Smithfield is home to 12,116 people in North Carolina. The poverty rate is 27.3%, above the 12.5% national rate. The median age is 44.9, about 6 years above the US median. Households here earn about 40% less than in North Carolina as a whole. Median rent is $658 a month. The median household earns $43,270, about 47% below the national median.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $43,270, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 44.9
US median: 38.9
Less educated
27% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 39%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Smithfield
What changed most since 1990
Black share35.4% → 23.1%(−12.3 pts)US over the same years: +0.2 pts
Poverty rate17.5% → 27.3%(+9.8 pts)US over the same years: −0.8 pts
Adults with a bachelor's degree19.9% → 26.7%(+6.8 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
Smithfield's population equals 5.2% of Johnston County's. Its number of people who work from home equals 1.7% of the county's. Its number of households without a car equals 16% of the county's.
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)28.5%(213)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)13%(97)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era40.2%(301)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.3%(17)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 748 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Smithfield, decade by decade
Smithfield population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
7,540
$51,743
$143,044
19.9%
61.4
2000
11,510
$50,666
$175,061
18.3%
70.6
2010
10,966
$51,554
$173,348
20.9%
78.1
2020
11,292
$41,303
$175,382
24.2%
83.9
2024
12,116
$43,270
$242,500
26.7%
71.7
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
