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COUNTY

Union County

South Carolina · 26,799 residents (2025 est.) · 514 sq mi
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The short version

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
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
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
26,885
−10%since 2000
from 29,881 in 2000
26,799 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
52 / sq mi
−3%since 2009
from 54 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
44.5
+15%since 2000
from 38.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
514 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
27K28K29K30K31K19902000201020202024Union County
202427K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.1%(1,360)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.8%(1,816)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.1%(1,379)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.1%(1,650)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 244.9%(1,304)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412%(3,214)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4410.8%(2,910)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.8%(3,433)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6414.9%(4,009)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7412.9%(3,466)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 846.2%(1,663)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.5%(681)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$41,621
−27%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,441 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$27,229
+71%since 2000
from $15,877 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
30.2%
+15.1 ptssince 2009
from 15.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
22.6%
+8.3 ptssince 2000
from 14.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.469
+3%since 2010
from 0.454 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade25.7%
US avg: 9.9%
Finance & insurance9.8%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical9.2%
US avg: 5.1%
Information8.9%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade5%
US avg: 6.9%
Other services2.8%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration2.4%
US avg: 4.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.2%
US avg: 1.6%
Arts, entertainment, food1.2%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing1.1%
US avg: 2.2%
Construction0.6%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.6%
US avg: 0.4%
Education & health services0.6%
US avg: 0.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$103,600
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $56,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$804
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $373 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
71.3%
−5.4 ptssince 2000
from 76.7% in 2000
28.7% rent
Vacancy rate
14.2%
−1.6 ptssince 2009
from 15.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.28 people
−2%since 2009
from 2.33 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
12.5%
−10.7 ptssince 2009
from 23.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
40.7%
+5.1 ptssince 2009
from 35.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.5
+19%since 2009
from 2.1 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
9
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic67.5%(20,155)
Black30.9%(9,247)
Hispanic / Latino0.7%(199)
Asian0.2%(53)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic64.2%(17,272)
Black27.5%(7,387)
Hispanic / Latino2.1%(559)
Asian0.2%(43)
Other6%(1,624)
Diversity Score
63
+11%since 2009
from 57 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
31
+24%since 2020
from 25 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican0.5%(141)
Puerto Rican0.5%(141)
Venezuelan0.5%(139)
Honduran0.2%(67)
Spaniard0.2%(41)
Cuban0.1%(15)
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.1%(28)
Korean0%(6)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
American10.9%(2,924)
English8.9%(2,401)
Irish7.9%(2,120)
German5.3%(1,417)
Italian1.7%(459)
Dutch1.2%(330)
Scotch-Irish1.2%(316)
Scottish1%(282)
Swedish0.9%(235)
French0.7%(186)
Polish0.4%(120)
+ 15 more ancestry groups with data
Russian0.4%(117)
West Indian0.4%(95)
Barbadian0.4%(95)
Greek0.3%(84)
Swiss0.3%(76)
Welsh0.2%(61)
British0.1%(39)
Portuguese0.1%(38)
Hungarian0.1%(16)
Danish0%(2)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
15.0%
+5.2 ptssince 2000
from 9.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
82.1%
+15.1 ptssince 2000
from 66.9% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
3.6%
+0.5 ptssince 2000
from 3.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
27.4 min
+44%since 2000
from 19.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
83.5%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 83.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
11.7%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 12.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
3.4%
+1.8 ptssince 2009
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.6%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
10.2%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 10.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
7.9%
−6.9 ptssince 2011
from 14.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
53.5%
−4.0 ptssince 2011
from 57.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
68.9%
−2.9 ptssince 2020
from 71.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
13.6%
−3.6 ptssince 2009
from 17.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
24.5%
−2.6 ptssince 2009
from 27.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
47.2%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 47.2% in 2009
Female
52.8%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 52.8% in 2009
Foreign born
1.5%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
7.8%
−2.0 ptssince 2009
from 9.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
21.7%
+0.5 ptssince 2012
from 21.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
10.5%
−5.7 ptssince 2013
from 16.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
82.3%
+25.6 ptssince 2017
from 56.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
88.5%
+3.1 ptssince 2020
from 85.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
91.3%
+2.6 ptssince 2020
from 88.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
97.6%
−1.1 ptssince 2016
from 98.7% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
1.8%
+1.1 ptssince 2016
from 0.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married34.4%(3,585)
Married44.8%(4,666)
Widowed5.7%(599)
Divorced15.1%(1,570)
Women 15+
Never married30.8%(3,670)
Married43.5%(5,180)
Widowed14.3%(1,704)
Divorced11.4%(1,356)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
10.5%
−5.7 ptssince 2013
from 16.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
43.6%
−2.5 ptssince 2020
from 46.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
13.2%
+1.4 ptssince 2020
from 11.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
25.5%
−0.5 ptssince 2020
from 26.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
28.1%
+1.6 ptssince 2020
from 26.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.6%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 3.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
55.7%
−2.5 ptssince 2020
from 58.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
49.0%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 48.4% 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)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
Drill deeper

Places similar to Union County

Sumter County
Pop 28,801
Johnson County
Pop 26,225
St. Francis County
Pop 21,800
Barbour County
Pop 24,607
Places similar to Union County
Head to head

Compare Union County to nearby counties

UNION COUNTY VS
Cherokee County
Income$50,288+21%
Home value$142,000+37%
Population58,275+117%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
UNION COUNTY VS
Chester County
Income$52,458+26%
Home value$158,300+53%
Population33,001+23%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
UNION COUNTY VS
Laurens County
Income$57,623+38%
Home value$170,600+65%
Population71,848+168%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
UNION COUNTY VS
Spartanburg County
Income$66,234+59%
Home value$233,300+125%
Population380,857+1321%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

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.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →