and median household income $58,162 (2020 to 2024).
- Bristol, Virginia: 16,418 residents (July 1, 2025 estimate), median owner occupied home value $184,100 and median household income $50,404 (2020 to 2024).
Bristol, Virginia is an independent city, and each Bristol runs its own government, school system, and tax collection. If schools matter, look at the district the address falls in, not just the city name.
Does closing work differently?
Yes. A Tennessee purchase carries the state transfer tax of $0.37 per $100 of price, which state law places on the buyer. A Virginia purchase follows Virginia's recordation and grantor tax rules instead. Ask your closing attorney for a side by side estimate on the specific property.
Questions
If I live in Bristol, Virginia, do I pay Virginia income tax?
Generally, yes. Virginia taxes its residents' income at rates from 2% to 5.75%, with the top rate starting above $17,000 under the 2025 instructions. Living on the Tennessee side means no broad state income tax on wages, pensions, or investment income. Talk to your tax professional about your own income mix.
Which side of Bristol has higher property taxes?
On a $300,000 home, 2025 rates work out to about $2,593 a year in Bristol, Tennessee and $2,790 a year in Bristol, Virginia. Virginia also taxes vehicles every year at $2.60 per $100 of value. Actual bills depend on each home's assessed value, so compare real bills on the homes you are considering.
Is Bristol one city or two?
Two. Bristol, Tennessee and Bristol, Virginia share a downtown along State Street but are separate cities in separate states, with their own governments, tax rates, and school systems. Bristol, Virginia is an independent city, not part of a county, while Bristol, Tennessee sits in Sullivan County.
Still choosing between towns? Read Relocating to East Tennessee: Choosing the Right Tri-Cities Town.
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