Union County, South Carolina
Located in South Carolina, Union County has a population of 26,885 residents and a median age of 44.5 years, making it the #1,584 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 22.6%. The median home value is $103,600, and the median household income is $41,621, which is 45% below the national median.
Demographics
Union County has a population of 26,885, making it the #1,584 most populous county in the US. The median age is 44.5 years, which is 14.4% 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 $41,621, ranking #3,046 out of 3,222 counties — 44.6% below the national median. The poverty rate is 22.6% and unemployment stands at 7.9%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Union County is $103,600 (-63.2% vs national). Renters pay a median of $804/mo and the homeownership rate is 71.3%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Union County, 15.0% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 55.6% below the national average, ranking #2,820 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Union County is 69.0 years. 24.8% of adults report poor or fair health and 11.3% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
23.4% of adults in Union County smoke , 42.9% are obese , and 17.1% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 54.5 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Union County is 10.0 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 15.9 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 32.0 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
34.8% of children in Union County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 30.7 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Union County is 62.0%. The mean commute time is 30.4 min, which is 10.2% 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 32.7%. The vote was 33.2% Dem / 65.9% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 8.2 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Union County, South Carolina
Union County, South Carolina has a total population of 26,885, making it the 1,584th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Union County is 44.5 years, which is 14.4% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Union County is $41,621, which ranks #3,046 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 44.6% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 22.6%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 7.9%.
The median home value in Union County is $103,600, 63.2% below the national median. Renters in Union County pay a median gross rent of $804 per month. The homeownership rate is 71.3%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Union County, 15.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 55.6% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 89.5% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 30.4 min.
Union County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 64.2% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (27.5%) and Two or More Races (5.6%).
All data for Union County, South 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.