By the numbers

Why Johnston County, why now

Here's how fast Johnston County is growing — in people, in business, and especially in tech. Every number comes straight from the U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics, with sources linked at the bottom.

Last updated August 2026.

+52%population growth since 2010U.S. Census Bureau
+121%tech, science & professional firms since 2010U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · QCEW
$5B+new investment announced (2024–25)NCBiotech · EDPNC · RTRP
18,945solo & small businesses (2023)Census · Nonemployer Statistics

The people are already here

Up 52% since 2010 — the fastest-growing county in North Carolina.

Population, 2010–2025

Filled points are official Census counts (2010, 2020); open points are Census estimates. Hover for detail.
Show data table

The tech & knowledge economy is compounding

Technology and knowledge businesses are climbing fast. Tap a label to focus a line.

Technology & knowledge-economy businesses*, 2010–2024

Private establishments by industry (BLS QCEW). Data years 2010 and 2014–2024.
Show data table

* What "tech & knowledge economy" means here. Four official categories from the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), maintained by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (54), Information (51), Computer Systems Design (5415), and Scientific R&D Services (5417). NAICS classifies a business by its primary activity, so this counts dedicated firms and undercounts tech people embedded in farms, hospitals, and biotech plants. NAICS reference →

And the jobs are following

Total covered employment rose from 41,242 jobs in 2010 to 61,005 in 2024 — up 48%.

Total covered employment, 2010–2024

Annual-average employment, all industries and ownership.
Show data table

Who's here — and where they work

Most local businesses are one person, and most of the workforce commutes to the Triangle — a ready-made audience for a local tech community.

Businesses by type, 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau — Nonemployer Statistics & County Business Patterns (2023).

Where Johnston County residents go to work

77% (~96,000/day) leave the county for work; the biggest destination is Wake County.
Source: N.C. Dept. of Commerce cross-county commuting data (U.S. Census LEHD/OnTheMap).

Landing now

This growth isn't a forecast — it's under construction.

$4.1B
Novo Nordisk — Clayton
1,000 new jobs (avg $70k), 1.4M sq ft of wet-lab & manufacturing. Largest life-science investment in NC history.
NCBiotech · EDPNC
$1.0B
Vulcan Elements — Benson
Rare-earth magnet factory, 1,000 jobs.
Research Triangle Regional Partnership
3,000+
Life-science cluster — near Clayton
Employees across Grifols, Novo Nordisk, Bayer, SBM and more.
Research Triangle Regional Partnership
$83,384
Median household income
2024 dollars — a prosperous, growing base.
U.S. Census Bureau · QuickFacts

Data sources & years

Every number traces to a named public dataset. Click to view the source.

  • 2010 & 2020 (Census) · 2015/2024/2025 (est.)
    U.S. Census Bureau — Population
    Decennial counts (2010, 2020) + Population Estimates (2025). Median income from ACS 2020–2024.
    census.gov/quickfacts
  • 2010, 2014–2024
    U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — QCEW
    Establishments & employment by NAICS industry, Johnston County (area 37101), private, annual averages.
    data.bls.gov/cew
  • 2023
    U.S. Census Bureau — Business size
    Nonemployer Statistics (18,945 solo businesses) & County Business Patterns.
    census.gov/quickfacts
  • 2024–2025
    N.C. Dept. of Commerce — Commuting
    Cross-county flows (77% out; 35,506 to Wake), built on Census LEHD/OnTheMap.
    Commerce data (2025)
  • 2024–2025
    Investment & life-science figures
    Novo Nordisk (NCBiotech, EDPNC); Vulcan Elements & cluster (RTRP).
    ncbiotech.org
  • Classification standard
    NAICS (industry definitions)
    Categories 54, 51, 5415, 5417 — U.S. Office of Management and Budget.
    census.gov/naics

Full dataset with every value, unit, and source: data/joco_tech_data.csv. Prepared August 2026 · Dashboard v1.2.