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COUNTY

Johnston County

North Carolina · 256,448 residents (2025 est.) · 792.019 sq mi
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Notable rankings
#53Fastest growingof 3,135+18.7%
The short version

Johnston County has roughly average household income, with a median household income of $83,384. The county has grown rapidly, with population up 92% since 2000. Median home value has roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $305,600. It ranks in the top 5% of US counties for household income.

At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 38.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
29% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 73%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
234,263
+92%since 2000
from 121,965 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
296 / sq mi
+49%since 2009
from 198 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
38.1
+11%since 2000
from 34.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:256,448 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
66K112K158K204K250K1990201020202024Johnston County
2024234K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.1%(14,278)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.5%(15,266)
US avg: 6%
10 to 147.7%(17,988)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 197%(16,369)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.7%(13,377)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412.8%(29,939)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4413.9%(32,592)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5414.1%(33,048)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6412.5%(29,258)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 748.7%(20,297)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 843.8%(8,904)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.3%(2,947)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$83,384
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $40,872 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$38,897
+107%since 2000
from $18,788 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
55.0%
+26.2 ptssince 2009
from 28.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
10.6%
−2.2 ptssince 2000
from 12.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.421
+4%since 2010
from 0.406 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Wholesale trade12.4%
US avg: 6.9%
Information11%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade10.5%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services6.7%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration5.2%
US avg: 4.8%
Finance & insurance5.1%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical4.3%
US avg: 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing2.4%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.4%
US avg: 1.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.9%
US avg: 1.6%
Education & health services0.8%
US avg: 0.9%
Construction0.7%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.2%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$305,600
+73%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $97,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,146
+26%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $498 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
76.1%
+2.6 ptssince 2000
from 73.4% in 2000
23.9% rent
Vacancy rate
6.2%
−3.4 ptssince 2009
from 9.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
19.4%
−5.8 ptssince 2009
from 25.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
44.2%
+3.9 ptssince 2009
from 40.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.7
+39%since 2009
from 2.6 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
88
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Johnston County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic75.3%(91,870)
Black15.6%(18,971)
Hispanic / Latino7.7%(9,440)
Asian0.3%(355)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic61.4%(143,892)
Black16.7%(39,214)
Hispanic / Latino16.8%(39,336)
Asian0.8%(1,936)
Other4.2%(9,885)
Diversity Score
71
+26%since 2009
from 56 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
19
−30%since 2020
from 28 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican10.5%(24,673)
Central American1.8%(4,290)
Puerto Rican1.6%(3,745)
South American1.2%(2,877)
Honduran1%(2,295)
Cuban0.7%(1,618)
Colombian0.5%(1,151)
Salvadoran0.5%(1,085)
Dominican0.4%(864)
Guatemalan0.2%(583)
Peruvian0.2%(498)
Venezuelan0.2%(483)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Ecuadorian0.2%(466)
Spaniard0.1%(326)
Panamanian0.1%(216)
Argentine0.1%(188)
Chilean0%(56)
Bolivian0%(28)
Asian origin
Filipino0.3%(618)
Vietnamese0.1%(323)
Asian Indian0.1%(222)
Korean0.1%(165)
Chinese0.1%(154)
Pakistani0%(92)
Japanese0%(84)
Hmong0%(30)
Laotian0%(28)
Thai0%(19)
Uzbek0%(15)
+ 2 more asian origin groups with data
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(84)
Chamorro0%(14)
Ancestry
English12.4%(28,951)
American9.2%(21,588)
Irish8.6%(20,208)
German7.3%(16,998)
Italian4%(9,439)
French1.8%(4,179)
Scottish1.7%(4,064)
Scotch-Irish1.6%(3,767)
Polish1.5%(3,493)
Welsh0.8%(1,849)
Arab0.5%(1,272)
+ 49 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch0.5%(1,248)
British0.4%(928)
West Indian0.3%(724)
Norwegian0.3%(701)
Russian0.3%(605)
Swedish0.3%(593)
Greek0.2%(580)
Danish0.2%(477)
Ukrainian0.2%(474)
Hungarian0.2%(467)
Czech0.2%(409)
Jordanian0.2%(352)
Austrian0.1%(346)
Swiss0.1%(343)
Nigerian0.1%(265)
Lebanese0.1%(247)
Portuguese0.1%(223)
Ethiopian0.1%(223)
Slovak0.1%(218)
Croatian0.1%(209)
Jamaican0.1%(209)
Haitian0.1%(191)
Belgian0.1%(128)
Romanian0%(105)
Canadian0%(101)
Brazilian0%(99)
Slovene0%(96)
Kenyan0%(88)
Egyptian0%(82)
Moroccan0%(81)
Israeli0%(74)
Guyanese0%(54)
Iranian0%(50)
Serbian0%(38)
Syrian0%(37)
Turkish0%(32)
Bulgarian0%(28)
Finnish0%(26)
Ghanaian0%(21)
Barbadian0%(20)
Iraqi0%(17)
Armenian0%(17)
Latvian0%(17)
RANKED:Largest English population · Largest Mexican population · Largest American population · Largest Irish population · Largest German population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
28.9%
+13.0 ptssince 2000
from 15.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
90.5%
+14.5 ptssince 2000
from 75.9% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
8.3%
+4.6 ptssince 2000
from 3.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
32.2 min
+44%since 2000
from 22.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
75.8%
−4.4 ptssince 2009
from 80.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
7.9%
−6.0 ptssince 2009
from 14.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.1%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
14.7%
+11.0 ptssince 2009
from 3.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.7%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.1%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
3.7%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 4.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.8%
−5.2 ptssince 2011
from 9.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
66.2%
−2.5 ptssince 2011
from 68.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
13.8%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 14.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
40.1%
−20.0 ptssince 2009
from 60.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.2%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 49.8% in 2009
Female
50.8%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 50.2% in 2009
Foreign born
8.3%
+1.0 ptssince 2009
from 7.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
7.4%
−41.5 ptssince 2009
from 49.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
13.0%
+1.1 ptssince 2012
from 11.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
10.4%
−72.7 ptssince 2013
from 83.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
89.4%
+14.4 ptssince 2017
from 75.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
84.5%
−3.8 ptssince 2016
from 88.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
13.6%
+3.0 ptssince 2016
from 10.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married30.7%(28,025)
Married58.7%(53,528)
Widowed2.3%(2,063)
Divorced8.3%(7,546)
Women 15+
Never married27.3%(26,081)
Married54.2%(51,754)
Widowed7.9%(7,509)
Divorced10.7%(10,225)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

