Union County, North Carolina
Located in North Carolina, Union County has a population of 250,958 residents and a median age of 39.2 years, making it the #286 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 7.7%. The median home value is $417,300, and the median household income is $102,900, which is 37% above the national median.
Demographics
Union County has a population of 250,958, making it the #286 most populous county in the US. The median age is 39.2 years, which is 0.8% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Union County is $102,900, ranking #146 out of 3,222 counties — 36.9% above the national median. The poverty rate is 7.7% and unemployment stands at 4.2%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Union County is $417,300 (+48.0% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,496/mo and the homeownership rate is 81.6%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Union County, 40.5% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 20.2% above the national average, ranking #268 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Union County is 78.5 years. 13.9% of adults report poor or fair health and 10.4% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
11.5% of adults in Union County smoke , 31.1% are obese , and 21.4% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 19.5 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Union County is 3.8 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 9.3 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 11.3 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
10.2% of children in Union County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 4.4 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 8.7 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Union County is 80.9%. The mean commute time is 32.6 min, which is 18.2% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Union County voted Republican with a margin of 25.3%. The vote was 36.8% Dem / 62.1% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 1.1 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Union County, North Carolina
Union County, North Carolina has a total population of 250,958, making it the 286th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Union County is 39.2 years, which is 0.8% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Union County is $102,900, which ranks #146 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 36.9% above the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 7.7%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.2%.
The median home value in Union County is $417,300, 48.0% above the national median. Renters in Union County pay a median gross rent of $1,496 per month. The homeownership rate is 81.6%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Union County, 40.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 20.2% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 92.3% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 32.6 min.
Union County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 66.8% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (13.4%) and Black (non-Hispanic) (10.9%).
All data for Union County, North Carolina comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.