COUNTY REPORT NC

Johnston County, North Carolina

Name: Home Safety Data for Johnston County, North Carolina
Creator: ZipCheckup
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

13 ZIP codes · Avg score 73/100 · Grade B

ZipCheckup grade for Johnston County: B.

This ZIP has a few items worth a quick check.

Johnston County: A or B, 13 ZIP codes tracked.

How Johnston County Compares

Johnston County73/100

North Carolina avg78/100

National avg73/100

How Johnston County Compares

County Grade

73/100

Avg Safety Score

ZIP Codes

Water Systems

Johnston County scores 5 points below the North Carolina state average (78/100) and 0 points above the national average (73/100).

Data: ZipCheckup Home Safety Score model 4.0.0; EPA SDWIS, UCMR 5, EPA radon zones, EPA AirData

County Grade

Avg Safety Score

ZIP Codes

Benson

Best ZIP: 27504 (82/100)

Willow Spring

Lowest ZIP: 27592 (67/100)

$217K

Median Home Value

$873

Avg Remediation (0.40% of home value)

ZIP Code Risk Map

Water Quality Map: Johnston County, North Carolina

Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.

A B C D F

Key Risk Factors

Health risk index: 12.6 (asthma 10.8%, diabetes 11.6%)

Modeled additional annual cost estimate per homeowner: $1,224, largest modeled factor: Flood

25% of homes built before 1980 (lead paint was banned for residential use in 1978)

County Health Indicators vs National Average

Asthma 10.8% (national: 8.9%)

Diabetes 11.6% (national: 10.5%)

Obesity 35.1% (national: 32.4%)

Black markers indicate national averages. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.

Infrastructure Overview

1989

Median Build Year

25%

Pre-1980 Housing

34/100

Infrastructure Stress Indicator

17%

ZIPs with High Infrastructure Stress

Moderate

Lead Pipe Risk

Modeled area-level indicator, not a failure probability. Sources: Census ACS housing age, EPA DWINSA infrastructure needs, EPA SDWIS violations, and EPA lead indicators.

Compound Risk Breakdown

Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $1,224

Flood $900/yr

Sea Level Rise $400/yr

Energy Code Gap $237/yr

Bar widths proportional to share of total annual risk cost. Source: compound risk model (FEMA, EPA, USGS).

Housing Age Distribution

76,641 housing units in Johnston County

Pre-1940 4%

1940–1959 8%

1960–1979 13%

1980–1999 33%

2000+ 41%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034 (Year Structure Built).

Water Safety Affordability

How much it costs to fix water issues relative to home values in Johnston County

$217K

Median Home Value

$873

Est. Remediation Cost

0.4%

of Home Value

Remediation as % of home value low burden

Modeled remediation costs in Johnston County can be compared with the median property value; actual costs vary by property.

Remediation includes water filtration, lead abatement, radon mitigation, and flood protection where applicable. Source: Census ACS, EPA SDWIS.

Health Outcomes vs National Average

CDC PLACES data for Johnston County residents

Asthma 10.8% (US avg: 8.9%)

Diabetes 11.6% (US avg: 11%)

Obesity 35.1% (US avg: 32.4%)

Black markers = national averages. Red = above national avg. Green = below. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.

Water systems mapped to Johnston County ZIP codes

8 community water systems mapped to Johnston County ZIP codes; EPA may list more systems serving the county.

Harnett Regional Water
Serves ~121,885 people

B
Johnston Company-west
Serves ~99,027 people 2 violations

C
Fuquay-varina, Town of
Serves ~42,954 people 6 violations

C
Wayne Water Districts
Serves ~39,403 people 3 violations

C
Clayton, Town of
Serves ~30,876 people 1 violation

B
Angier, Town of
Serves ~13,302 people 4 violations

C

Show all 8 water systems

Smithfield, Town of
Serves ~12,900 people 14 violations

C
City of Dunn,
Serves ~12,442 people

B

27 water systems mapped to Johnston County ZIP codes in our data; EPA may list more systems serving the county.