Places similar to Johnston County

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Pop 264,922
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Pop 233,132
Sussex County
Pop 277,140
St. Tammany Parish
Pop 279,108
Places similar to Johnston County
Head to head

Compare Johnston County to nearby counties

JOHNSTON COUNTY VS
Wayne County
Income$59,733−28%
Home value$178,700−42%
Population122,278−52%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
JOHNSTON COUNTY VS
Wake County
Income$105,768+27%
Home value$461,300+51%
Population1,257,235+390%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
JOHNSTON COUNTY VS
Wilson County
Income$56,423−32%
Home value$186,000−39%
Population81,150−68%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
JOHNSTON COUNTY VS
Harnett County
Income$71,287−15%
Home value$246,200−19%
Population150,137−41%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Johnston County, North Carolina?

Johnston County, North Carolina has about 234,263 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Johnston County, North Carolina?

The typical household in Johnston County, North Carolina earns about $83,384 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Johnston County, North Carolina expensive?

In Johnston County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $305,600, and the typical rent is about $1,146 a month.

How educated are people in Johnston County, North Carolina?

About 28.9% of adults age 25 and over in Johnston County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Johnston County, North Carolina?

About 10.6% of people in Johnston County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Johnston County, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Johnston County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 152,957 residents, a change of about 188 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

53 census tracts (top 20 by population)
Census Tract 402.07Census Tract 410.01Census Tract 409.03Census Tract 402.09Census Tract 402.05Census Tract 402.08Census Tract 402.04Census Tract 414.02Census Tract 409.05Census Tract 411.04Census Tract 411.12Census Tract 411.07Census Tract 415.07Census Tract 404Census Tract 409.04Census Tract 402.06Census Tract 411.06Census Tract 405.01Census Tract 415.05Census Tract 403.01
11 ZIP codes
ZIP 27520ZIP 27527ZIP 27577ZIP 27576ZIP 27504ZIP 27524ZIP 27542ZIP 27569ZIP 27568ZIP 27555ZIP 27593
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Rankings
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →

Johnston County, North Carolina: demographics, income & housing data · CensusEasy