Smithfield, North Carolina

Smithfield, Johnston County's first town and second county seat after Hinton's Quarter, was chartered by the North Carolina General Assembly on April 23, 1777.{{cite web|url=https://www.carolana.com/NC/Towns/Smithfield_NC.html|title=A History of Smithfield, North Carolina|author=Lewis, J.D.|website=The American Revolution in North Carolina|access-date=August 15, 2019}}{{cite book|title=Johnston County, 1746-1996 : the 250-year journey of an early American community|author=Thomas J Lassiter; Wingate Lassiter|publisher=Smithfield, N.C.: T.J. & W. Lassiter|year=1996|asin=B00237UX14}}

Smithfield is in central Johnston County and is bordered to the northeast by Selma. Interstate 95 runs along the southeastern edge of the town, with access from Exits 93, 95, and 97. I-95 leads northeast {{convert|46|mi}} to Rocky Mount and southwest the same distance to Fayetteville. U.S. Route 301 passes through Selma on Brightleaf Boulevard, leading northeast {{convert|4|mi|0}} to the center of Selma and southwest {{convert|15|mi}} to Benson. U.S. Route 70 passes just northeast of Smithfield, leading northwest {{convert|30|mi}} to Raleigh, and southeast {{convert|22|mi}} 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 {{convert|31.4|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|0.04|km2|order=flip|2|abbr=on}}, or 0.11%, is covered by water. The Neuse River runs through the town west of the downtown area, separating it from the neighborhood of West Smithfield.

Smithfield has a humid subtropical climate(Cfa), with cool winters and hot summers. Its climate is famous for the growth of pine forests with laurel understory as well as live oaks.

{{Weather box

|location = Smithfield, North Carolina(1991-2020 normals)

|single line = Y

| Jan high F = 53.6

| Feb high F = 57.0

| Mar high F = 64.5

| Apr high F = 74.1

| May high F = 81.0

| Jun high F = 88.9

| Jul high F = 91.7

| Aug high F = 89.3

| Sep high F = 83.6

| Oct high F = 74.3

| Nov high F = 64.4

| Dec high F = 56.7

| year high F =

|Jan mean F = 42.5

|Feb mean F = 45.2

|Mar mean F = 51.9

|Apr mean F = 60.8

|May mean F = 69.2

|Jun mean F = 77.1

|Jul mean F = 81.2

|Aug mean F = 78.9

|Sep mean F = 73.3

|Oct mean F = 62.2

|Nov mean F = 51.7

|Dec mean F = 45.2

|year mean F =

| Jan low F = 31.4

| Feb low F = 33.3

| Mar low F = 39.3

| Apr low F = 47.5

| May low F = 57.4

| Jun low F = 65.9

| Jul low F = 70.8

| Aug low F = 68.6

| Sep low F = 62.9

| Oct low F = 50.1

| Nov low F = 39.0

| Dec low F = 33.8

| year low F =

|precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation inch = 3.45

| Feb precipitation inch = 3.31

| Mar precipitation inch = 4.01

| Apr precipitation inch = 3.69

| May precipitation inch = 4.20

| Jun precipitation inch = 4.67

| Jul precipitation inch = 5.54

| Aug precipitation inch = 5.28

| Sep precipitation inch = 5.51

| Oct precipitation inch = 3.21

| Nov precipitation inch = 3.25

| Dec precipitation inch = 3.25

| year precipitation inch =

|source 1=https://w2.weather.gov/climate/

}}

{{US Census population

|1850= 329

|1870= 415

|1880= 485

|1890= 550

|1900= 764

|1910= 1347

|1920= 1895

|1930= 2543

|1940= 3678

|1950= 5574

|1960= 6117

|1970= 6677

|1980= 7288

|1990= 7540

|2000= 11510

|2010= 10966

|2020= 11292

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}

}}

As of the 2020 United States census, 11,292 people, 4,951 households, and 2,919 families resided in the town.

As of the census of 2000, 11,510 people, 4,417 households, and 2,676 families resided in the town. The population density was {{convert|1,007.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The 4,674 housing units had an average density of {{convert|409.2|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 62.66% White, 30.99% African American, 0.43% Native American, 0.63% Asian, 4.16% from other races, and 1.13% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 9.9% of the population.

