Smithfield is a town in and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

of Johnston County,

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...

, United States. As of the 2010 census the population was 10,966, and in 2019 the estimated population was 12,985. Smithfield is home to the Ava Gardner Museum and is situated along the

Neuse River The Neuse River ( , Tuscarora: Neyuherú·kęʔkì·nęʔ) is a river rising in the Piedmont of North Carolina and emptying into Pamlico Sound below New Bern. Its total length is approximately , making it the longest river entirely contained in ...

, where visitors enjoy the annual Smithfield Ham and Yam Festival, walks along the Buffalo Creek Greenway, and the historic downtown district. The town is located near North Carolina's Research Triangle and is approximately southeast of downtown Raleigh. The Raleigh-Durham-Cary Combined Statistical area has a population of over 2 million residents.

History

Smithfield, founded near Smith's ferry on the Neuse River, was Johnston County's first town and second county seat. The county court house was moved from Hinton's Quarter to Smithfield in 1771. The settlement was first known as Johnston County Court House and was incorporated as Smithfield in 1777. The third North Carolina state legislature met in Smithfield in 1779 and 1780.

Geography

Smithfield is in central Johnston County and is bordered to the northeast by

Selma Selma may refer to: Places *Selma, Algeria *Selma, Nova Scotia, Canada *Selma, Switzerland, village in the Grisons United States: *Selma, Alabama, city in Dallas County, best known for the Selma to Montgomery marches *Selma, Arkansas *Selma, Cali ...

. Interstate 95 runs along the southeastern edge of the town, with access from Exits 93, 95, and 97. I-95 leads northeast to Rocky Mount and southwest the same distance to Fayetteville. U.S. Route 301 passes through Selma on Brightleaf Boulevard, leading northeast to the center of Selma and southwest to Benson. U.S. Route 70 passes just northeast of Smithfield, leading northwest to Raleigh, and southeast to Goldsboro. U.S. Route 70 Business passes through the center of Smithfield as Market Street. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which , or 0.11%, are water. The Neuse River runs through the town west of the downtown area, separating it from the neighborhood of West Smithfield.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, there were 11,292 people, 4,951 households, and 2,919 families residing in the town.

2000 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2000, there were 11,510 people, 4,417 households, and 2,676 families residing in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

was 1,007.6 inhabitants per square mile (389.1/km). There were 4,674 housing units at an average density of 409.2 per square mile (158.0/km). The racial makeup of the town was 62.66%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

, 30.99%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.43% Native American, 0.63% Asian, 0.02%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 4.14% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 1.13% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...

or Latino of any race were 9.90% of the population. There were 4,417 households, out of which 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.1% were married couples living together, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.4% were non-families. 35.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.97. In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.3% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 18.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.6 males. The median income for a household in the town was $27,813, and the median income for a family was $37,929. Males had a median income of $29,567 versus $24,440 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the town was $18,012. About 14.5% of families and 20.6% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 27.1% of those under age 18 and 19.2% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Smithfield has a council–manager form of government. The council, the town's legislative body, consists of seven members and a

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...

. The council sets policy, and the manager oversees day-to-day operations. The mayor is Andy Moore. The town manager is Michael Scott.

Education

* South Smithfield Elementary School * West Smithfield Elementary School * Smithfield Middle School * South Campus Community School * Johnston County Middle College High School * Johnston County Early College Academy * Smithfield-Selma High School * Neuse Charter School * Johnston Community College

Healthcare

* UNC Health Care - Johnston Health

Notable people

References

External links

; Government * ; General information
Ava Gardner Museum

Downtown Smithfield Development Corporation
*
Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield

Smithfield, North Carolina
at Johnston County Visitors Bureau (johnstoncountync.org) {{DEFAULTSORT:Smithfield, North Carolina 1777 establishments in North Carolina County seats in North Carolina Populated places established in 1777 Populated places on the Neuse River Research Triangle Towns in Johnston County, North Carolina Towns in North Carolina