Smithfield is a town in and the county chair of Johnston County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census the population was 10,966, and in 2019 the estimated population was 12,985. Smithfield is house to the Ava Gardner Museum and is situated along the Neuse River, where visitors enjoy the annual Smithfield Ham and Yam Festival, walks along the Buffalo Creek Greenway, and the historic downtown district. The town is located close North Carolina’s Research Triangle and is nearly 30 miles (48 km) southeast of downtown Raleigh. The Raleigh-Durham-Cary Combined Statistical Place has a population of beyond 2 million residents.

Smithfield, founded close Smith’s ferry upon the Neuse River, was Johnston County’s first town and second county seat. The county court house was moved from Hinton’s Quarter to Smithfield in 1771. The settlement was first known as Johnston County Court House and was incorporated as Smithfield in 1777. The third North Carolina allow in legislature met in Smithfield in 1779 and 1780.

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 entry from Exits 93, 95, and 97. I-95 leads northeast 46 miles (74 km) to Rocky Mount and southwest the thesame distance to Fayetteville. U.S. Route 301 passes through Selma on Brightleaf Boulevard, leading northeast 4 miles (6 km) to the center of Selma and southwest 15 miles (24 km) to Benson. U.S. Route 70 passes just northeast of Smithfield, leading northwest 30 miles (48 km) to Raleigh, and southeast 22 miles (35 km) 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 12.1 square miles (31.4 km), of which 0.02 square miles (0.04 km²), or 0.11%, are water. The Neuse River runs through the town west of the downtown area, separating it from the neighborhood of West Smithfield.