Numbers show an increasingly educated, wealthy County

Household earnings in Johnston have grown in tandem with the County’s population.

 

Numbers can paint a revealing picture of a community.

In Johnston, for example, numbers show a County that is becoming more educated and prosperous as its population grows.

During their recent planning retreat, County Commissioners dove into Johnston’s numbers with help from Catherine Moga Bryant, director of fiscal policy and research for the N.C. Association of County Commissioners.

Below is a series of numbers and what they say about Johnston County.

260,421
The County’s estimated population

“That’s an increase of 20% since 2020,” Moga Bryant told Commissioners. “That means that today there are 43,516 more people in Johnston County than there were at the beginning of the decade.”

123,000
The County’s population in 2000

“So the population has more than doubled in the last 26 years,” Moga Bryant noted.

61,737
The County’s population in 1970

“Johnston County is the third fastest-growing county in North Carolina by percentage,” Moga Bryant said.

And Johnston is the fourth fastest-growing county by number of new residents. “You’ve got Wake, Mecklenburg and Brunswick counties ahead of you in terms of the number of people who have moved into the county,” Moga Bryant noted.

38
The median age in Johnston County (In North Carolina, it’s a little more than 39.)

23
The percentage of Johnstonians ages 17 and younger

9
The percentage of Johnstonians ages 18-24

26
The percentage of the population ages 25-44

27
The percentage of the population ages 45-64

15
The percentage of the population age 65 and older

“Again, it’s fairly consistent with North Carolina as a whole,” Moga Bryant said of the age numbers.

But she found this number interesting: “About 53% of the population is in that prime working age, 25-64,” she said. “Those are the folks who are going to work every day, earning a living and bringing home money to support their families. Again, it’s pretty consistent with the rest of North Carolina.”

Moga Bryant found this number interesting, too: “Johnston County does have the 12th-largest population ages 0 to 17,” she said. “So there are more young people in Johnston County than in many other counties in North Carolina. And today, it has the eighth-lowest percentage of residents age 65-plus. So 91 counties have a higher percentage of their population in that 65-and-older category.”

117,000
The number of additional people expected to call Johnston County home by 2050

“That would be about a 45% increase from where you are today, and you will continue to be one of the fastest-growing counties in the state,” Moga Bryant said.

She showed Commissioners what Johnston’s age categories might look like in 25 years. “I thought this would be quite interesting for you to think about as you’re considering your services and your budget,” Moga Bryant said.

The number of Johnstonians 65 and older is projected to double by 2050, adding 38,000 new residents in that age group.

The number of Johnstonians from birth to 17 is projected to grow a little over 40% by 2050, adding 24,000 people, while the working-age population should climb 35-40%. “So that’s pretty even in those two groups,” Moga Bryant said. “But that 65-plus group is really projected to grow quite a bit.”

$83,000
The median household income in Johnston County

“In North Carolina, it’s about $72,000, so about a $10,000 difference in median household income between Johnston County and North Carolina,” Moga Bryant said. “Obviously, there are some great-paying jobs here in the county, allowing people to earn a really excellent living.”

She noted that the median household income in Johnston has climbed 67% since 2010. “Back in 2010, it was almost $50,000,” Moga Bryant said. “That’s a pretty big increase.”

She adjusted the dollars for inflation because $50,000 in 2026 won’t buy what it did in 2010. “It was quite interesting that from 2010 to 2020, there was a little bit of an increase — about a 4% increase in income over those 10 years,” Moga Bryant said. “But between 2020 and 2024, it’s a 21% increase in median household income. So it’s clearly a very dynamic, vibrant county with a lot going on and some really great jobs available here.”

“Education is one of the key factors that helps determine those income levels,” Moga Bryant said. “The more education you get, the more jobs that are open and available to you and the higher salary you can earn.”

41.6
The percentage of Johnstonians with an associate's degree or higher

58
The percentage of Johnstonians with a high school diploma or less

12.7
The percentage of Johnstonians with an associate' degree

28.9
The percentage of Johnstonians with a bachelor’s degree

“The percentage of the population that has less than a high school diploma has gone down over the last 14 years, which is a great trend,” Moga Bryant said. “Associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees and graduate or professional degrees are all going up.”

Page last updated on:  March 13, 2026