ZIP Code 24201

Bristol is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 17,219. It is the twin city of Bristol, Tennessee, just across the state line, which runs down the middle of its main street, State Street. The city is served by Interstates 81 and 381, and by U.S. Routes 11, 19, 58, and 421. I-81 leads northeast 149 miles (240 km) to Roanoke, Virginia, and southwest 113 miles (182km) to Knoxville, Tennessee. Little Creek and Beaver Creek flow south through the city; Little Creek flows into Beaver Creek two blocks south of the stateline in Tennessee. The Grove, Solar Hill Historic District, and Walnut Grove are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Bristol is a principal city of the Kingsport, Bristol, TN-VA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a component of the Johnson City, Kingsport and Bristol,TN-VA Combined Statistical Area known as the "Tri-Cities" region. It was an important stopping-off place for notables such as Daniel Boone and George Rogers Clark, as well as hundreds of pioneers' en route to the interior of the developing nation. In 1856, Goodsonville and the original Bristol, Virginia were merged to form the composite town of Goodson, Virginia. The Virginia and Tennessee Railroads reached the cities in the late summer of 1856. Due to having two different railroads companies, two depots served the cities; one in Bristol, Tenn. and the other in Goodson, However, the depot located in Bristol continued to be referred to as Bristol, Va. in 1890.

History

Evan Shelby first appeared in the Bristol area around 1765. Shelby erected a fort on a hill overlooking what is now downtown Bristol. It was an important stopping-off place for notables such as Daniel Boone and George Rogers Clark, as well as hundreds of pioneers' en route to the interior of the developing nation. In 1856, Goodsonville and the original Bristol, Virginia were merged to form the composite town of Goodson, Virginia. The Grove, Solar Hill Historic District, and Walnut Grove are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The town of Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia was incorporated in 1856 after the Virginia and Tennessee Railroads reached the cities in the late summer of 1856. Due to having two different railroads companies, two depots served the cities; one in Bristol, Tenn. and the other in Goodson, Va. However, the depot located in goodson continued to be referred to as Bristol, Va. In 1890, Goodon, Virginia once again took the name Bristol. The city of Bristol is located in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Tennessee. The state of Virginia is in the western portion of the state and is the home of the College of William and Mary, a historically important college. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville was founded in 1854. It is located on the Tennessee-Virginia state line and was the first college to open in Knoxville in 1855. The university is now the largest college in the state, with more than 2,000 students.

Geography

Bristol is in southwestern Virginia. It is bordered to the west, north, and east by Washington County, Virginia, and to the south by the city of Bristol in Sullivan County, Tennessee. The city is served by Interstates 81 and 381, and by U.S. Routes 11, 19, 58, and 421. Little Creek and Beaver Creek flow south through the city; Little Creek flows into Beaver Creek two blocks south of the state line in Tennessee. According to the Köppen climate classification, Bristol has a marine west coast climate abbreviated as Cfb. It has a population of 2,816. The population of Bristol was 2,716 in 2010. It had a growth spurt in the early 1990s, when the population was 3,715. The current population is 2,917. The U. S. Census Bureau estimates the city has a total area of 13.2 square miles (34.1 km²), of which 13.0 sq miles (33.7 km²) is land and 0.15sq miles (0.4km²), or 1.07% is water. It was the site of the World War II Battle of the Bulge, which took place in World War I. Bristol is located on the banks of the South Fork of the Holston River, a tributary of the Tennessee River. The South Fork Holston is one of the largest tributaries of the Cumberland River, which flows through Bristol.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 17,367 people, 7,678 households, and 4,798 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 92.54% White, 5.57% Black or African American, 0.25% Native American, 1.08% from two or more races, and 1.18% from other races. 0.97% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. The city's population was spread out, with 20.3% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 20.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median income for a household in theCity was $27,389, and the median income. for a family was $34,266. Males had a median income of $28,420 versus $20,967 for females. The per capita income for the City was $17,311. About 25.8% of those under age 18 and 12.4%. of those age 65 or over were living below the poverty line. The U.S. Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of anyrace. The 2020 census will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, and will be the largest city in the state.

