Johnston County Sees Strong Surge In New Home Construction During July

SMITHFIELD — Homebuilders continued to keep pace with Johnston County’s rapid growth during July, pulling permits for significantly more single-family homes than they did during the same month last year.

According to the Johnston County Inspections Department, builders received permits for 147 traditional single-family homes in July 2026, compared with 110 in July 2025. The increase of 37 homes represents a 33.6 percent jump year over year.

The estimated construction value of those homes also climbed substantially, increasing from $30.8 million last July to $37.6 million this year — a gain of more than $6.8 million, or 22.1 percent.

Overall residential construction remained strong across the county. When modular homes and townhomes are included, builders started 159 new housing units during July, compared with 120 during the same month in 2025. That represents an increase of 39 housing starts, or 32.5 percent.

Townhome construction remained steady, with 10 permits issued in both July 2025 and July 2026. However, the estimated construction value of those projects increased from $1.37 million to $2.17 million, indicating larger or higher-value developments. The county also issued permits for two modular homes during July after none were permitted during the same month a year ago.

Not every residential category saw growth. Permits for manufactured homes declined from 12 in July 2025 to seven this July, a decrease of 41.7 percent. No duplex permits were issued during July after two duplex permits were approved one year earlier.

Commercial construction activity followed a different trend. The county issued 45 commercial building permits in July, down from 60 permits during the same month last year, a 25 percent decrease. Despite fewer projects, the estimated value of commercial construction soared from $44.9 million to nearly $262 million, reflecting several large-scale developments moving through the permitting process.

Across all permit categories, the Johnston County Inspections Department issued 657 permits in July, up from 601 during the same month in 2025. The total estimated value of permitted construction increased dramatically from $85.6 million to $312.1 million, driven largely by high-value commercial projects.

Johnston County Housing Starts — July Comparison