Bristol, Virginia · for us
Bristol sits right on the Virginia–Tennessee line. Living on the Virginia side could get you better health coverage, and there's help with hospital bills, food and housing either way. Tap a box to read more.
Typical daytime highs in January, April, July and October. Snow is light, about 9 inches over a whole winter. Summers are warm and humid.
The biggest difference is health coverage. The rest is about the same on both sides.
| What you'd get | Virginia | Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| Medicaid if your letter says SSI | Yes | Yes |
| Medicaid if your letter says SSDI | Yes | Likely not |
| Free hospital care | Yes | Yes |
| Food help (SNAP) | Likely | Likely |
| Housing help | Yes | Yes |
Tap any one to open it.
In Virginia, Medicaid is called Cardinal Care. With your income, you very likely qualify.
Apply online at Virginia CommonHelp once you have a Virginia address.
Ballad Health runs almost every hospital around Bristol, on both sides of the line. People with incomes like ours can get care for free, including the copays insurance doesn't cover.
Ballad's free care page · help filling it out: 888-288-5174
SNAP (also called food stamps) puts money on a card each month for groceries. The rules are the same in both states, so this is a reason to move, not a reason to pick Virginia.
Your income qualifies you for Bristol's housing programs:
Bristol's housing office has its waiting lists open, but waits can be long. Sign up as soon as you have a Virginia address. You can ask for help with the form because of your disability.
Bristol Redevelopment & Housing Authority, 809 Edmond St. · 276-642-2001
Start here
Before anything else, call them. They're run by people with disabilities and help with benefits, housing, paperwork, home changes for accessibility, and rides, all for free. You can call before we move, and they'll help you get set up.
230 Charwood Dr., Abingdon, VA · About them
More places that can help once we're there.
The area's main help agency: rental help, affordable apartments, and keeping the heat bill down. Fill out their online form and someone calls you back.
1173 W. Main St., Abingdon, VA
A group of local churches. They help with rent, utility bills, prescriptions and food when money runs short, and pay the landlord or utility directly. For people already living in Bristol.
1556 Euclid Ave., Bristol, VA · Tuesday to Friday, 10 to 2
Emergency help with food, utilities, clothing and rent. By appointment.
137 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Bristol, TN
A free directory of every local service. Dial 211 from any phone, or search the website by what you need.
Tick them off as you go. Your ticks stay on this device.
Bristol has a lively little downtown, and Abingdon, a short drive up the road, is the area's arts town.
Photos of downtown Bristol and State Street:
Making and crafts
A shop run by local artisans from all around the region, inside the old county jail in Abingdon. A good place to meet makers and ask about sewing groups.
Park Street, Abingdon, VA
Art classes for adults, including textile workshops like fabric printing and dyeing, plus an exhibit on the region's quilts and textiles.
415 Academy Dr. NW, Abingdon, VA
A big yearly arts and crafts show in Abingdon, with handmade work from artists all over.
I haven't found a sewing group in Bristol itself yet. The artisans' shop and the museum are the best places to ask.
Music and downtown
Gift shops, art galleries, antiques, cafes and live music, all walkable. The state line runs right down the middle of the street.
Bristol is where country music's first big recordings were made in 1927. The museum downtown tells the story.
A three-day music festival on State Street every September, plus parades and holiday events through the year.