Systems with the most violations in Johnston County

5 water systems with violations in EPA records.

Princeton, Town of
Serves ~1,653 people 18 violations

C
Smithfield, Town of
Serves ~12,900 people 14 violations

C
Fremont, Town of
Serves ~1,265 people 12 violations

B
Kenly, Town of
Serves ~2,301 people 8 violations

B
Four Oaks, Town of
Serves ~2,302 people 7 violations

B

All ZIP Codes in Johnston County

13 ZIP codes tracked in Johnston County.

#	ZIP Code	City	Safety Score	Grade	Violations	Home Value
1	27504	Benson	82	B	3	$217K
2	27527	Clayton	81	B	8	$361K
3	27520	Clayton	75	B	24 (2 health)	$282K
4	27576	Selma	73	B	23 (3 health)	$178K
5	27524	Four Oaks	72	B	28 (6 health)	$211K
6	27542	Kenly	71	B	25 (9 health)	$181K
7	27569	Princeton	67	C	26 (4 health)	$194K
8	27577	Smithfield	67	C	36 (4 health)	$230K
9	27592	Willow Spring	67	C	167 (1 health)	$335K
10	27528	Clayton	—	—		—
11	27555	Micro	—	—		$213K
12	27568	Pine Level	—	—	4 (1 health)	$233K
13	27593	Wilsons Mills	—	—	2	—

Recommended Buyer Guides for Johnston County

Read the note next to each link: it gives the reason, such as a radon zone designation or housing age, that led to the recommendation.

Water Filters Certified for PFAS Reduction — PFAS detected in 1 ZIP code
Best Under-Sink Reverse Osmosis Systems — Multi-contaminant removal at the kitchen tap
Best Sump Pumps — Flood is the top compound risk factor
Best Mold Test Kits — Flood-driven moisture and mold risk

Deep Dive Reports

Detailed analysis for Johnston County, North Carolina

💧

Water Quality

EPA violations, contaminant trends, and enforcement actions across the county

⚠️

Lead Risk

Lead exposure scores, housing age analysis, and LCR testing trends

🏠

Home Affordability

Remediation costs vs. home values, equity trap analysis by ZIP

$873 avg remediation

🌊

Flood Risk

NFIP claim history and recorded rated-zone context across the county, plus FEMA property-map guidance

Overview

Johnston County in North Carolina covers 13 tracked ZIP records with an average Home Safety Score of B (73/100) across 9 scored records.

11 of 11 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record have recorded EPA violations. 20 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.

← Back to North Carolina Home Safety Profile

Data Sources

Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
PFAS screening: EPA UCMR 5
Radon zones: EPA Map of Radon Zones
Air quality: EPA AirData annual AQI
Home values: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (median estimates by ZCTA)

Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water safe in Johnston County?

Johnston County receives an average Home Safety grade of B from its scored ZIP records (13 ZIP codes tracked); this is a composite index, not a tap-water test.

How many water systems serve Johnston County?

We map 27 public water systems to 13 ZIP codes in our data for Johnston County. EPA may list more systems serving the county, so this is not a full count.

What is the biggest environmental risk in Johnston County?

In ZipCheckup's cost model, the factor with the largest estimated average annual cost in Johnston County is flood. Across all modeled risk factors, the estimated average additional annual cost is $1,224 per homeowner; actual costs vary by home.

How old are homes in Johnston County?

The median home build year in Johnston County is 1989. 25% of homes were built before 1980; homes built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint, and older homes may have older plumbing materials.

How does Johnston County compare to North Carolina?

Johnston County has an average Home Safety Score of 73/100 under model 4.0.0, which is below the North Carolina state average of 78/100.

Explore More

Flood Risk Rankings 2026 Water Safety Rankings 2026 Home Safety Rankings 2026 Water Filter Matcher Find the right filter for your water Home Safety Score Full safety breakdown by ZIP

North Carolina State Overview →