Located just 30 minutes east of Raleigh, the exurban county has experienced a population boom of nearly 40% since 2010. Since the pandemic, Johnston County has ties with Franklin as the fourth fastest-growing county in the state. The city of Clayton alone experienced a 277% population increase between 2010 and 2020.
Originally formed out of Craven County in 1746, Johnston was originally comprised of Wake, Wayne, Greene, Lenoir, and part of Wilson. The county gets its name from Gabriel Johnston, who was North Carolina’s royal governor at the time. The county seat of Smithfield was incorporated in 1777 and gets its name from John Smith, who operated Smith’s Ferry on the Neuse.
Agriculture drove much of the county’s economy in the early days of formation. Many of the county’s earliest inhabitants were considered subsistence farmers who farmed in order to survive. As technology advanced, the county evolved into a thriving center for agribusiness. During the 19th century, cotton led the county’s cash crop, in addition to tobacco and grains. The introduction of the railroad enabled the turpentine and lumber industries to take off. Today, Johnston ranks 13th in the state for most farmland, comprising 2.2% of the state’s total across nearly 3,000 farms. The county ranks 3rd in the state for sweet potatoes and 5th in cash receipts in crops statewide. While agriculture continues to play a big part in the county’s identity, manufacturing, retail, education, and health services have emerged as the county’s leading sectors. Nearly half of the county’s workforce is employed in one of those four industries.
The county is home to a number of historic sites, including the Bentonville Battlefield located in Four Oaks, which served as the landscape for the last full-scale battle of the Civil War and the largest battle fought in the state. The Atkinson Mill in Selma was built in 1757 by John Richardson and is one of the state’s oldest mills. Richardson’s grandson, Lunsford Richardson II, was the pharmacist responsible for the invention of Vicks VapoRub, who named it Vicks after his brother-in-law, a physician named Joshua Vick. Today, the Atkinson Milling Company is known as an NC staple for its grits, biscuit mixes, and cornmeal.
Located in Smithfield, the Ava Gardner Museum showcases the life and accomplishments of the Grabtown-native, whom the American Film Institute lists as the 25th most popular actress of all time. The museum was born following an article penned by Smithfield Herald journalist, Doris Cannon, who wrote a column in 1978 entitled, “Isn’t It Time That Smithfield Saluted Ava?” Shortly thereafter, Thomas and Lorraine Banks set up temporary exhibitions in Smithfield of their robust collection of Ava Gardner memorabilia. The museum found its first home in the childhood residence Ava Gardner grew up in. Today, the museum is located on Market St. in Smithfield, where it has been since 2000.
Politically, the county solidly favors Republicans. The last Democratic presidential candidate to carry the county was Jimmy Carter in 1976. Republican margins have decreased on average by 5 points between 2016 and 2020, but it remains safe GOP territory. In 2016, Donald Trump won the county by more than 30% and he won by 24.5% in 2020. Like many exurban counties, Unaffiliated registrations have seen a significant increase in Johnston. Since 2010, the share of Unaffiliated voters has grown by more than 10 points and is on pace to overtake the GOP as the highest share of registered voters in the county.
