Bristol, TN · Updated Oct 2026

What a Bristol home costs each year

Property tax, water, trash and energy from public rates. Look up your address to make it yours, and see how to pay less.

Suggestions as you type come from Google; the lookup uses free public map services to find who serves it. Not stored unless you save your house.

Example · a Bristol house

$6,701a year · $558 a month

Starts at the typical market value, $194,500; your assessed value is often lower. Typical use.

Property tax$1,681
0.864% of $194,500
Electricity and gas$2,408
1154 kWh a month $1,643 · 45.8 therms $764
Water and sewer$887
7,000 gallons a month on City of Bristol, Tennessee water: water $32, sewer $39, stormwater utility fee (residential, 300–3,000 sq. ft. of impervious surface; larger lots pay more) $3 a month
Trash$233
City garbage can (one can), $19 a month
Home insurance$1,492
Typical premium $1,492

A Bristol house at the typical market value ($194,500) costs about $6,700 a year: $1,680 property tax and charges, $890 water and sewer, $230 trash, $2,410 electricity and gas, $1,490 home insurance. Estimated from public rates, not anyone's actual bill.

Rates checked Oct 28, 2026. Insurance: what you enter, or a typical premium until you do. Sources are listed at the bottom.

Ways to pay less

Nothing here applies to every house automatically. These are worth checking:

Seniors 65+ or disabled, low income: state property tax reliefIncome up to $38,470
Tennessee's tax relief program reimburses part or all of the property taxes paid by low-income homeowners 65 or older (by December 31, 2026) or disabled. The income limit is $38,470 (2025 income of the applicant, spouse, co-owners and resident remainder); other requirements apply. It is a reimbursement, not an exemption.
How: Contact your county trustee to apply; if the property is within city limits, you may also contact your city collecting official.

Money dates

Jan 31, 2027in 88 daysCity of Bristol property taxes (billed separately from the county) are due January 31, 2027; interest of 1.5% per month is added on the 1st of each month beginning in February.
Last day of FebruaryCounty taxes can be paid from the first Monday in October through the last day of February of the following year; on March 1, County taxes become delinquent and begin to accrue 1.5% interest per month.

Who serves this house

Water: City of Bristol, Tennessee water; Inside city limits water rates effective July 1, 2026 per Ordinance No. 25-8: a minimum bill of $9.94 for the first 1,000 gallons, then a charge per 1,000 gallons that steps down above 50,000, 100,000 and 250,000 gallons
Property tax: 0.86% of value; 2026 tax year (FY 2027), City of Bristol and Sullivan County
Garbage: City of Bristol, Tennessee Solid Waste; The base rate for residential solid waste collection rose $2 per garbage can in 2025; the city's FY 2027 budget adds 5% to solid waste, water and sewer rates
Sewer: City of Bristol, Tennessee; Inside city limits: $5.20 service charge, $4.04 inflow/infiltration charge and $4.38 per 1,000 gallons
Electricity: Bristol Tennessee Essential Services (BTES); $13.48 monthly delivery charge, a grid access charge, and an energy charge plus TVA monthly fuel cost
Gas: Atmos Energy; Residential Schedule 210 customer charge and $0.1970 per Ccf

Pay or manage your bills

How these numbers are made

Water: $9.94 base plus $3.30 per 1,000 gallons (to 50,000 gallons) inside Bristol city limits, rates effective July 1, 2026. The city rate page lists $9.94 as the 0-1,000 gallon "minimum billing"; the city's 2025 rate notice says the first 1,000 gallons are charged at the per-1,000 rate on top of the base charge, so $9.94 is modeled as the base.
Sewer: $5.20 service charge plus $4.04 inflow/infiltration charge (modeled together as $9.24 a month) plus $4.38 per 1,000 gallons of water, with a 2,000-gallon minimum billing that the model does not apply because typical use is higher.
Garbage: the city posts $18.50 a month for one can (2025 rate notice, FY 2026) and its FY 2027 budget adds 5% to solid waste rates; $19.425 is $18.50 x 1.05 and is the model's estimate until the city posts the new price. Stormwater: $3.00 a month for a residential property.
Property tax, 2026 tax year: City of Bristol $1.845 per $100 of assessed value plus Sullivan County $1.6129 (general, solid waste, highway, capital projects and debt service $1.01776 and General Purpose School $0.59514), assessed at 25% of appraised value. The county rate is shown with the school share separate. Starting value is the Census median, not an appraisal.
Electricity: BTES $13.48 delivery charge plus the $6.98 grid access amount for 1,001-1,500 kWh = $20.46 a month; per kWh, the average of the summer, winter and transition energy charges (4 months each) plus the $0.01689 grid access charge plus the TVA fuel cost for November 2026 ($0.02801; fuel changes monthly). Gas: Atmos Energy Schedule 210 as in other Tennessee cities.
Nothing here is legal, tax or insurance advice.

