Johnson City is a city in Washington County, Tennessee; however a small part of the city is located within Carter County, Tennessee. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 55,469.

Johnson City is the home of East Tennessee State University, which is a public school with an enrollment of over 12,000 students. The university features the James H. Quillen College of Medicine, which is nationally known as a top-quality medical school for primary care physicians. Not surprisingly given the medical college's importance in the area, Johnson City is also known for its large medical community. In 2005, a new College of Pharmacy was approved at ETSU by the State of Tennessee, with classes scheduled to begin in January 2007.