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Living in
Smithfield.
About
Life in Smithfield
Smithfield is a community of 11,798 people in North Carolina. The median household income is $43,270, and median home values are around $243,000. Unemployment is low at 3.1%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Smithfield at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
44.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
27.3%
Foreign-Born
7.9%
Broadband Internet
83.1%
of households
Population Growth
+16.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics7.9% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Smithfield: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Smithfield, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (28.9%), and 11.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.7%
of residents
65 and Older
20.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
25.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
41.1%
of households
Married Couples
39.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.33
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Living
Rent, home values, and income in Smithfield
In Smithfield, home values are 16% below the NC average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
60.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
35.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
98.2
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,069
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
58.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1973
median year built
Vacant Homes
11.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $289,119 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts below NC average
Unemployment in Smithfield and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Johnston County, which includes Smithfield, is 0.6 percentage points lower than the NC average.
Unemployment rate
Smithfield: Johnston County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Johnston County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Smithfield Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Raleigh, NC metro area
Commute24.1 min avg
How Smithfield residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Smithfield, most residents drive alone to work (83%), and 68% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 35 mi
Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)
Medium hub7.7M passengers boarded in 2025
- 147 mi
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
Major hub25.9M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 13% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Smithfield runs 13% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
288
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
3,888.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Smithfield Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 22 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
85.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Johnston County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Johnston County, which includes Smithfield, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 22 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 22 | Thunderstorm Wind | $116,000 |
| 2024 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $57,000 |
| 2023 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $232,500 |
| 2022 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.1M |
| 2021 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $177,500 |
| 2020 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.7M |
| 2019 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $26.1M |
| 2018 | 23 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.5M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Johnston County, county-wide
Air Quality41 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Johnston County, which includes Smithfield, is typically good — 283 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
41
Good Days
283
per year
Moderate Days
82
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Johnston County, county-wide
Climate90°F summers, 33°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Smithfield has warm summers (avg high 90°F) and mild winters (avg low 33°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
73°/48°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
90°/68°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
74°/51°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
56°/33°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
49.4"
Annual Snowfall
0.8"
Hot Days/Year
53
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
76
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
118
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54°F | 31°F | 3.45" |
| Feb | 57°F | 33°F | 3.31" |
| Mar | 65°F | 39°F | 4.01" |
| Apr | 74°F | 48°F | 3.69" |
| May | 81°F | 57°F | 4.20" |
| Jun | 88°F | 66°F | 4.67" |
| Jul | 92°F | 71°F | 5.54" |
| Aug | 89°F | 69°F | 5.28" |
| Sep | 84°F | 63°F | 5.51" |
| Oct | 74°F | 50°F | 3.21" |
| Nov | 64°F | 39°F | 3.25" |
| Dec | 57°F | 34°F | 3.25" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Smithfield
Smithfield has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
10.0%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Johnston Health
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
- Main campus: Johnston Health · 509 Bright Leaf Blvd
- Hospital campus: Johnston Health · 509 N Brightleaf Blvd, Smithfield
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs. Campus locations © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Education14.2:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Smithfield
Smithfield's student/teacher ratio is 14.2:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 26.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
10
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
26.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.2:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Smithfield
Public · 2-year · 3,453 students · in-state tuition $2,756 · 40% graduate · median earnings $41,366 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Moores Creek National Battlefield, 74 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Smithfield
Smithfield has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Moores Creek National Battlefield (74 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Moores Creek National Battlefield
National Battlefield
74 mi awayGuilford Courthouse National Military Park
National Military Park
94 mi awayPublic Libraries in Smithfield
Public Library Of Johnston Cnty & Smithfield
305 E. Market St, Smithfield
Cities Near Smithfield
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Smithfield?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Smithfield FAQ
Is Smithfield, North Carolina safe?⌄
Smithfield's violent crime rate was 288 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 3889 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Smithfield, North Carolina?⌄
Johnston County, which includes Smithfield, has an unemployment rate of 3.2%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
How is the commute in Smithfield, North Carolina?⌄
The average commute in Smithfield is 24 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from