With 26,885 people, Union County is a county in South Carolina. 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $103,600. At a median age of 44.5, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Households here earn about 40% less than in South Carolina as a whole. The foreign-born share is 1%.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $41,621, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 44.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
15% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Union County
What changed most since 1990
White share69.6% → 64.2%(−5.4 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Median home value (2024 dollars)$90,003 → $103,600(+15%)US over the same years: +67%
Population30,337 → 26,885(−11%)US over the same years: +35%
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)33.3%(553)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)37.4%(620)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era21%(348)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.7%(78)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.9%(31)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 1,659 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
Over time
Union County, decade by decade
Union County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
30,337
$51,664
$90,003
7.2%
53.1
2000
29,881
$57,275
$103,106
9.8%
56.1
2010
28,961
$48,149
$106,886
12.9%
58.2
2020
27,244
$49,835
$97,327
13.5%
62.5
2024
26,885
$41,621
$103,600
15.0%
63.5
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
How many people live in Union County, South Carolina?
Union County, South Carolina has about 26,885 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Union County, South Carolina?
The typical household in Union County, South Carolina earns about $41,621 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Union County, South Carolina expensive?
In Union County, South Carolina, the median home is worth about $103,600, and the typical rent is about $804 a month.
How educated are people in Union County, South Carolina?
About 15.0% of adults age 25 and over in Union County, South Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Union County, South Carolina?
About 22.6% of people in Union County, South Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Union County, South Carolina grown since 1990?
Yes, Union County, South Carolina has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 3,452 residents, a change of about -11 percent over that period.
