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COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Union County

Illinois · 17,619 residents · 413 sq mi
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The short version

Union County is home to 17,619 people in Illinois. At a median age of 38.0, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Households here earn about 37% less than in Illinois as a whole. Median home value sits at $37,500. 11% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Renters pay $251 a month at the median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $30,130
Older
median age 38.0
US median: 33.0
Less educated
11% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 18%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

17,619
−4%vs 2000
vs 18,293 in 2000
1990 – 2025
38.0
−6%vs 2000
vs 40.3 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
413 sq mi
Population, 19902024
17K17K18K18K18K19902000201020202024Union County
202417K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 56.1%(1,082)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 96.4%(1,133)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.7%(1,175)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 196.7%(1,180)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 245.4%(957)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3414.2%(2,503)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4414.9%(2,624)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 5410.7%(1,884)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 649.9%(1,751)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 749.9%(1,738)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 847%(1,229)
US avg: 4%
85 and over2.1%(363)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$20,173
−14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $30,994 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
$10,180
−38%vs 2000
vs $16,450 in 2000
US average: $14,340
18.2%
+1.6 ptsvs 2000
vs 16.5% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

$37,500
−18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $60,400 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
$251
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $341 in 2000
US average: $450
72.2%
−3.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 75.4% in 2000
27.8% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic95.2%(17,407)
Black0.8%(149)
Hispanic / Latino2.6%(481)
Asian0.3%(48)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic98.3%(17,324)
Black0.7%(119)
Hispanic / Latino0.6%(105)
Asian0.5%(82)
Other0.5%(94)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican3.8%(639)
Honduran1.2%(196)
Spaniard0.1%(15)
Asian origin
Filipino0.5%(86)
Vietnamese0.1%(9)
Chinese0%(6)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(3)
Ancestry
German20.3%(3,453)
English11.4%(1,936)
Irish8.7%(1,482)
American5%(845)
Scottish2.4%(409)
Polish1.8%(306)
Italian1.6%(275)
French1.4%(239)
Scotch-Irish0.8%(144)
Swedish0.8%(128)
Dutch0.6%(96)
Croatian0.4%(64)
+ 21 more ancestry groups with data
Russian0.3%(53)
Austrian0.2%(42)
Norwegian0.2%(39)
Welsh0.2%(39)
Canadian0.2%(28)
Hungarian0.2%(28)
Lithuanian0.1%(22)
Danish0.1%(19)
West Indian0.1%(19)
Jamaican0.1%(19)
Swiss0.1%(16)
British0.1%(11)
Arab0%(8)
Syrian0%(8)
Finnish0%(6)
Czech0%(3)
Greek0%(2)
Slovak0%(2)
Section 05

Education

10.9%
−4.9 ptsvs 2000
vs 15.8% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
64.2%
−10.6 ptsvs 2000
vs 74.8% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
4.0%
−2.3 ptsvs 2000
vs 6.3% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

20.8 min
+25%vs 2000
vs 16.6 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married29.5%(2,124)
Married51.4%(3,699)
Widowed6.3%(450)
Divorced12.8%(917)
Women 15+
Never married23.9%(1,649)
Married48.2%(3,330)
Widowed11.7%(808)
Divorced16.2%(1,121)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

6.4%
−7.2 ptssince 2013
from 13.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
46.0%
−7.2 ptssince 2020
from 53.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
12.3%
+1.8 ptssince 2020
from 10.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
25.5%
+3.0 ptssince 2020
from 22.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
32.7%
+6.1 ptssince 2020
from 26.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.0%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 3.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
56.6%
−5.8 ptssince 2020
from 62.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
53.0%
+7.1 ptssince 2020
from 45.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)7.6%(77)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)14.4%(147)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era47.3%(482)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War7.7%(78)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.4%(4)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,018 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Union County, Illinois?

Union County, Illinois has about 17,619 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Union County, Illinois?

The typical household in Union County, Illinois earns about $20,173 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Union County, Illinois expensive?

In Union County, Illinois, the median home is worth about $37,500, and the typical rent is about $251 a month.

How educated are people in Union County, Illinois?

About 10.9% of adults age 25 and over in Union County, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Union County, Illinois?

About 18.2% of people in Union County, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →