JCAR: New Homes Are Helping The County Catch Up, Not Get Ahead
This article was submitted by the Johnston County Association of REALTORS® (JCAR) and is published as submitted.
JOHNSTON COUNTY, N.C. — Growth is one of the most talked-about issues in Johnston County, and for good reason. New neighborhoods, increased traffic, pressure on schools, and infrastructure needs are real concerns for residents who care deeply about the future of their community.
At the same time, Johnston County cannot stop people from moving here. Families are relocating to Johnston County from across North Carolina and all over the country. The question is not whether growth will happen, but how the county will manage it in a way that protects current residents and keeps homeownership within reach.
According to a 2024 housing overview contracted out to Bowen National Research by Johnston County Association of REALTORS® (JCAR), the county has been trying to recover from a serious housing shortage following COVID, low inventory, rising costs, and development challenges. The report found Johnston County had an overall housing gap of 15,053 units, including 3,208 rental units and 11,845 for-sale units needed between 2024 and 2029. This is a major factor in the lack of affordable and attainable housing.
Bonnie White, Chief Executive Officer of the Johnston County Association of REALTORS®, said it is important to understand what current construction is really addressing.
“Despite the amount of new development we are seeing across Johnston County, our housing needs remain at a critical level. The county is not simply preparing for future growth; we are still working to close the housing gap that already exists,” White said.
The data shows how quickly Johnston County has grown. The county’s population increased from 168,874 in 2010 to 237,149 in 2023, a 40.4% increase, and was projected to reach 253,120 by 2028. The number of households increased by 25,157 between 2010 and 2023, with another 6,254 households projected by 2028.
Housing inventory is improving, but it is still not where it needs to be for a balanced market. As of May 31, 2024, Johnston County had only 328 homes available for sale and just 0.9 months of inventory. A balanced market is generally considered to have about four to six months of available inventory. By April 2026, inventory had improved to 1,249 active listings and 3.3 months of supply, according to the April 2026 Market Review. That is progress, but it still falls short of a fully balanced market.
“When housing supply does not keep up with demand, prices rise. When prices rise, teachers, first responders, those who maintain our community and the next generation can’t afford to live here.” White said.
Johnston County’s median sales price increased by 46.1% between January 2020 and May 2024, and the April 2026 Market Review showed a median sales price of $369,998.
That rising cost impacts more than buyers. Continued increases in housing prices can also contribute to higher property values, which may eventually lead to higher property tax burdens for existing homeowners. This makes housing affordability an issue for both future buyers and current residents.
The impact is also being seen nationally. The National Association of REALTORS® reported that the typical age of a first-time homebuyer has climbed to a record high of 40 years old, while first-time buyers now make up only 21% of all buyers. Limited inventory and affordability challenges are major reasons many potential buyers are being pushed further away from homeownership.
“No one can stop people from moving into Johnston County, but we want to do everything we can to prevent those born and raised here from being priced and pushed out,” White said.
Who is seeing the biggest impacts? The housing shortage affects young adults, first-time buyers, teachers, first responders, service workers, seniors hoping to downsize, and families who want to remain close to parents, grandparents, churches, schools, and support systems. The Bowen report also found that 41.9% of renter households and 18.9% of owner households in Johnston County are housing cost burdened, meaning they pay more than 30% of their income toward housing.
The Johnston County Association of REALTORS® understands residents’ concerns and believes growth must be met with thoughtful planning, infrastructure investment, and open communication. JCAR is committed to working with elected officials, county leaders, builders, developers, landowners and residents to help identify solutions that support responsible growth while protecting quality of life.
The Johnston County Association of REALTORS® supports private property rights, responsible development, and balanced housing policies. JCAR’s position is not that every development is perfect or that residents should ignore the impacts of growth. Rather, JCAR believes the county must plan for growth responsibly instead of reacting to it after the fact. Trying to stop it just isn’t the answer.
White said the association’s message is not that growth should go unchecked, but that Johnston County must plan for it in a way that protects local families.
“Our greatest concern is that efforts to slow growth through added restrictions or development costs will only make housing more expensive. That will not stop people from moving to Johnston County; it will only guarantee making it harder for local families and those raised here to remain in the community they call home and achieve the American dream of homeownership.”
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Are we building houses because people are coming or are people coming because we are building houses?
Amen to this!!
Housing development has ruined the county I knew and loved. Ubiquitous ugly houses with asphalt and concrete have replaced fields and trees.
Yes!!!!
Hey real estate agents, read the comments and you’ll find that most of us don’t like you destroying Johnston County it benefits us all if you could stop writing articles to try to blame You’re destruction of our beautiful county and say this political nonsense. We don’t like you. We really wish you’d stay out of the Johnston County, we really appreciate if you would stay out of politics I really don’t care what you have to say. We just want you to stop destroying the country side with your nasty housing development
If you don’t build it, they won’t come…………………….
Please tell me the author of this article is saying we have e a housing shortage……
A write-in vote for Will Byrd will help “Johnston County … plan for … a way that protects local families.” Huge developments DO NOT!! But then, what do you expect from the realtors?!!
So true
This article should include a bold warning: Propaganda Ahead
“Continued increases in housing prices can also contribute to higher property values, which may eventually lead to higher property tax burdens for existing homeowners.
Oh No! The HORRORS of my home being worth more money! We should definitely put a stop to this. Seriously… the realtors and builders think this is a good argument to allow unrestrained development? “Let us build more, so YOUR home value will be depressed!” Great idea.
“Our greatest concern is that efforts to slow growth through added restrictions or development costs will only make housing more expensive. That will not stop people from moving to Johnston County; it will only guarantee making it harder for local families and those raised here to remain in the community they call home and achieve the American dream of homeownership.”
