Union County, North Carolina

County in NC, US

By Neilsberg Research

Last updated May 1, 2026

Key Indicators

A quick look at key numbers

Population

250,958

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates

Median Age

39.2

years ∙ half population younger than 39.2, half older

Diversity Index

52%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nativity

12.2%

foreign-born population

87.8%Native

12.2% Foreign-born

Geographic Context

Location, size, and surroundings

About

Union County is a county in North Carolina, United States.

Location

County in NC, US

Co-ordinates

DEC34.991820° N, 80.530426° W

DMS34° 59′ 30.55″ N, 80° 31′ 49.53″ W

Population Density & area

396.6/sq mi (153.1/km²)

Total Area

639.6 sq mi (1,656.7 km²)

Land Area

632.7 sq mi (1,638.8 km²) · 98.9%

Water Area

6.9 sq mi (17.9 km²) · 1.1%

Demographics & Living

Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition

Population Composition

Key characteristics of the population

Sex Distribution

49.7% male

Male 49.7%

Female 50.3%

males per 100 females

Union County 98.6

North Carolina 95.6

United States 98

Nativity

12.2%

foreign-born population

87.8%Native

12.2% Foreign-born

% Foreign-born

Union County 12.2%

North Carolina 9.1%

United States 14.1%

Age Distribution

How the population is spread across age groups

Median Age

39.2

years ∙ half population younger than 39.2, half older

Union County

39.2

North Carolina

39.1

United States

38.9

Dependency ratio

64.3

dependents per 100 working-age adults

Union County 64.3

North Carolina 63.8

United States 64.4

AGE DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of age group

Median age

	Union County	North Carolina	United States
Age Group
Children (Under 18)	25.6%	21.8%	22%
Working age (18-64)	60.9%	61%	60.8%
Senior (65+)	13.5%	17.2%	17.2%
Dependency ratio
Total dependency ratio	64.3	63.8	64.4
Child dependency ratio	42	35.6	36.1
Old-age dependency ratio	22.2	28.2	28.3

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares

Race & Ethnicity

White

66.8%

Black

10.9%

Asian

4.5%

Hispanic

13.4%

Other

4.4%

Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.

Diversity Index

52%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Union County 52%

North Carolina 58.4%

United States 61.4%

Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.

RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION

Race & Ethnicity

Percentage of Union County population

Racial and ethnic composition — Union County vs North Carolina vs United States. Source: ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates.
	Union County	North Carolina	United States
Hispanic or Latino	13.4%	11.3%	19.3%
Mexican	6.9%	5.6%	11.3%
Puerto Rican	1.1%	1.3%	1.8%
Cuban	0.2%	0.3%	0.8%
Other Hispanic / Latino	5.1%	4.1%	5.5%
Not Hispanic or Latino	86.6%	88.7%	80.7%
One race	82.8%	84.6%	76.4%
White	66.8%	60%	57.4%
Black or African American	10.9%	20%	11.9%
American Indian and Alaska Native	0.1%	0.8%	0.5%
Asian	4.5%	3.3%	5.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0%	0.1%	0.2%
Some Other Race	0.5%	0.5%	0.6%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	3.8%	4.1%	4.3%

Household & Families Composition

Household size, type, and family structure

Household structure

79.2% family

Family 79.2%

Non family 20.8%

% family households

Union County 79.2%

North Carolina 64.3%

United States 64.2%

Average household size

2.95

persons per household

Union County

2.95

North Carolina

2.44

United States

2.53

Household & Family COMPOSITION

Households

Percentage of Union County population

	Union County	North Carolina	United States
Total households	84,237	4,282,345	129,227,496
Average houshold size	2.95	2.44	2.53
Family households	66,692	2,753,022	82,990,528
Average family size	3.33	3.03	3.14
Married couple family	55,150	2,021,951	60,637,388
Other families	11,542	731,071	22,353,140
Male householder	3,783	195,051	6,572,819
Female householder	7,759	536,020	15,780,321
Non-family households	17,545	1,529,323	46,236,968
One-person households	14,125	1,258,822	37,140,836
Male householder	5,934	544,050	16,871,444
Senior (65+) living alone	1,762	160,332	5,225,110
Female householder	8,191	714,772	20,269,392
Senior (65+) living alone	4,316	342,051	10,089,070
Other living arrangements	3,420	270,501	9,096,132

Housing Profile

Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens

Total housing units

88,851

housing units

Union County 88,851

North Carolina 4,895,668

United States 143,775,355

Occupancy status

94.8% occupied

Occupied 94.8%

Vacant 5.2%

vacancy rate

Union County 5.2%

North Carolina 12.5%

United States 10.1%

Housing Characteristics

How the housing supply is structured and used

Types of Housing unit

89.3%

Single family houses

89.3%

Apartments in multi-unit structures

6.2%

Mobile homes

4.5%

Boat, RV, van, etc

Median Year Built

2000

Half of houses were built before 2000, and half after.

