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COUNTY

Johnston County

North Carolina · 256,448 residents (2025 est.) · 792 sq mi
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Part of the Raleigh metro area
The short version

With 234,263 people, Johnston County is a county in North Carolina. Since 2000 the county has more than doubled, up 112,298 people. That puts it in the top 4% of US counties for household income. Owners hold 76% of the housing stock. 29% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. 8% of locals were born outside the United States.

At a glance
Average income
median household income $83,384, 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
Unique to this place

What stands out about Johnston County

What changed most since 1990

  • Population81,306 → 234,263 (+188%)US over the same years: +35%
  • Median home value (2024 dollars)$140,644 → $305,600 (+117%)US over the same years: +67%
  • Hispanic share1.3% → 16.8% (+15.5 pts)US over the same years: +9.9 pts

Among the 100 counties in North Carolina

  • 11th in household income$83,384
  • 28th in share with a bachelor's degree28.9%
  • 22nd in home value$305,600
  • 37th in diversity score70.6
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
234,263
+92%since 2000
from 121,965 in 2000
256,448 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
296 / sq mi
+92%since 2000
from 154 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
38.1
+11%since 2000
from 34.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
792 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
66K112K158K204K250K19902000201020202024Johnston 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%
Persons per household
2.72 people
−1%since 2009
from 2.76 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
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
1990 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
88
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
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
1990 – 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)
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%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
74.1%
+1.7 ptssince 2020
from 72.4% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
13.8%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 14.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
40.1%
+8.7 ptssince 2009
from 31.4% 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%
−2.7 ptssince 2009
from 10.1% 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%
−6.5 ptssince 2013
from 16.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
89.4%
+14.4 ptssince 2017
from 75.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
95.8%
+3.4 ptssince 2020
from 92.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
90.9%
+2.3 ptssince 2020
from 88.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
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
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
10.4%
−6.5 ptssince 2013
from 16.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
58.0%
+2.5 ptssince 2020
from 55.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
13.0%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 12.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
15.6%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 16.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
19.1%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 18.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.4%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 2.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
68.7%
+2.2 ptssince 2020
from 66.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
32.9%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 33.2% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

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)32.8%(4,276)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)29.4%(3,831)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era26.8%(3,494)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.1%(404)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.4%(47)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 13,032 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

Johnston County, decade by decade

Johnston County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
YearPopulationMedian household incomeMedian home valueBachelor's degree+Diversity score
199081,306$60,407$140,64411.1%40.1
2000121,965$74,455$176,88315.9%50.3
2010168,878$71,562$195,93319.3%59.2
2020215,999$74,911$218,40924.0%68.9
2024234,263$83,384$305,60028.9%70.6

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.

Drill deeper

Places similar to Johnston County

Henry County
Pop 264,922
Jefferson County
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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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →