The Town FilesKingston, Tennessee
City in Roane County · population 5,953 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $220,000
- Household income
- $71,675
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 44.7
Kingston is a city of 5,953 people in Roane County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $220,000, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks more of a college town than 95% of Tennessee towns, better for retirees than 93% of Tennessee towns, hipper than 76% of Tennessee towns.
How Kingston 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 Kingston is worth $220,000, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $71,675, which is more affordable than 73% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $716 a month. 77.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Kingston | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $220,000 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $716 | $863 |
| Median household income | $71,675 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 77.8% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Kingston
| People | Kingston | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.7 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.0% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 21.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.0% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.1% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 11.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 11.1% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 27.1 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.9% | 88.2% |
Weather in Kingston
July highs average 87.7°F and January lows 27.9°F. About 58.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.8 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 37 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 78 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kingston since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on February 21, 1993 about 7.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 20, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 23 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on March 21, 2017.
Severe weather in Roane County since 1996
Roane County has been included in 24 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 |
| September 27, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4742: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornado |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4514: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Roane County
Roane County had 19,050 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $82,676 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Kingston itself the ACS puts it at 8.1%.
Public schools in Kingston
5 public schools with 2,578 students, about 15.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingston Elementary | PK-5 | 806 | 16.8 |
| Roane County High School | 9-12 | 630 | 15.8 |
| Cherokee Middle School | 6-8 | 520 | 16.8 |
| Midway Elementary | PK-5 | 400 | 15.4 |
| Midway High School | 9-12 | 222 | 12.3 |
Towns near Kingston
- Harriman, TN5.1 mi · 5,892 people · home $153,200
- Rockwood, TN9.5 mi · 5,444 people · home $128,700
- Loudon, TN12.3 mi · 5,991 people · home $244,200
- Lenoir City, TN13.0 mi · 10,117 people · home $252,400
- Oak Ridge, TN13.6 mi · 31,402 people · home $270,200
- Oliver Springs, TN15.2 mi · 3,297 people · home $180,900
- Tellico Village, TN18.1 mi · 7,311 people · home $517,200
- Farragut, TN18.2 mi · 23,506 people · home $583,400
Kingston questions
Is Kingston, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Kingston scores better for retirees than 93% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 28%. 24.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.7).
How much does a house cost in Kingston?
The median owner-occupied home in Kingston is valued at $220,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,675, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $716 a month.
What is the weather like in Kingston?
July highs average 87.7°F and January lows 27.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 58.8 inches of precipitation a year and 1.8 inches of snow.
Does Kingston get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kingston since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on February 21, 1993. 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)