County profile · North Carolina
Johnston County, NC market data
How Johnston County compares with other counties for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 256,448
- +17.9% since 2020
- Households
- 85,591
- Median household income
- $83,384
- +39.3% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $305,600
- Jobs located here
- 58,494
- Highest market score
- 90
- Insurance agencies, #58 of 2,272 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Johnston County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Johnston County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
Johnston County has an estimated 256,448 people and 85,591 households. Population estimates show Johnston County grew 17.9% from 2020 to 2025, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). Median household income in Johnston County is $83,384, 3% above the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 39.3%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in Johnston County runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 148, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (78).
Of the business types scored in Johnston County, insurance agencies (90), spas and skin care studios (85) and convenience stores (85) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For insurance agencies, that ranks #58 of 2,272 scored counties.
Johnston County is part of the Raleigh-Cary metro area. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for HVAC and plumbing companies (54% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for mortgage brokers and lenders (58% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Johnston County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Johnston County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insurance agencies | 90 | #58 of 2,272 | 80 | 9.3 | $3.1M | 246 | 63 |
| Spas and skin care | 85 | #33 of 1,769 | 45 | 5.3 | $1.8M | 203 | 9 |
| Convenience stores | 85 | #94 of 2,261 | 72 | 8.4 | $7.4M | 94 | 3 |
| Property management | 83 | #14 of 910 | 12 | 1.4 | Index only | 200 | 19 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 82 | #22 of 887 | 15 | 1.8 | Index only | 227 | 8 |
| Pet stores | 82 | #43 of 974 | 17 | 2.0 | $4.7M | 105 | 4 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 82 | #84 of 2,063 | 59 | 6.9 | $5.7M | 155 | 34 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 82 | #96 of 2,405 | 348 | 40.7 | $972K | 147 | 119 |
| Laundromats | 81 | #57 of 785 | 8 | 0.9 | $20.8M | 166 | 4 |
| Veterinarians | 81 | #74 of 1,485 | 23 | 2.7 | $3.5M | 129 | 23 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 81 | #124 of 2,405 | 640 | 74.8 | $529K | 143 | 303 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 81 | #172 of 2,402 | 147 | 17.2 | $3.6M | 107 | 42 |
| Chiropractors | 80 | #57 of 1,490 | 27 | 3.2 | $3.6M | 152 | 14 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 79 | #101 of 1,889 | 56 | 6.5 | $6M | 146 | 40 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 77 | #104 of 1,327 | 21 | 2.5 | $4.3M | 140 | 22 |
| Gas stations | 77 | #225 of 2,358 | 118 | 13.8 | $2.5M | 103 | 98 |
| Physical therapy | 76 | #121 of 1,422 | 27 | 3.2 | $3.6M | 152 | 24 |
| Pet businesses | 75 | #166 of 2,200 | 93 | 10.9 | $867K | 99 | 45 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 74 | #140 of 1,302 | 26 | 3.0 | $3.8M | 121 | 11 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 74 | #179 of 1,656 | 41 | 4.8 | $2.4M | 135 | 65 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 73 | #291 of 2,222 | 104 | 12.2 | $3.3M | 107 | 146 |
| Barbershops | 72 | #191 of 1,356 | 39 | 4.6 | $2M | 109 | 3 |
| Car washes and detailing | 72 | #195 of 1,451 | 40 | 4.7 | $2.3M | 90 | 9 |
| Pizza | 72 | #257 of 2,090 | 69 | 8.1 | $4.9M | 97 | 146 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 71 | #253 of 1,886 | 74 | 8.6 | $1.3M | 135 | 39 |
| Hair salons | 70 | #301 of 2,339 | 179 | 20.9 | $446K | 104 | 25 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 69 | #267 of 1,461 | 39 | 4.6 | $2.1M | 81 | 18 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 68 | #420 of 2,394 | 386 | 45.1 | $255K | 167 | 163 |
| Auto repair shops | 68 | #438 of 2,378 | 195 | 22.8 | $466K | 105 | 81 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 67 | #95 of 479 | 6 | 0.7 | $15.2M | 110 | 8 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 67 | #127 of 777 | 13 | 1.5 | $5.1M | 125 | 23 |
| Nail salons | 67 | #219 of 1,328 | 40 | 4.7 | $2M | 120 | 15 |
| House cleaning | 66 | #150 of 847 | 20 | 2.3 | $6.5M | 102 | 53 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 66 | #439 of 2,385 | 309 | 36.1 | $258K | 122 | 52 |
| Grocery stores | 66 | #526 of 2,070 | 58 | 6.8 | $9.2M | 99 | 39 |
| Pest control | 65 | #160 of 699 | 14 | 1.6 | $9.3M | 91 | 14 |
| Auto repair and car care | 65 | #555 of 2,401 | 350 | 40.9 | $260K | 97 | 114 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 63 | #310 of 1,334 | 32 | 3.7 | $2.1M | 102 | 21 |
| Funeral homes | 63 | #407 of 1,472 | 15 | 1.8 | $696K | 103 | 11 |
| Gyms | 63 | #436 of 1,792 | 56 | 6.5 | $1.2M | 91 | 23 |