Government

Bristol is served by two law enforcement agencies: the city police and the city sheriff's department. Supporting the department is the city's E-911 Central Dispatch Emergency Communication Center which provides call taking and dispatch service for police, fire and EMS needs. The city's current mayor is Anthony Farnum, and the current council members are Kevin Wingard, Bill Hartley, Neal Osborne, Becky Nave and Kevin Mumpower. The mayor's term runs from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022. The current city manager is Randall C. Eads, the city attorney is Randall R. Weberling and the police chief is C. Farnham Jarrard. The council has been led by three different mayors: James Rector, Jerry Wolfe and Catherine Brillhart, and two different council members: Don Ashley, Ed Harlow and Guy Odum. The first female mayor was Catherine Brillhart, who served from 2014-2015 (first female mayor) to 2016 (first woman mayor) The city has a population of 2,816. The average income is $50,000. The median household income in the city is $40,000, the lowest of any city in the U.S. and the lowest in the state. The town has a crime rate of 13.7%. The city is located on the Ohio River. The state's population is 2,716. It has a poverty rate of 8.2%. The town's population has a Poverty Rate of 13%.

Technology

Bristol Virginia Utilities (BVU) started planning a fiber optic deployment in the city in the late 1990s. A system known as Passive optical network (PON) was successfully deployed to over 6,000 customers in a matter of two years. On October 29, 2009, BVU received US$3.5 million in grant funding from the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission. On July 3, 2010, it was reported that they gave US$22.7 million in stimulus funds to Southwest Virginia to create a "388-mile optic backbone through an eight-county region" This project will service over 120 institutions, such as schools, hospitals, government buildings, and many more besides. This new municipals broadband service will also be within a two-mile distance of over 500 different businesses. This project also created 295 new jobs. On August 2, 2018, BvU Authority completed a sale of the OptiNet FTTP network to a private company, Sunset Digital of Duffield, Virginia for $50 M. Along with the sale of Opti net, B VU's joint network with Cumberland Plateau Co. was sold to Sunset Digital. In addition to the network assets, Sunset agreed to hire approximately 75 BVu employees from BV U. The sale began in late 2015 and was publicly announced in early 2016. It is the first municipal utility in the United States to deploy an all-fiber network offering the triple play of video, voice and data services.

Transportation

The Tri-Cities Regional Airport, with approximately 195,000 annual passengers, is 19 miles to the southwest of Bristol. Until 1970 the Southern Railway ran a couple of trains through the city, making stops at Bristol station. A local coalition began advocating for Amtrak service around 2010, and local interest grew following the extension of Northeast Regional service to Roanoke in 2017. A study in 2019 concluded that a further extension to Bristol via Wytheville and Christiansburg could be financially viable but would require $30 million in track improvements. In 2020, Gov. Ralph Northam described Amtrak service to Bristol as a "logical step" but said that it would be conditional upon the replacement of the Long Bridge with a higher-throughput rail crossing of the Potomac River. Until 1968 the Memphis-bound Tennessean made a stop in the city. Nashville is 293 miles (472 km) southwest. U.S. Route 11, U.S. Route 19 and U.N. Route 421 run through theCity. Interstate 81, which takes travelers northward toRoanoke, about 150 miles (240 km) away and southward to Knoxville about 113 miles (182 km) to the south. The city is located in the Shenandoah Valley, which is home to the Virginia Museum of Natural History, which was founded in 1881. The Virginia National Guard is based in Bristol, and the Virginia Army National Guard has been based in the area since the early 20th century.

Economy

According to Bristol's 2011 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are: Bristol's top employers are: the city's two largest banks. Bristol's economy is based on the economy. Bristol is home to the Bristol International Airport and the Bristol Airport Authority. Bristol has a population of more than 100,000 people. The city's unemployment rate is 3.7%. Bristol's economic growth rate is 2.9%. Bristol has one of the highest unemployment rates in the state. Bristol had a high unemployment rate of 3.9% in 2011. The unemployment rate was 3.8% in 2010 and 3.6% in 2009. Bristol ranks No. 1 in the nation in terms of employment. Bristol ranked No. 2 in the U.S. in the economy in 2008 and 2009, and No. 3 in 2010. Bristol was No. 4 in the United States in the 2010 and 2011 Comprehensive annual financial report. The top employers were Bristol's two biggest banks, Bristol International and Bristol Airport. Bristol also has the largest number of non-profit organizations, Bristol University and Bristol Community College. Bristol University has the highest employment rate in the country. Bristol boasts the highest percentage of college grads in the area, with 1.8%. Bristol University had the highest rate of bachelor's degrees. Bristol City College has the lowest percentage of master's degrees, with 0.8 percent. Bristol County has the second highest percentage in the county, with 2.4 percent.

Education

The city school division, Bristol Virginia Public Schools, operates Virginia High School and Virginia Middle School, together with four elementary schools: Highland View, Stonewall Jackson, Van Pelt, and Washington Lee. Three private schools St. Anne Catholic, Sullins Academy, and Morrison are operated within the city. Bristol was formerly home to two post-secondary institutions, Sully's College and Virginia Intermont College, but these colleges closed in 1978 and 2014 respectively. In 2007 and 2008, Bristol was named one of the Best 100 Communities for Music Education. The city is home to the Bristol Symphony Orchestra, which was founded in the 1950s. Bristol is also home to Bristol High School, which opened in the 1960s, and the Bristol Center for the Performing Arts, a performing arts center that opened in 2007. Bristol also has a number of performing arts centers, including Bristol High and Bristol Middle and High School. Bristol has been named a top city in the U.S. for music education in the past, and was named a "Best 100 Community for Music" in 2008 and 2009. It was also named a Best 100 Community in the United States for Music in 2007 and 2009, and again in 2010 and 2011. Bristol's population is 1.2 million. It has a population of 2.3 million, making it the third largest city in Virginia, after Richmond and Norfolk. It is also the fourth most populous city in Washington, D.C. and the sixth most populous state in the state.

Culture

Bristol was recognized as the "Birthplace of Country Music" according to a resolution passed by the US Congress in 1998. Residents of the city had contributed to early country music recordings and influence. Bristol hosted the Bristol Pirates baseball team of the Appalachian League from 1969 to 2020. Bristol is home to Bristol Motor Speedway, the "world's fastest half mile", which hosts two NASCAR CUP SERIES races, two races per year on the NASCAR Xfinity Series and one race per year. The complex includes the Bristol Dragway, nicknamed "Thunder Valley", referencing the hills that echo the engine noise back toward the crowd. Former NASCAR driver Kelly Denton is from the city. The city is also home to the Bristol State Liners, a collegiate summer baseball league for rising college freshman and sophomores, which will be based in Bristol from 2021 to 2023. It is also the home of the National Football League's Bristol Phantoms, which play in the East Coast Conference. The Bristol City Airport is located in the city, and is the site of several NASCAR races and other racing events, including the Gatlinburg Grand Prix and the Bristol International Grand Prix. The City of Bristol is located on the Cumberland River, which runs through the town of Johnson City, Tennessee. It was the birthplace of country music in the early 20th century, when the Carter Family recorded local "folk" music for Victor Records. The Carter Family got their start on July 31, 1927, when A.P. Carter and his family journeyed from Maces Spring, Virginia, to Bristol, Tennessee, to audition for Peer who was seeking new talent.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Bristol, Bristol City, Virginia = 62.4. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 101. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 98. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Bristol = 4.5 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 17,219 individuals with a median age of 41.7 age the population grows by 1.15% in Bristol, Bristol City, Virginia population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 1,300 residents per square mile of area (510/km²). There are average 2.1 people per household in the 8,021 households with an average household income of $34,352 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 9.20% of the available work force and has dropped -4.22% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 22.36%. The number of physicians in Bristol per 100,000 population = 40.9.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Bristol = 47 inches and the annual snowfall = 15.6 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 129. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 204. 85 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 23.3 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 41, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Bristol, Bristol City, Virginia which are owned by the occupant = 59.34%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 46 years with median home cost = $123,160 and home appreciation of 0.71%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $8.68 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $6,059 per student. There are 11.9 students for each teacher in the school, 342 students for each Librarian and 342 students for each Counselor. 6.34% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 12.63% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 4.38% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).