Johnston County consistently ranks among the ten fastest-growing counties in the state. As of 2006, Johnston County had a population of about 152,000 people. Fueled by spillover from nearby Raleigh, its population grew by about 25 percent between 2000 and 2006, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates.

Despite a huge influx of residents in recent decades, especially on its western side, Johnston County is still largely rural. The entire county is about 796 square miles, with only about 41 square miles of that within town limits. Johnston County has a population density of about 192 people per square mile.

There are ten towns in Johnston County: Benson, Clayton, Four Oaks, Kenly, Micro, Pine Level, Princeton, Selma, Smithfield and Wilson’s Mills. Most of them cropped up as railroad towns. They are now connected by a system of highways including U.S. 70, Interstate-40 and Interstate-95.

Smithfield is the county seat with a population of about 12,000. In 2005, Clayton eclipsed Smithfield in population and currently has more than 13,000 people, according to Census estimates.

Johnston County also has numerous unincorporated areas with tight-knit communities, deep history and distinct identities, including McGee's Crossroads, Meadow and Bentonville. One of them, Archer Lodge, north of Clayton, is on its way toward incorporation. Other unincorporated areas with fast-growing suburban populations include Flowers Plantation northeast of Clayton and the Cleveland community near the I-40 and N.C. 42 interchange, which has a tangle of big-box retailers and the very active 4042.com community website.

Major industries include manufacturing, retail, construction, health care/social assistance, accommodation/food services and public administration. The Clayton area is home to a cluster of pharmaceutical facilities, including Novo Nordisk, Hospira and Talecris. Being crisscrossed by I-40 and I-95, Johnston County also has attracted businesses, such as food distributor Sysco in Selma and a bevy of truckstops in Kenly, that rely on access to transportation networks. Johnston County ranked No. 1 for cash receipts from crops in the last U.S. Census of Agriculture in 2002. In 2006, the county led the state in flue-cured tobacco production and came in the top 5 for production of sweet potato, oats and soybeans. [Source: NCDA&CS Agricultural Statistics Division]

Transportation is expected to improve when the long-awaited U.S. 70 bypass around Clayton opens as early as summer 2008. The future I-540 Outer Loop will also someday move in close to the border of southeast Wake County and western Johnston County.

What are the local attractions?

The Johnston County Visitors Bureau provides information about the county's attractions, which include the Carolina Premium Outlets, Ava Gardner Museum, Bentonville Battleground, Tobacco Farm Life Museum and American Music Jubilee.

What's the history?

Johnston County was formed in 1746 from Craven County. It was named for Gabriel Johnston (1699-1752), governor of N.C. from 1734 to 1752.

Who runs the county?

The Johnston County Board of Commissioners is a seven-member elected board. They include Commissioners' Chairwoman Cookie Pope, Vice Chairman Wade Stewart, Allen Mims Jr., Jeffrey Carver, W. Ray Woodall, DeVan Barbour and Tony Braswell. The commissioners are elected countywide, but represent specific districts. They decide rezoning cases, set the countywide property tax rate, oversee services for county residents and have financial authority over the Sheriff's office, utilities and the school system.

Board meetings, which are open to the public, are typically held at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on the first Monday of every month in the Johnston County Courthouse Annex, Commissioners' Room in downtown Smithfield.

County Manager Rick Hester oversees the day-to-day operations of county government.

The countywide tax rate is 78 cents on every $100 of assessed property. Municipal tax rates vary. Fire districts often tack on a tax of a few additional cents. Tax Administrator Pat Goddard oversees the county Tax Department.

The Public Utilities Department handles water, sewer and solid waste disposal.

Trash: Outside of towns, many residents do not have trash pickup. Since 1989, the county has provided manned convenience centers for residents to recycle and dispose of their solid waste. Residents must buy a decal and stick it on their windshield when they visit the centers.

Water: Treated water is available throughout much of the county although many residents still rely on wells. It can cost a few thousand dollars to hook up to county water lines.

Sewer: In 2005, county commissioners agreed to concentrate sewer service to areas around municipalities, interstate interchanges and two unincorporated communities, Cleveland and Flowers Plantation. Residents outside these areas typically depend on septic tanks.

Useful resources:

Johnston County Tax Appraiser's Card Lookup
– Can search by property owner name or address. Results can be difficult to read, but do show the property's tax value, square footage, land information, and more.

Johnston County GIS
– Using the GIS department's MapClick tool in your browser you can search for a property by owner or address. Results locate the property on a map and give tax value information.

Johnston County Register of Deeds
– Useful for getting information on loans and mortgages.

Johnston County has an economic development office, which studies sites, compiles a list of available properties and creates incentive packages to bring or keep companies in the county.

Who lives here?

The median age in Johnston County was 34.2 as of the 2000 census. The racial breakdown is 78.1 percent white, 15.7 percent black, and .3 percent Asian. Hispanics or Latinos of any race make up 7.7 percent of the population. Bachelors degrees or higher are held by 15.9 percent of the population over 25.

What about public safety?

Police services in unincorporated areas are provided by the Johnston County Sheriff's Department. Here are the crime statistics for 2006 (source: SBI):

Murder: 9

Rape: 8

Robbery: 23

Aggravated Assault: 101

Burglary: 789

Larcenies: 1,275

Motor Vehicle Theft: 251