Historic ∙ 1939 or earlier

2.5%

Postwar & mid-century ∙ 1940 - 1969

9.2%

Late 20th century ∙ 1970 - 1999

38.7%

Modern ∙ 2000 or later

49.4%

Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.

Housing Characteristics

Units, rooms & bedrooms

Physical characteristics of housing units

	Union County	North Carolina	United States
Rooms per unit
Median rooms	6.9	5.6	5.5
1–3 rooms	4.2%	11.4%	15.1%
4–6 rooms	40.5%	54.9%	51.6%
7+ rooms	55.4%	33.6%	33.4%
Bedrooms
No bedroom / studio	0.8%	1.9%	2.9%
1 bedroom	2.1%	7.1%	10.9%
2 bedrooms	11.7%	23.8%	25%
3 bedrooms	43.1%	46.2%	38.7%
4+ bedrooms	42.4%	21%	22.4%
At a glance
Median year built	2000	1992	1981
Total housing units	88,851	4,895,668	143,775,355

Occupancy Profile

Who is inside and how they use it

Homeownership

81.6% owners

Renter-occupied 18.4%

Owner-occupied 81.6%

homeownership rate

Union County 81.6%

North Carolina 66.6%

United States 65.2%

Average household size

2.99

Owner-occupied

2.75

Renter-occupied

owner-occupied average size

Union County 2.99

North Carolina 2.54

United States 2.64

Housing Characteristics

Occupied unit characteristics

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Union County	North Carolina	United States
Total occupied units	84,237	4,282,345	129,227,496
Year moved in
2020 or later	22.6%	26.2%	24.8%
2010 to 2019	41.7%	39.2%	39.6%
2000 to 2009	20.2%	16.2%	16.4%
1999 or earlier	15.4%	18.5%	19.1%
Occupants per room
1.00 or fewer	97.4%	97.8%	96.6%
1.01 to 1.50	2%	1.5%	2.2%
1.51 or more	0.6%	0.7%	1.2%
Vehicles availability
No vehicles	2.4%	5.3%	8.4%
1 vehicle	21%	31.4%	33.1%
2 vehicles	42.9%	38%	36.6%
3 or more vehicles	33.7%	25.2%	21.9%
House heating fuel used
Gas	53.1%	30.5%	51.4%
Electricity	44.9%	65.5%	41.3%
Solar	0.1%	0.1%	0.3%
Fuel oil, kerosene etc	0.4%	2%	3.9%
All other fuels	0.8%	1.3%	2%
No fuel used	0.5%	0.7%	1.2%
Selected characteristics
Lacking complete plumbing	0.2%	0.3%	0.4%
Lacking complete kitchen	0.3%	0.6%	0.8%
No telephone service available	0.7%	0.8%	0.9%

Housing Value

What owner-occupied units are worth

Median home value

$417,300

owner-occupied units

Median value(USD)

Union County

$417,300

North Carolina

$288,900

United States

$332,700

Housing Cost Burden

22.4%

of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened

% Cost-Burdened Households

Owners with a mortgage

22.4%

Owners without a mortgage

8.9%

Renters

43.2%

Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.

Financial characteristics

Property value and housing costs

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Union County	North Carolina	United States
Property value
Median Value	$417,300	$288,900	$332,700
Under $100,000	4.9%	12.7%	11.4%
$100,000 - $200,000	7.9%	18.9%	15.8%
$200,000 - $300,000	15%	20.5%	17.8%
$300,000 - $500,000	36%	28.3%	26.9%
$500,000 - $1,000,000	29.4%	16.3%	20.9%
$1,000,000 and more	6.9%	3.3%	7.1%
Owner-occupied households
With a mortgage	70.4%	61.3%	60.6%
Without a mortgage	29.6%	38.7%	39.4%
Median monthly owner costs
With a mortgage	$1,940	$1,631	$1,963
Without a mortgage	$553	$490	$638
Gross rent
Median rent	$1,496	$1,228	$1,413

Education Profile

How educated is the community and how education pays off

Adults with a college degree

40.5%

of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher

Union County 40.5%

North Carolina 35.7%

United States 35.7%

Adults without a high school diploma

9.1%

of adults (25+) without a high school diploma

Union County 9.1%

North Carolina 9.9%

United States 10.4%

School Enrollment

Who is enrolled in school and at what level

School enrollment

66,969

population (age 3+) enrolled in school

Nursery / Preschool

4.5%

K–12

76.5%

College / Undergraduate

15.8%

Graduate / Professional

3.2%

College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)

37.5%

of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school

Union County

37.5%

North Carolina

39.3%

United States

40.9%

Enrollment & school type

Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split

Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school

	Union County	North Carolina	United States
Total enrolled (age 3+)	66,969	2,530,102	80,089,790
Nursery / preschool	4.5%	5.3%	5.7%
K–12	76.5%	67.4%	67.6%
Kindergarten	5%	4.9%	5%
Elementary: Grades 1–4	20.8%	20%	19.8%
Elementary: Grades 5–8	24.6%	21%	21%
High School: Grades 9–12	26.1%	21.5%	21.7%
College or graduate school	19%	27.3%	26.7%
College, undergraduate	15.8%	21.7%	21%
Graduate, professional school	3.2%	5.6%	5.8%
College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds	37.5%	39.3%	40.9%
School type
Public school	80.9%	82.3%	82%
Private school	19.1%	17.7%	18%

Education Attainment by Level & Gender

What is the highest level of education completed among adults

Education attainment

162,928

population 25 years and over

Total adults (25+)

Less than 9th grade

9th-12th, no diploma

5.1%

HS graduate

22.5%

Some college no degree

18.6%

Associates degree

9.3%

Bachelors degree

26.3%

Graduate or professional degree

14.1%

Attainment by gender

Male vs Female

Adults (25+) · Share within each education level

% male · % female

Less than 9th grade

48.4% · 51.6%

9th-12th, no diploma

55.4% · 44.6%

HS graduate

51.9% · 48.1%

Some college no degree

50.2% · 49.8%

Associates degree

42% · 58%

Bachelors degree

46.8% · 53.2%

Graduate or professional degree

47.1% · 52.9%

Educational Attainment Overview

Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)

Highest credential completed · adults 25+

	Union County	North Carolina	United States
Population (25+)	162,928	7,380,330	230,807,303
Less than 9th grade	4%	3.9%	4.7%
9th–12th, no diploma	5.1%	6%	5.7%
High school diploma or GED	22.5%	24.8%	26%
Some college, no degree	18.6%	19.6%	19.1%
Associate's degree	9.3%	10.1%	8.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	40.5%	35.7%	35.7%
Bachelor's degree	26.3%	22.2%	21.6%
Graduate or professional	14.1%	13.5%	14.1%
High School or higher	90.9%	90.1%	89.6%

Earnings by education level

percentage as applicable

Median Earnings

$57,655

Median earnings for adults 25+, by level

Less than HS graduate

$38,883

HS graduate

$42,190

Some college or associates

$52,079

Bachelors degree

$74,737

Graduate or professional degree

$100,777

Poverty Rate

for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher

Less than HS graduate

16.7%

HS graduate

8.8%

Some college or associates

6.3%

Bachelors degree or higher

Outcomes by Education Level

Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)

Adults 25+

	Union County	North Carolina	United States
Median earnings
Population 25+, with earnings	$57,655	$49,275	$52,696
Less than high school graduate	$38,883	$31,234	$32,485
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	$42,190	$37,346	$40,153
Some college or associate's degree	$52,079	$43,525	$47,260
Bachelor's degree	$74,737	$64,395	$70,044
Graduate or professional degree	$100,777	$80,986	$90,720
Poverty rates
Less than high school graduate	16.7%	26.6%	24.2%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	8.8%	15.2%	14.4%
Some college or associate's degree	6.3%	10%	9.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	3%	4.2%	4.5%

Insights for Union County, by topic

Income By year By race By age By gender

Population By year By race By age By gender

About Neilsberg Research

Neilsberg Research team are data scientists with expertise in processing, analysis and visualization of big data helping small businesses make right decisions.

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