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COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS

Union County

New Jersey · 522,541 residents · 103 sq mi
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The short version

Union County is home to 522,541 people in New Jersey. Median home value sits at $185,200. Households take in $55,339 a year at the median, 30% more than the country as a whole. 28% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Poverty is uncommon here, at 8.4% of people here. Headcount has barely moved since 1990.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $42,589
Mid-age
median age 36.6
US median: 35.2
More educated
28% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
More affordable
home values down 22%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
522,541
+6%since 1990
from 493,819 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
36.6
+2%since 1990
from 35.9 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
103 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
485K511K537K562K588K19902000201020202024Union County
2024579K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 57%(36,441)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 97.2%(37,777)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.9%(35,977)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 196%(31,451)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 245.7%(29,764)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3414.4%(75,189)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4416.9%(88,398)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5413.3%(69,568)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 648.8%(45,935)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 746.8%(35,350)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 845.2%(27,322)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.8%(9,369)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$55,339
+1%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $41,791 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$26,992
+37%since 1990
from $19,660 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
8.4%
+1.2 ptssince 1990
from 7.2% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$185,200
−22%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $179,800 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$752
−4%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $596 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
61.6%
−0.9 ptssince 1990
from 62.5% in 1990
38.4% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic74.4%(367,247)
Black18.8%(92,994)
Hispanic / Latino13.5%(66,885)
Asian2.8%(13,619)
2000
White, non-Hispanic54.2%(283,345)
Black20.1%(104,926)
Hispanic / Latino19.7%(103,011)
Asian3.8%(19,789)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin
South American11.3%(65,718)
Central American8.3%(48,121)
Puerto Rican4.8%(27,854)
Colombian4.6%(26,719)
Dominican4.4%(25,706)
Ecuadorian3.7%(21,448)
Salvadoran3.7%(21,367)
Cuban2.2%(12,708)
Guatemalan2.1%(12,319)
Mexican2%(11,370)
Peruvian1.7%(9,754)
Honduran1.7%(9,716)
+ 10 more hispanic origin groups with data
Spaniard0.7%(3,807)
Costa Rican0.6%(3,437)
Uruguayan0.5%(2,746)
Venezuelan0.3%(1,983)
Argentine0.2%(1,417)
Chilean0.1%(729)
Nicaraguan0.1%(690)
Panamanian0.1%(544)
Bolivian0.1%(368)
Paraguayan0%(271)
Asian origin
Asian Indian1.8%(10,285)
Filipino1.4%(8,107)
Chinese1.4%(7,906)
Korean0.2%(1,165)
Pakistani0.2%(1,109)
Vietnamese0.1%(838)
Kazakh0.1%(600)
Japanese0.1%(531)
Bangladeshi0.1%(471)
Sri Lankan0.1%(290)
Taiwanese0%(221)
Nepalese0%(76)
+ 5 more asian origin groups with data
Cambodian0%(42)
Thai0%(42)
Malaysian0%(20)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(27)
Samoan0%(21)
Tongan0%(10)
Ancestry
Italian9%(52,223)
Irish7.1%(40,867)
German4.9%(28,336)
West Indian4.6%(26,506)
American4%(23,315)
Polish3.9%(22,645)
Haitian2.7%(15,605)
Portuguese2.7%(15,431)
English2.5%(14,370)
Subsaharan African2.1%(12,424)
Brazilian1.3%(7,429)
Russian1.2%(7,023)
+ 50 more ancestry groups with data
Arab1%(5,622)
Jamaican1%(5,518)
Nigerian0.7%(4,177)
Greek0.7%(3,916)
Ghanaian0.6%(3,281)
French0.5%(3,172)
Ukrainian0.5%(2,996)
Hungarian0.5%(2,653)
Egyptian0.5%(2,625)
Scottish0.4%(2,598)
Slovak0.3%(1,906)
Dutch0.3%(1,680)
Norwegian0.3%(1,676)
Austrian0.3%(1,526)
Guyanese0.3%(1,518)
Swedish0.2%(1,411)
Lithuanian0.2%(1,408)
Syrian0.2%(1,192)
Scotch-Irish0.2%(1,173)
Czech0.2%(982)
British0.1%(854)
Welsh0.1%(820)
Turkish0.1%(734)
Barbadian0.1%(730)
Romanian0.1%(701)
Lebanese0.1%(656)
Danish0.1%(606)
Moroccan0.1%(505)
Canadian0.1%(481)
Serbian0.1%(462)
Armenian0.1%(416)
Macedonian0.1%(395)
Iranian0.1%(391)
Latvian0.1%(384)
Swiss0.1%(340)
Kenyan0%(272)
Australian0%(264)
Israeli0%(193)
Croatian0%(191)
Jordanian0%(179)
Bulgarian0%(166)
Belgian0%(164)
Finnish0%(138)
Slovene0%(65)
Ethiopian0%(13)
Iraqi0%(7)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
28.5%
+3.5 ptssince 1990
from 25.0% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
79.3%
+4.1 ptssince 1990
from 75.2% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
10.9%
+1.7 ptssince 1990
from 9.3% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
20.5 min
−9%since 1990
from 22.5 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married32.2%(62,681)
Married59%(114,671)
Widowed3.1%(6,104)
Divorced5.6%(10,949)
Women 15+
Never married26.4%(57,447)
Married53.4%(116,164)
Widowed11.8%(25,717)
Divorced8.4%(18,359)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
13.0%
−3.1 ptssince 2013
from 16.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
57.0%
−2.3 ptssince 2020
from 59.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
9.8%
−1.0 ptssince 2020
from 10.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
15.1%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 15.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
18.9%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 18.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
0.7%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 0.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
64.4%
−3.2 ptssince 2020
from 67.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
31.4%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 30.5% 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)16.7%(1,884)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)13.7%(1,546)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era36.8%(4,139)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.7%(644)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II4.3%(484)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 11,260 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
Drill deeper

Places similar to Union County

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Pop 611,708
Kane County
Pop 525,757
Arapahoe County
Pop 673,820
Johnson County
Pop 636,906
Places similar to Union County
Head to head

Compare Union County to nearby counties

UNION COUNTY VS
Essex County
Income$80,789+46%
Home value$524,100+183%
Population896,379+49%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
UNION COUNTY VS
Richmond County
Income$98,333+78%
Home value$675,500+265%
Population501,290−17%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
UNION COUNTY VS
Hudson County
Income$91,795+66%
Home value$539,700+191%
Population735,033+22%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
UNION COUNTY VS
Middlesex County
Income$111,549+102%
Home value$462,900+150%
Population883,335+47%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Union County, New Jersey?

Union County, New Jersey has about 522,541 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Union County, New Jersey?

The typical household in Union County, New Jersey earns about $55,339 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Union County, New Jersey expensive?

In Union County, New Jersey, the median home is worth about $185,200, and the typical rent is about $752 a month.

How educated are people in Union County, New Jersey?

About 28.5% of adults age 25 and over in Union County, New Jersey hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Union County, New Jersey?

About 8.4% of people in Union County, New Jersey live below the federal poverty line.

Has Union County, New Jersey grown since 1990?

Yes, Union County, New Jersey has grown since 1990. The population has added about 28,722 residents, a change of about 6 percent over that period.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →