The Town FilesColonial Heights, Tennessee
Community in Sullivan County · population 3,055 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $217,100
- Household income
- $80,148
- Jan low / Jul high
- 27° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 49.8
Colonial Heights is a community of 3,055 people in Sullivan County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $217,100, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks better for families than 91% of Tennessee towns, better for retirees than 89% of Tennessee towns, more upscale than 88% of Tennessee towns.
- #10 in The 12 Best Affordable Small Towns for Remote Workers in Tennessee
- #11 in The 25 Most Affordable Small Towns in Tennessee
- #13 in The 25 Best Small Towns for Families in Tennessee
- #15 in The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Tennessee
- #15 in 25 Small Towns in Tennessee With the Fewest Tornadoes Since 1950
How Colonial Heights ranks
Percentile among Tennessee towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Tennessee towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Colonial Heights is worth $217,100, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $80,148, which is more affordable than 84% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $944 a month. 85.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Colonial Heights | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $217,100 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $944 | $863 |
| Median household income | $80,148 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 85.2% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Colonial Heights
| People | Colonial Heights | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.8 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.6% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 14.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.1% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.7% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 7.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 14.5% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 19.3 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.5% | 88.2% |
Weather in Colonial Heights
July highs average 87.0°F and January lows 27.3°F. About 45.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 5.1 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 28 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 83 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Colonial Heights since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on July 27, 2014 about 4.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 27, 2014.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 58 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on October 8, 1960.
Severe weather in Sullivan County since 1996
Sullivan County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 6, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4898: Severe Winter Storm |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3635: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 2, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3625: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 2, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4832: Tropical Storm Helene |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4514: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Sullivan County
Sullivan County had 70,256 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,036 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Colonial Heights itself the ACS puts it at 4.5%.
Towns near Colonial Heights
- Kingsport, TN3.4 mi · 55,442 people · home $234,100
- Spurgeon, TN3.8 mi · 3,978 people · home $219,300
- Oak Grove, TN5.7 mi · 4,482 people · home $260,600
- Bloomingdale, TN6.1 mi · 8,918 people · home $165,500
- Blountville, TN9.4 mi · 3,120 people · home $177,300
- Mount Carmel, TN11.0 mi · 5,473 people · home $179,600
- Johnson City, TN12.2 mi · 71,046 people · home $268,200
- Church Hill, TN12.5 mi · 6,998 people · home $211,000
Colonial Heights questions
Is Colonial Heights, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Colonial Heights scores better for retirees than 89% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 59%. 21.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.8).
How much does a house cost in Colonial Heights?
The median owner-occupied home in Colonial Heights is valued at $217,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $80,148, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $944 a month.
What is the weather like in Colonial Heights?
July highs average 87.0°F and January lows 27.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.0 inches of precipitation a year and 5.1 inches of snow.
Does Colonial Heights get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Colonial Heights since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on July 27, 2014. The typical Tennessee town has had 16.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)