Johnston County Sees Strong Surge In New Home Construction During JulySMITHFIELD — Homebuilders continued to keep pace with Johnston County’s rapid growth during July, pulling permits for significantly more single-family homes than they did during the same month last year. According to the Johnston County Inspections Department, builders received permits for 147 traditional single-family homes in July 2026, compared with 110 in July 2025. However, the estimated construction value of those projects increased from $1.37 million to $2.17 million, indicating larger or higher-value developments. The county issued 45 commercial building permits in July, down from 60 permits during the same month last year, a 25 percent decrease. Across all permit categories, the Johnston County Inspections Department issued 657 permits in July, up from 601 during the same month in 2025.