| Tire shops | 63 | #457 of 1,530 | 43 | 5.0 | $2.1M | 84 | 15 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 61 | #453 of 1,493 | 61 | 7.1 | $2.1M | 73 | 89 |
| Child care and preschools | 60 | #553 of 1,611 | 48 | 5.6 | $858K | 86 | 54 |
| Real estate | 58 | #682 of 2,229 | 212 | 24.8 | Index only | 145 | 140 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 58 | #695 of 2,088 | 101 | 11.8 | $653K | 99 | 44 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 57 | #619 of 1,771 | 95 | 11.1 | $1.4M | 82 | 156 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 57 | #700 of 2,176 | 178 | 20.8 | Index only | 137 | 92 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 57 | #839 of 2,210 | 173 | 20.2 | $963K | 109 | 75 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 56 | #840 of 2,087 | 138 | 16.1 | $1.2M | 95 | 61 |
| Electricians | 49 | #619 of 1,160 | 29 | 3.4 | $8.7M | 73 | 96 |
| Home inspectors | 47 | #222 of 415 | 7 | 0.8 | Index only | 72 | 10 |
| Roofing and gutters | 45 | #707 of 1,177 | 43 | 5.0 | $5.9M | 70 | 42 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 43 | #1,122 of 1,707 | 83 | 9.7 | $3M | 64 | 131 |
| Home repair trades | 42 | #1,418 of 2,057 | 155 | 18.1 | $1.6M | 67 | 269 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 0.5 | $41.6M | 266 | 10 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 0.4 | $32.8M | 134 | 10 |
Household spending in Johnston County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $90.9M | $1,063 | 111 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $290.6M | $3,395 | 131 |
| Food away from home | $338.4M | $3,954 | 97 |
| Groceries | $531.3M | $6,208 | 98 |
| Personal care products and services | $79.9M | $933 | 93 |
| Child care and other personal services | $41.2M | $481 | 83 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $66M | $771 | 78 |
| Medical and dental services | $98.4M | $1,149 | 89 |
| Pets | $80.7M | $942 | 104 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $166.6M | $1,946 | 95 |
| Vehicle insurance | $247.4M | $2,890 | 148 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $252.9M | $2,954 | 98 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $130.3M | $1,522 | 108 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $1.3B | $15,554 | 93 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Johnston County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 256,448+17.9% since 2020
- Households
- 85,591
- Median age
- 38.2
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 76%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.1
- Land area
- 792 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 296
- Median household income
- $83,384+39.3% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $103,557
- Median home value
- $305,600
- Jobs located here
- 58,494
- Daytime population
- 179,884Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Johnston County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Johnston County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Nearest counties in North Carolina 8
- Wake County, NC1,178,653 people
- Wayne County, NC118,652 people
- Wilson County, NC79,290 people
- Harnett County, NC139,150 people
- Franklin County, NC74,386 people
- Sampson County, NC59,470 people
- Nash County, NC96,216 people
- Durham County, NC332,353 people
Questions
How fast is Johnston County, NC growing?
Population estimates put Johnston County at 256,448 people in 2025, up 17.9% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 85,591 households. Median household income rose 39.3% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in Johnston County, NC spend?
Households in Johnston County spend about $1.3B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $531.3M on groceries and $338.4M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in Johnston County spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 148, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (78).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Johnston County, NC?
The highest Groundwork market scores in Johnston County are for insurance agencies (90), spas and skin care studios (85) and convenience stores (85). Johnston County ranks #58 of 2,272 scored counties for insurance agencies.
How does Johnston County, NC compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in Johnston County is $83,384 a year, 3% above the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 17.9% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $305,600, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, Johnston County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for HVAC and plumbing companies (54% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for mortgage brokers and lenders (58% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 54 of the 56 business types have a score in Johnston County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Johnston County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in Johnston County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Johnston County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.