The Town FilesJonesborough, Tennessee
Town in Washington County · population 5,860 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $299,200
- Household income
- $74,015
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 8 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 42.6
Jonesborough is a town of 5,860 people in Washington County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $299,200, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks better for retirees than 94% of Tennessee towns, better for young professionals than 93% of Tennessee towns, hipper than 93% of Tennessee towns.
How Jonesborough 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 Jonesborough is worth $299,200, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $74,015, which is more affordable than 40% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $1,129 a month. 64.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Jonesborough | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $299,200 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $1,129 | $863 |
| Median household income | $74,015 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.0× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 64.5% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.4% | — |
Who lives in Jonesborough
| People | Jonesborough | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.6 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.0% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 18.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.3% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.7% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 9.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.7% | — |
| Work from home | 14.3% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 19.1 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.5% | 88.2% |
Weather in Jonesborough
July highs average 85.4°F and January lows 24.5°F. About 47.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 7.8 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 18 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 98 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Jonesborough since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on July 10, 1980 about 9.7 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 12 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 27, 2014.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 37 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on October 8, 1960.
Severe weather in Washington County since 1996
Washington County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| 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 |
| September 27, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3620: Tropical Storm Helene |
Jobs and pay in Washington County
Washington County had 63,746 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,766 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Jonesborough itself the ACS puts it at 1.7%.
Public schools in Jonesborough
4 public schools with 2,836 students, about 14.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| David Crockett High School | 9-12 | 1,164 | 15.7 |
| Jonesborough Elementary School | PK-8 | 908 | 15.9 |
| Lamar Elementary | PK-8 | 399 | 12.1 |
| Sulphur Springs Elementary | K-8 | 365 | 13.5 |
Towns near Jonesborough
- Johnson City, TN6.2 mi · 71,046 people · home $268,200
- Oak Grove, TN9.2 mi · 4,482 people · home $260,600
- Unicoi, TN9.7 mi · 3,833 people · home $244,300
- Spurgeon, TN10.3 mi · 3,978 people · home $219,300
- Erwin, TN11.0 mi · 6,083 people · home $180,900
- Elizabethton, TN13.6 mi · 14,546 people · home $172,900
- Colonial Heights, TN13.7 mi · 3,055 people · home $217,100
- Kingsport, TN15.9 mi · 55,442 people · home $234,100
Jonesborough questions
Is Jonesborough, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Jonesborough scores better for retirees than 94% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 51%. 21.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.6).
How much does a house cost in Jonesborough?
The median owner-occupied home in Jonesborough is valued at $299,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $74,015, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $1,129 a month.
What is the weather like in Jonesborough?
July highs average 85.4°F and January lows 24.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.0 inches of precipitation a year and 7.8 inches of snow.
Does Jonesborough get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Jonesborough since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on July 10, 1980. 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)