Of the 4,417 households, 26.6% had children under 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 not families. About 35.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.30, and the average family size was 2.97.

In the town, the age distribution was 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 or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.4 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 97.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $27,813, and for a family was $37,929. Males had a median income of $29,567 versus $24,440 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,012. About 14.5% of families and 20.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.1% of those under 18 and 19.2% of those 65 or over.

Smithfield has a council–manager form of government. The council, the town's legislative body, consists of seven members and a mayor. The council sets policy, and the manager oversees day-to-day operations.

All of the county is in the Johnston County Schools school district.{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st37_nc/schooldistrict_maps/c37101_johnston/DC20SD_C37101.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Johnston County, NC|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=2024-07-18}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st37_nc/schooldistrict_maps/c37101_johnston/DC20SD_C37101_SD2MS.txt Text list]

• South Smithfield Elementary School
• West Smithfield Elementary School
• Smithfield Middle School
• The Innovation Academy at South Campus
• Johnston County Middle College High School
• Johnston County Early College Academy
• Smithfield-Selma High School

Other institutions:

• Neuse Charter School
• Johnston Community College

• UNC Health Care - Johnston Health

{{columns-list|colwidth=20em|* Elreta Alexander-Ralston, judge and attorney

• Gary Clark, NBA player[https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/clarkga01.html Gary Clark Stats]. Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
• Harmeet Dhillon, lawyer and Republican Party officialAnderson, Bruce. (May–June, 2013). [https://dartmouthalumnimagazine.com/articles/outsider The Outsider | Dartmouth Alumni Magazine]. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
• Barry Foote, former Major League Baseball catcher
• Ava Gardner, actress, born in Grabtown southeast of Smithfield, buried in Smithfield{{cite web |last=Cannon |first=Doris Rollins |date=2012 |title=Ava Gardner |url=http://www.ncpedia.org/biography/gardner-ava |website=NCpedia |publisher=State Library of North Carolina |access-date=July 15, 2017}}
• Shane Helms, professional wrestler
• Neal Lancaster, professional golfer
• Amber O'Neal, professional wrestler
• Edward W. Pou, U.S. congressman, 1901–1934
• William Cary Renfrow, third governor of Oklahoma Territory
• Jerry Sands, professional baseball player
• Ray Tanner, South Carolina Gamecocks athletic director and former head baseball coach
• John Townsend, author
• Curtis Whitley, NFL offensive lineman
• Jonathan Williams, professional football running back

}}

• List of municipalities in North Carolina
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Johnston County, North Carolina

{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{cite interview |last=Andrews |first=Cornelia |date=May 21, 1937 |editor-last=Waitt |editor-first=Daisy Bailey |title=Federal Writers' Project: Slave Narrative Project, Vol. 11, North Carolina, Part 1, Adams-Hunter |url=https://www.loc.gov/resource/mesn.111/?sp=31 |interviewer=Mary A. Hicks |location=Smithfield, North Carolina |publisher=Works Progress Administration |via=Library of Congress}}

; Government

• {{Official website|http://www.smithfield-nc.com/}}

; General information

• [http://www.avagardner.org/ Ava Gardner Museum]
• [http://www.downtownsmithfield.com/ Downtown Smithfield Development Corporation]
• {{osmrelation-inline}}
• [http://www.pljcs.org/ Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield]
• {{Ballotpedia}}
• [http://www.visitsmithfield.org/ Smithfield, North Carolina] at Johnston County Visitors Bureau

{{North Carolina county seats}}

{{Triangle, NC}}

{{Johnston County, North Carolina}}

{{North Carolina}}

{{Subject bar|portal1=North Carolina|wikt=Smithfield|commons=Category:Smithfield, North Carolina|voy=Smithfield-Selma}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smithfield, North Carolina}}

Category:1777 establishments in North Carolina

Category:County seats in North Carolina

Category:Populated places established in 1777

Category:Populated places on the Neuse River

Category:Research Triangle

Category:Towns in Johnston County, North Carolina

Category:Towns in North Carolina