COUNTY REPORT TN

Sullivan County, Tennessee

13 ZIP codes · Avg score 51/100 · Grade D

ZipCheckup grade for Sullivan County: D.

Federal records show several conditions worth reviewing.

The D-F rating for Sullivan County calls for a closer look, not alarm, and each of its 13 ZIP codes has its own report.

How Sullivan County Compares

Sullivan County51/100
Tennessee avg72/100
National avg73/100

How Sullivan County Compares

D
County Grade
51/100
Avg Safety Score
13
ZIP Codes
11
Water Systems

Sullivan County scores 21 points below the Tennessee state average (72/100) and 22 points below the national average (73/100).

Data: ZipCheckup Home Safety Score model 4.0.0; EPA SDWIS, UCMR 5, EPA radon zones, EPA AirData

D
County Grade
51
Avg Safety Score
13
ZIP Codes
Best ZIP: 37620 (60/100)
Lowest ZIP: 37660 (46/100)
$191K
Median Home Value
$500
Avg Remediation (0.26% of home value)

ZIP Code Risk Map

Water Quality Map: Sullivan County, Tennessee

Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.

A B C D F

Key Risk Factors

Health risk index: 15.7 (asthma 11.2%, diabetes 15.2%)

Modeled additional annual cost estimate per homeowner: $870, largest modeled factor: Flood

56% of homes built before 1980 (lead paint was banned for residential use in 1978)

County Health Indicators vs National Average

Asthma 11.2% (national: 8.9%)
Diabetes 15.2% (national: 10.5%)
Obesity 37.8% (national: 32.4%)

Black markers indicate national averages. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.

Infrastructure Overview

1977
Median Build Year
56%
Pre-1980 Housing
35/100
Infrastructure Stress Indicator
8%
ZIPs with High Infrastructure Stress
Low
Lead Pipe Risk

Modeled area-level indicator, not a failure probability. Sources: Census ACS housing age, EPA DWINSA infrastructure needs, EPA SDWIS violations, and EPA lead indicators.

Compound Risk Breakdown

Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $870

Flood $900/yr
Energy Code Gap $439/yr
Water / Lead $75/yr

Bar widths proportional to share of total annual risk cost. Source: compound risk model (FEMA, EPA, USGS).

Housing Age Distribution

77,508 housing units in Sullivan County

Pre-1940 7%
1940–1959 21%
1960–1979 28%
1980–1999 28%
2000+ 16%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034 (Year Structure Built).

Water Safety Affordability

How much it costs to fix water issues relative to home values in Sullivan County

$191K
Median Home Value
$500
Est. Remediation Cost
0.3%
of Home Value
Remediation as % of home value low burden

Modeled remediation costs in Sullivan County can be compared with the median property value; actual costs vary by property.

Remediation includes water filtration, lead abatement, radon mitigation, and flood protection where applicable. Source: Census ACS, EPA SDWIS.

Health Outcomes vs National Average

CDC PLACES data for Sullivan County residents

Asthma 11.2% (US avg: 8.9%)
Diabetes 15.2% (US avg: 11%)
Obesity 37.8% (US avg: 32.4%)

Black markers = national averages. Red = above national avg. Green = below. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.

Water systems mapped to Sullivan County ZIP codes

8 community water systems mapped to Sullivan County ZIP codes; EPA may list more systems serving the county.

Show all 8 water systems

11 water systems mapped to Sullivan County ZIP codes in our data; EPA may list more systems serving the county.

Systems with the most violations in Sullivan County

5 water systems with violations in EPA records.

All ZIP Codes in Sullivan County

13 ZIP codes tracked in Sullivan County.

# ZIP Code City Safety Score Grade Violations Home Value
1 37620 Bristol 60 C 11 $176K
2 37618 Bluff City 56 C 20 $174K
3 37686 Piney Flats 55 C 20 $306K
4 37664 Kingsport 48 D 3 $205K
5 37665 Kingsport 48 D 3 $110K
6 37663 Kingsport 47 D 6 $225K
7 37617 Blountville 46 D 9 $225K
8 37660 Kingsport 46 D 7 $178K
9 37621 Bristol — — —
10 37625 Bristol — — —
11 37662 Kingsport — — —
12 37669 Kingsport — — —
13 37699 Piney Flats — — —

Recommended Buyer Guides for Sullivan County

These buyer guides are matched by rule rather than by hand - a PFAS record adds a PFAS filter guide, a lead action-level exceedance adds lead filter guides, a high share of pre-1978 homes adds lead paint test kits, EPA Radon Zone 1 add radon kits, and a top flood or wildfire risk adds related equipment.

Overview

Sullivan County in Tennessee covers 13 tracked ZIP records with an average Home Safety Score of D (51/100) across 8 scored records.

8 of 8 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record have recorded EPA violations. The available record reports no health-based violations for this measured scope.

← Back to Tennessee Home Safety Profile

Data Sources

Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.

What You Can Do

Sullivan County has an average Home Safety grade of D across its scored ZIP records. Here are steps to protect your household.

1

Test your tap water

Ask a certified laboratory which tests it offers for lead, bacteria, and other contaminants relevant to your home; a $20-$50 kit may cover only certain contaminants.

2

Consider a certified water filter

NSF/ANSI-certified filters reduce the specific contaminants listed on their certification. Match the filter to your test results for best protection. Try our filter matcher

3

Contact your water utility

Request the latest Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) from your water provider. It reports monitored contaminants detected in the utility's water and related compliance information.

4

Check for lead in your home

56% of homes in this county were built before 1980. Older plumbing and solder can leach lead into drinking water, especially after water sits in the pipes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water safe in Sullivan County?
Sullivan County receives a grade of D. 0 of 13 ZIP codes are mapped to water systems with reported health-based violations. Independent water testing is recommended.
How many water systems serve Sullivan County?
We map 11 public water systems to 13 ZIP codes in our data for Sullivan County. EPA may list more systems serving the county, so this is not a full count.
What is the biggest environmental risk in Sullivan County?
In ZipCheckup's cost model, the factor with the largest estimated average annual cost in Sullivan County is flood. Across all modeled risk factors, the estimated average additional annual cost is $870 per homeowner; actual costs vary by home.
How old are homes in Sullivan County?
The median home build year in Sullivan County is 1977. 56% of homes were built before 1980; homes built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint, and older homes may have older plumbing materials.
How does Sullivan County compare to Tennessee?
Sullivan County has an average Home Safety Score of 51/100 under model 4.0.0, which is below the Tennessee state average of 72/100.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (2026). Sullivan County, TN: HSS 51/100; 29 Violations. https://zipcheckup.com/county/tennessee/sullivan/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-county-tennessee-sullivan,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Sullivan County, TN: HSS 51/100; 29 Violations}},
  year   = {2026},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/county/tennessee/sullivan/}
}

Page version: October 2026.

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