This statement is a logical fallacy. The “local families and those raised here” already live here. It is their property values that are going up! So – the development solution is to mass produce cookie cutter development so your children can remain in the community. Except… when it is filled with these massive developments DOMINATED by transplants… that community is gone – forever.
The most effective way to destroy what is left of the community in Johnston County is to promote the type of building that we see occurring right now, which is exactly what this article intends to accomplish.
This article should include a bold warning: Propaganda Ahead
“Continued increases in housing prices can also contribute to higher property values, which may eventually lead to higher property tax burdens for existing homeowners.
Oh No! The HORRORS of my home being worth more money! We should definitely put a stop to this. Seriously… the realtors and builders think this is a good argument to allow unrestrained development? “Let us build more, so YOUR home value will be depressed!” Great idea.
“Our greatest concern is that efforts to slow growth through added restrictions or development costs will only make housing more expensive. That will not stop people from moving to Johnston County; it will only guarantee making it harder for local families and those raised here to remain in the community they call home and achieve the American dream of homeownership.”
This statement is a logical fallacy. The “local families and those raised here” already live here. It is their property values that are going up! So – the development solution is to mass produce cookie cutter development so your children can remain in the community. Except… when it is filled with these massive developments DOMINATED by transplants… that community is gone – forever.
The most effective way to destroy what is left of the community in Johnston County is to promote the type of building that we see occurring right now, which is exactly what this article intends to accomplish.
The county can’t stop people from moving into EXISTING homes; this is an important distinction.
The county’s own study says that the cost per resident increases as population increases.
They already had to re-assess our property values to cover the money they spend now. Where is the money going to come from when each new resident costs MORE?
Higher taxes. Poorer services. We’re going to become Wake County.
No thanks. We are one county commissioner away from retiring the Pave The County crew.
There is a write-in candidate running against Patrick Harris. Get busy, people.
Invaders.
Hmmmm – so many commenters against growth. Yet, I doubt you live in a teepee commune built by the original inhabitants of this county. Instead, I bet you are living in a wood-framed site-built or manufactured home. Therefore – you, too, are part of the growth issue.
argumentum ad absurdum: the form of argument that attempts to establish a claim by showing that following the logic of a contrary proposition or argument would lead to absurdity or contradiction.
No one suggested anything close to living in a teepee. It’s an absurd argument.
When anybody who “READ” this statement @ the beginning of the article ” This article was submitted by the Johnston County Association of REALTORS® (JCAR) and is published as submitted.”
Should’a just clicked closed!! This is the BULL$*** they want to make us all feel some type of emotional equivalent of empathy!! What? Simply NOT wanting Invaders to get an “AFFORDABLE” home . Boo (you know what ) Hoo! Try more like calling it as it is—“SECTION 8” (what’s left of it). Call it Northern and Foreign Interlopers of “So-called INVESTMENT ” Developers” (Ha-Ha!/Oxymoron) continuing to fill up old rural fields full of elbow to A$$H*** lots..
Where Mom1 can just BS with Mom2 while washing supper dishes through their parallel kitchen windows… Where there’s not even enough room to catch baseball , for Dad and Son… yeah that’s what “Affordable” gets these young people today! What’s the “New” catchphrase? Everyone “deserves” a house??? These trac CRAP subdivisions aren’t homes fit for our young families!!! They are unfit for young families, but sure are “QUICK PROFIT” for Realtors, shyster brokers, and completely unethical Investors! Keep saying NO!!
I HAD TO RANT, SORRY!
You fools against growth should go talk to the residents of Halifax or Northampton county
The simple facts are that the cancerous growth increases my cost of living being forced to pay for socialized public services whether I use them or not, and costs of limited resources like power being driven up by demand, while my standard of living goes down as the infrastructure such as roads and water systems become overloaded and restricted and the crime increases. I don’t care about the rights of the locusts to come in and strip everything.
@Gen: No one is forcing you to use public water or sewer. Dig your own well and use septic instead.
I agree with you that all the SOCIALISM services should be privatized. Then pay for only what you use.
You are indeed forced in many areas; you are not allowed to dig a well and must connect to municipal water. You’re not allowed to run as much water out of your own well as you want, either.
I pay for public works projects via taxes whether I use it or not. The user fees do not pay for infrastructure, only for daily operations.
Same with schools. Same with county roads.
And while it is easy to *say* things should be privatized, they never are. So we get more taxes and worse services. All because a few developers and real estate people want to make money.
And have the ear of the county government.
There was a recent revelation, along with names, of a number of journalists literally funded by the CCP to spread the propaganda that, “Manufacturing will never return to the US.”
“No one can stop people from moving into Johnston County.” has the same vile stink to it. Yes, we can. Not by force, mind you, but certainly by NOT making it easier.
For example. The JoCo Board of Commissioners justified their “Good Neighboor Firerarms Ordinance” from about 15 years ago by pointing out we have a bunch of people moving here from New Jersey. (Yes, I was told that directly, face to face, by then Vice Chair Jeff Carver.)
So? Put together a pamphlet to give to potential residents. Call it “Life In Johnston County” with a section, “You will hear gun fire from time to time. Relax. Politely ask the neighbor if you can join him. He might say yes.”
We don’t want immigrants from all over the state, and certainly not from blue states across the country. If it’s uncomfortable here for them, and keeps them away, well, good!
Between the Good Neighbor Firearms Ordinance, the CSX Intermodal Hub fiasco, and now the UDO, the JoCo Board, regardless of turnover, consistently misreads the room.
I wonder how many of them are members of JCAR. Hmmm.
Assessments go up. Commissioners promise that the rate will go down to keep the total tax the same. Commissioners break promise and allow total taxes to increase by 30-35%. They lied.
For current residents, the problem is not increasing property values. It’s reprehensibly dishonest politicians.