Johnston County Building Boom Raises More Than The Roof

But they're also finding that average housing costs are growing.

The seeds of growth were planted in Johnston County with the development of I-40. The interstate allowed people to live in Johnston County, and commute easily to Raleigh.

Now houses are going up like weeds there, but so is the cost.

Housing starts were down across the country last month, but here in the Triangle, the growth shows no signs of slowing.

Wake County is absorbing the greatest number of new residents. Durham places second in the state. Johnston County has jumped to third.

Just nine months into the year, Johnston County is ready to break last year's record of 1,415 new homes.

The new homes sold this year cost an average of $4,000 more than those sold in 1997. The new owners will pay more in taxes, and as a result, they will contribute more to the infrastructure that is struggling to meet the growth.

Still, the average home owner in Johnston County will have paid $50,000 less than the Wake County home owner.