Where Are People Moving in Johnston, NC?
IRS county-to-county migration, 2023 tax year (released about two years after the tax year it covers).
People moving in
5,905
People moving out
4,338
Net migration
+4,423
Johnston, NC is a net gainer of residents. In the latest IRS data (2023 tax year), 5,905 people moved in and 4,338 moved out, for a net gain of +4,423. Sustained inflows like this are one of the strongest long-run signals of housing demand.
Migration is most useful read alongside the rest of the market. People move for jobs, affordability, climate, and lifestyle, and where they come from and go to says a lot about what a county is competing on. Below are the specific counties driving Johnston, NC’s flows in each direction.
Top counties people moved to Johnston, NC from
| Origin county | Returns | People |
|---|---|---|
| Wake, NCNorth Carolina | 3,410 | 6,568 |
| Harnett, NCNorth Carolina | 350 | 712 |
| Wayne, NCNorth Carolina | 284 | 554 |
| Durham, NCNorth Carolina | 227 | 376 |
| Cumberland, NCNorth Carolina | 142 | 268 |
| Wilson, NCNorth Carolina | 122 | 248 |
| Sampson, NCNorth Carolina | 108 | 206 |
| Nash, NCNorth Carolina | 100 | 196 |
| Pitt, NCNorth Carolina | 91 | 151 |
| Mecklenburg, NCNorth Carolina | 79 | 140 |
Top counties people left Johnston, NC for
| Destination county | Returns | People |
|---|---|---|
| Wake, NCNorth Carolina | 1,999 | 3,461 |
| Harnett, NCNorth Carolina | 414 | 829 |
| Wayne, NCNorth Carolina | 353 | 738 |
| Wilson, NCNorth Carolina | 147 | 299 |
| Nash, NCNorth Carolina | 128 | 262 |
| Cumberland, NCNorth Carolina | 119 | 214 |
| Durham, NCNorth Carolina | 107 | 176 |
| New Hanover, NCNorth Carolina | 98 | 138 |
| Sampson, NCNorth Carolina | 95 | 212 |
| Franklin, NCNorth Carolina | 82 | 172 |
“Returns” counts tax returns (a household proxy) that moved along each flow; “People” counts the individuals on those returns, when reported. IRS aggregate and foreign pseudo-rows are excluded. Informational only, not financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
Are people moving to Johnston, NC or leaving?
Johnston, NC had a net gain of +4,423 residents in the latest IRS data (2023 tax year), with 5,905 people moving in and 4,338 moving out. Net migration is inflow minus outflow.
Where are people moving to Johnston, NC from?
The largest sources of new Johnston, NC residents are Wake, NC, Harnett, NC, Wayne, NC. The full top-ten list of origin counties is in the table above.
Where do people leaving Johnston, NC go?
People leaving Johnston, NC most often move to Wake, NC, Harnett, NC, Wayne, NC. The full top-ten list of destination counties is in the table above.
What does Johnston, NC migration mean for housing?
Migration is a leading demand signal. Sustained net inflows tend to support rents and home prices when supply cannot keep up, while net outflows can soften them. Read this alongside Johnston, NC's price forecast, building permits, and affordability on the full county dashboard before drawing a conclusion.
How current is this Johnston, NC migration data?
It comes from IRS Statistics of Income county-to-county migration data, which is released about two years after the tax year it covers; the figures above reflect the 2023 tax year. That lag is normal for this dataset, which counts actual tax returns rather than survey estimates.