Johnston County Medicare at a glance
| Johnston County | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents age 65 and older | 33,935 | 1,908,489 statewide |
| Share of residents age 65+ | 14.0% | 17.6% statewide |
| People with Medicare | 44,015 | 2,336,840 statewide |
| Enrolled in Medicare Advantage | 25,066 | 1,353,169 statewide |
| Medicare Advantage share | 56.9% | 57.9% statewide |
Data: U.S. Census Bureau (2023 population estimates); CMS, September 2026. Medicare Advantage share is enrollees divided by people with Medicare.
With roughly 33,935 residents age 65 and older, Johnston County is 13th among 100 North Carolina counties for older residents. That group is 14.0% of its population, compared with 17.6% across North Carolina. Another 14,226 residents are age 60 to 64 and will reach Medicare eligibility within about five years (see our turning 65 guide). By age, the 65-and-older group splits 62% ages 65 to 74, 30% ages 75 to 84 and 7% age 85 and up (Census 2023). CMS data show 56.9% of Johnston County residents with Medicare chose Medicare Advantage, which is close to the 57.9% average across North Carolina. Averages cannot choose a plan for you. Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare with a Medigap plan each suit different people, depending on doctors, medicines and how you prefer to handle costs, and we compare both at your ZIP code.
Who has Medicare in Johnston County
Johnston County sits in a metro area, which the USDA defines as counties in metro areas of 1 million population or more. That usually means more doctors, more hospitals and more plan choices in the area.
CMS counts 39,968 Medicare beneficiaries in Johnston County (2023). Their average age is 72, about the same as the North Carolina average of 73. About 14% are “dual eligible,” meaning they have both Medicare and Medicaid, close to the state figure of 13%.
Among people in Original Medicare in Johnston County, CMS reported about 637 emergency room visits and 232 inpatient hospital stays per 1,000 beneficiaries in 2023, which is close to the state average for emergency visits (572) and close to it for hospital stays (210). About 9% received home health care. These figures describe how people use care under Original Medicare; they do not show what any plan covers or costs.
Sources: CMS Medicare Geographic Variation, 2023; USDA Rural-Urban Continuum Codes, 2023.
Where you live decides which Medicare Advantage and Part D plans you can join, and Johnston County may have a different set of plans than the counties around it. We are not based in Johnston County; we help Johnston County residents by phone or video call.
Hospitals located in Johnston County
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lists this hospital in Johnston County:
- Johnston Health — Smithfield (acute care; government-owned; emergency services; CMS overall rating 4 of 5)
Network rules, not geography, decide whether a plan covers a hospital. We look up the hospitals and doctors you use and check them against each plan before you enroll. Ratings are CMS Care Compare overall hospital star ratings; they describe the hospital, not whether a plan covers it. Source: CMS Hospital General Information.
Communities and ZIP codes in Johnston County
People in Johnston County live in communities such as Clayton (30,216), Smithfield (12,468), Selma (7,012), Archer Lodge (5,365), Benson (4,401), Wilson's Mills (2,820) (2023 population estimates, counting only the part of each community that lies inside the county).
We look up plans by ZIP code. In Johnston County, that means areas such as 27504, 27520, 27524, 27527, 27542, 27555, 27568, 27569, 27576, 27577, 27593, based on Census ZIP Code Tabulation Areas that lie mostly in the county.
Questions about Medicare in Johnston County?
Reach out to us: fill out our short form or call (571) 354-0146, and a licensed agent will compare the plans available to you, check your doctors and drugs, and stay with you each year at renewal. For general Medicare information, the federal helpline is 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
Medicare resources from official sources
- Medicare Plan Finder on Medicare.gov, searchable by ZIP code.
- Social Security: Medicare to enroll or check status.
- Medicare.gov: Medigap on how Medicare Supplement works.
- HealthCare.gov if you are not yet on Medicare.
- North Carolina Department of Insurance: North Carolina’s insurance regulator, including agent license lookup.
Coverage we offer Johnston County residents
We work with many carriers, which lets us compare more than one option for Johnston County households, including ACA health insurance, ICHRA, group health insurance, life insurance, final expense insurance, annuities, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement (Medigap) and Part D drug plans.
Let’s check your Johnston County options together
We confirm your doctors and prescriptions before you enroll, at no cost to you.
Get my plan comparisonMedicare guides for Johnston County residents
- What happens if you do nothing during open enrollment?
- Medicare Parts A, B, C and D explained
- Do you really need a Medicare agent?
- When can you switch Medicare plans? Every enrollment window
Johnston County compared with similar North Carolina counties
| County | Residents 65+ | Medicare Advantage share | Dual eligible share | Area type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davidson County | 33,888 | 71.4% | 13% | Metro |
| Iredell County | 34,075 | 60.1% | 9% | Metro |
| Cabarrus County | 33,340 | 63.1% | 11% | Metro |
| Union County | 35,466 | 53.3% | 9% | Metro |
| Henderson County | 32,282 | 47.3% | 7% | Metro |
| Catawba County | 31,389 | 59.5% | 14% | Metro |
See every North Carolina county in our North Carolina directory or go to our North Carolina Medicare hub.