Johnston County, NC Average Home Price (2026)

The average home price in Johnston County, North Carolina is about $306,000 (the 2026 median across 9 ZIP codes, at ~$188/sq ft) — 7% more expensive than the North Carolina median and 6% more expensive than the typical U.S. home.

$306,000
Median home value
$188
Median price / sq ft
9
ZIP codes with data
+7%
vs North Carolina median

How Johnston County compares

Johnston County is about average for housing nationally: its typical home costs $306,000 against $287,000 for North Carolina and $289,000 for the U.S. Within the county, ZIP-level values run from about $261,000 to $394,000.

AreaTypical value$ / sq ft
Johnston County$306,000$188
North Carolina$287,000$203
United States$289,000$193

Johnston County home prices by ZIP code

The 9 most valuable ZIP codes in Johnston County (of 9 with data):

ZIP codeTypical value$ / sq ftvs county
27527 Clayton$394,000$178+29%
27568 Pine Level$334,000$176+9%
27520 Clayton$333,000$191+9%
27504 Benson$318,000$190+4%
27524 Four Oaks$306,000$185+0%
27577 Smithfield$288,000$183-6%
27569 Princeton$275,000$194-10%
27576 Selma$270,000$188-12%
27542 Kenly$261,000$192-15%

Home value appreciation in Johnston County

Home prices in Johnston County have risen about 106% over the last 10 years (≈7.5% a year) and +121.8% over 20 years, according to the FHFA house price index through 2025. The most recent year came in at +1.5% — still rising. A home worth $306,000 today was worth roughly $148,544 ten years ago.

+1.5%
1-year change
+55.8%
5-year change
+106.0%
10-year change
+121.8%
20-year change

See where that trend takes a specific home with the home appreciation calculator — statewide, North Carolina is +106.6% over the same 10 years. Past appreciation is a track record, not a forecast; local prices can fall.

Calculators for Johnston County

Run the numbers for Johnston County with the local rates already filled in — change any input to test your own situation.

Salary needed to buy a home in Johnston County

To buy the typical $306,000 home in Johnston County with 20% down, you need a household income of roughly $83,000 a year (about $1,940 a month for the mortgage, taxes, and insurance). With 10% down the bar rises to about $99,000, because the loan is bigger and mortgage insurance kicks in.

Down paymentCash downMonthly paymentIncome needed
5% (+PMI)$15,300$2,410/mo$103,000/yr
10% (+PMI)$30,600$2,310/mo$99,000/yr
20%$61,200$1,940/mo$83,000/yr

Assumes a 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.5%, property tax at 1.1% and insurance at 0.45% of value per year, PMI of 0.75% on loans with less than 20% down, and the standard 28% housing-to-income rule. Your rate, taxes, and HOA will move these — run your own numbers in the mortgage calculator.

What your budget buys in Johnston County

At about $188 per square foot, here is roughly how much home different budgets get you in Johnston County:

BudgetApprox. sizeWhat that looks like locally
$150k800 sq ftbelow the local median — condos, smaller or older homes
$200k1060 sq ftbelow the local median — condos, smaller or older homes
$250k1330 sq ftaround the typical home here
$300k1600 sq ftaround the typical home here
$400k2130 sq ftabove the median — larger homes or the pricier ZIPs

Wondering where that budget goes further? The relocation calculator ranks hundreds of U.S. cities by what the same money buys — it opens filtered to North Carolina.

Estimate a specific home in Johnston County

Enter your ZIP and size for an instant estimate tailored to your exact area:

Johnston County home prices: frequently asked

What is the average home price in Johnston County, NC? +
The typical home in Johnston County, North Carolina is worth about $306,000 as of 2026 (the median across its 9 ZIP codes with data), at roughly $188 per square foot — 7% more expensive than the North Carolina median of $287,000 and 6% more expensive than the U.S. median.
What salary do you need to buy a house in Johnston County? +
For the typical $306,000 home in Johnston County, a household income of about $83,000 a year covers the payment with 20% down (a 30-year fixed at 6.5%, plus taxes and insurance, under the 28% rule). With 10% down you need roughly $99,000; with 5% down about $103,000.
Which part of Johnston County is most expensive? +
Among the ZIP codes we track, 27527 (Clayton) is the priciest at about $394,000 and 27542 (Kenly) the most affordable at about $261,000 — a 1.5× spread inside one county.
Are home values in Johnston County going up? +
Over the last 10 years home prices in Johnston County changed about +106.0% (≈7.5% a year), and +1.5% in the latest year, according to the FHFA house price index through 2025. Over 20 years: +121.8%. Past gains are not a guarantee of future ones.

Browse all North Carolina cities and counties, or look up price per square foot by ZIP code nationwide.

Directional estimates from public market data (Realtor.com & Zillow research; FHFA house price index; Census ZIP-to-county relationships), not appraisals.