2023 ESTIMATE RAISES
JOHNSTON POPULATION
TO NEW HIGH OF 241,955
That's up 25,291 from the 2020 Census – a 12% gain that ranks Johnston's population growth third in the state behind the urban counties of Wake (+60,923) and Mecklenburg (+48,167) over the past three years.

SMITHFIELD & SELMA
POPULATIONS UP, TOO
The U.S. Census Bureau estimates Smithfield's population grew to 12,468 in 2023 – up 339 from the previous year. Selma's population is up to 7,012 – a gain of 206 above the 2022 estimate. View the latest U.S. Census estimates for Smithfield, Selma, Johnston County, and all of North Carolina>

FOR LOCAL NEWS:
the Smithfield Weekly Sun and the daily JoCoReport.

LOCAL OBITUARIES
Links to funeral homes posting obituaries online:
Parrish & Underwood
Sanders Funeral Home
Walter Sanders F.H.

WEATHER DATA
Temperature and conditions at Johnston Regional Airport

Regional radar from weather.com

Neuse River depth at Smithfield from National Weather Service (current readings, predicted levels, historical high marks)

ALMANAC
View today's times of sunrise, sunset (plus moonrise, moonset)>

NEXT FULL MOON:

Oct. 17 @ 7:27 a.m. DST

WINTER'S ARRIVAL:
Dec. 21 @ 4:21 a.m. DST

OFFICIAL TIME
Set your clock according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology>

a Hometown Heritage site:
updated 10-2-24
E-mail the editor:
Wingate Lassiter







AMAZON DISTRIBUTION CENTER TO EMPLOY 1,000+


The 620,000-square-foot facility in West Smithfield is up and running. Company officials announced at a ribbon-cutting on April 23 that the initial goal of 500 employees here has been doubled.
(Johnston County Economic Development photo)

TRACKING OUR LOCAL GOVERNING BOARDS

JOHNSTON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Agendas for upcoming meetings
Minutes of board meetings
 
BUDGET for FY 2024-25
 

JOHNSTON COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
Meeting agendas and minutes
  BUDGET for FY 2023-24


SMITHFIELD TOWN COUNCIL
Meeting agendas and minutes
  BUDGET for FY 2024-25

SELMA TOWN COUNCIL

Meeting agendas and minutes
  BUDGET for FY 2023-24
JOBLESS RATE OF 3.9% UNCHANGED IN AUGUST
YET FEWER EMPLOYED
Johnston County's jobless rate remained the same even though the number of Johnstonians employed in August declined to 108,236 from July's record high of 109,661. That's because the number looking for jobs also declined – from 4,416 in July to 4,384 in August, according to the N.C. Department of Commerce. Get more news and stats from NCDC>

RETAIL SALES UP 7.4%
IN 2nd QUARTER 2024
According to the N.C. Dept. of Revenue, taxable retail sales of $845,121,739 in Johnston County during April, May, and June were $58.3 million above the total reported for the second quarter of 2023. Get more reports from NCDR>

JOHNSTON RANKS 7th
IN CASH FROM CROPS
Local farmers reported cash income of $117,564,837 from crops in 2022, ranking us 7th among the state's 100 counties, according to the latest report from the N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. We rank 5th in production of sweet potatoes, but no numbers or rankings are provided for tobacco "to avoid disclosure of individual farming operations," the report notes. Johnston ranks 12th in production of hogs and pigs and turkeys, 16th in soybeans, 19th in wheat, and 21st in cattle.
Here's the latest report covering all the state's counties>

MORE ECONOMIC DATA
ABOUT JOHNSTON CO.
Visit the website of the county's Economic Development Office>

AMTRAK STOPS HERE Here's information about passenger trains that serve Selma Union Station>

THINGS TO SEE & DO
Check out this rundown of upcoming cultural events – compiled by the Johnston County Visitors Bureau.

SMITHFIELD-SELMA MAP

Open an interactive Google map of our area>