Sources

How Bristol compares

A typical Bristol house against the 36 Tennessee cities we cover, using the same default numbers as the total above.

Per year	Bristol	Median	Where it falls
Property tax rate	0.86%	0.61%	higher than 29 of the other 35 Tennessee cities we cover
Water	$386	$517	lower than 27 of the other 35 Tennessee cities we cover
Sewer and utility-bill fees	$501	$776	lower than 29 of the other 35 Tennessee cities we cover
Trash	$233	$240	lower than 15 of the other 28 Tennessee cities we cover
Electricity and gas	$2,408	$2,424	lower than 18 of the other 35 Tennessee cities we cover
Home insurance	$1,492	$1,492	in the middle of 31 other Tennessee cities we cover
Total	$6,701	$7,044	lower than 22 of the other 35 Tennessee cities we cover

Cities bill differently (some put trash on the tax bill, some cover more services), so a higher number isn't necessarily worse. The property tax rate is compared instead of dollars because house values differ.

Questions to ask your candidates

Each one starts from a number above. Any candidate can answer them.

1. Property tax rate

The fact: Bristol's property tax rate is 0.86%, higher than 29 of the other 35 Tennessee cities we cover. The rate adds up every agency on the bill, not only the city.

Ask: "Property tax in Bristol is 0.86%, higher than 29 of the other 35 Tennessee cities we cover. What should that money pay for first, and would you change anything about how it is set?"

2. Water

The fact: Water here costs about $386 a year at typical use, lower than 27 of the other 35 Tennessee cities we cover.

Ask: "Water here costs about $386 a year at typical use, lower than 27 of the other 35 Tennessee cities we cover. What drives that cost, and would you change anything?"

3. Sewer and utility-bill fees

The fact: Sewer and flat utility-bill charges here come to about $501 a year, lower than 29 of the other 35 Tennessee cities we cover. Some cities bill sewer on the property tax bill instead, which is not counted here.

Ask: "Sewer and flat utility-bill charges here cost about $501 a year, lower than 29 of the other 35 Tennessee cities we cover. What drives that cost, and would you change anything?"

See who is running in your city →

Common questions about Bristol house costs

What is the property tax rate in Bristol?

About 0.86% of the value before exemptions a year (2026 tax year (FY 2027), City of Bristol and Sullivan County), plus flat charges on the same bill.

How much is property tax on a $500,000 house in Bristol?

About $4,322 a year on $500,000 of the value before exemptions.

How much is the water bill in Bristol?

About $74 a month for water and sewer at typical use (7,000 gallons a month) on City of Bristol, Tennessee water.

How much does trash pickup cost in Bristol?

$19 a month for a house.

When is property tax due in Bristol?

Jan 31, 2027: City of Bristol property taxes (billed separately from the county) are due January 31, 2027; interest of 1.5% per month is added on the 1st of each month beginning in February.

Can seniors lower their property tax or bills in Bristol?

Yes. Seniors 65+ or disabled, low income: state property tax relief: Tennessee's tax relief program reimburses part or all of the property taxes paid by low-income homeowners 65 or older (by December 31, 2026) or disabled. The income limit is $38,470 (2025 income of the applicant, spouse, co-owners and resident remainder); other requirements apply. It is a reimbursement, not an exemption.

Where can I get help paying utility bills in Bristol?

Seniors 65+ or disabled, low income: state property tax relief: Tennessee's tax relief program reimburses part or all of the property taxes paid by low-income homeowners 65 or older (by December 31, 2026) or disabled. The income limit is $38,470 (2025 income of the applicant, spouse, co-owners and resident remainder); other requirements apply. It is a reimbursement, not an exemption. Contact your county trustee to apply; if the property is within city limits, you may also contact your city collecting official.

How much does a house in Bristol cost to run each year?

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