Bristol, TN is a city in Sullivan County, Tennessee with a population of around 27,000 people. Bristol, VA is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia with a population of around 17,000 people. It is the twin city of Bristol, Tennessee. It's located along I-81, US-11E and US-421 about 15 miles east of Kingsport, TN at an elevation of 1,676 feet, but the Virginia side of Bristol is 4 feet higher.