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COUNTY · 2020 ACS

Union County

South Carolina · 27,244 residents · 514 sq mi
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The short version

Union County is home to 27,244 people in South Carolina. 13% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 33% national rate. At a median age of 45.1, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Median home value sits at $80,300. The foreign-born share is 1%. That trails the South Carolina median by roughly 25%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 45.1
US median: 38.8
Less educated
13% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
More affordable
home values down 6%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

27,244
−9%since 2000
from 29,881 in 2000
1990 – 2025
45.1
+17%since 2000
from 38.6 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
514 sq mi
Population, 19902024
27K28K29K30K31K19902000201020202024Union County
202427K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55.1%(1,402)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.8%(1,587)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 146.6%(1,789)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 195.9%(1,616)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.1%(1,379)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3410.6%(2,901)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4410.6%(2,900)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5413.4%(3,654)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6415.6%(4,239)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7412.8%(3,482)
US avg: 10%
75 to 846.3%(1,710)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2.1%(585)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$41,117
−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,441 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$24,142
+52%since 2000
from $15,877 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
20.2%
+5.1 ptssince 2009
from 15.1% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
19.9%
+5.5 ptssince 2000
from 14.3% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade25.8%
US avg: 10%
Information13.7%
US avg: 11.1%
Finance & insurance6%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical5.1%
US avg: 4.7%
Wholesale trade4.7%
US avg: 6.7%
Other services2.6%
US avg: 6.6%
Public administration1.7%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing1.6%
US avg: 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food1.1%
US avg: 2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.9%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction0.9%
US avg: 1.2%
Education & health services0.8%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$80,300
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $56,600 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$707
+26%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $373 in 2000
US average: $1,124
69.4%
−7.2 ptssince 2000
from 76.7% in 2000
30.6% rent
2.29 people
−2%since 2009
from 2.33 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
2.0
−7%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.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic67.5%(20,155)
Black30.9%(9,247)
Hispanic / Latino0.7%(199)
Asian0.2%(53)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic63.4%(17,279)
Black31%(8,435)
Hispanic / Latino1.6%(438)
Asian0.3%(78)
Other4.2%(1,145)
25
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
Mexican0.8%(230)
Puerto Rican0.2%(64)
Spaniard0.2%(45)
Panamanian0.1%(24)
Asian origin
Ancestry
American10.6%(2,901)
Irish8.6%(2,361)
English4.9%(1,341)
German4.8%(1,316)
Scottish2.3%(635)
Scotch-Irish1.9%(519)
Italian1.9%(508)
Swedish1.1%(306)
French0.8%(229)
West Indian0.6%(160)
Dutch0.5%(131)
+ 17 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.4%(100)
Barbadian0.3%(80)
British0.3%(70)
Welsh0.2%(60)
Polish0.2%(57)
Swiss0.2%(48)
Jamaican0.1%(40)
Canadian0.1%(33)
Greek0.1%(32)
Russian0.1%(27)
Austrian0%(13)
Danish0%(12)
Czech0%(3)
Haitian0%(3)
Section 05

Education

13.5%
+3.7 ptssince 2000
from 9.8% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
84.2%
+17.3 ptssince 2000
from 66.9% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
3.7%
+0.6 ptssince 2000
from 3.1% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

28.0 min
+47%since 2000
from 19.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
84.2%
+1.2 ptssince 2009
from 83.0% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
9.3%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 10.3% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

7.7%
−7.1 ptssince 2011
from 14.8% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
56.5%
−1.0 ptssince 2011
from 57.5% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
71.8%
US average: 73.3%
24.2%
−2.9 ptssince 2009
from 27.1% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

47.6%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 47.2% in 2009
52.4%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 52.8% in 2009
0.9%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
10.3%
−5.9 ptssince 2013
from 16.2% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
85.4%
US average: 91.9%
88.8%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
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

10.3%
−5.9 ptssince 2013
from 16.2% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
46.1%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
11.8%
US average: 13.7%
26.0%
US average: 17.6%
26.5%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
3.1%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
58.2%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
48.4%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)27.1%(511)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)30.1%(568)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era31.9%(601)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War7.5%(142)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II1.5%(29)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 1,886 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, South Carolina?

Union County, South Carolina has about 27,244 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Union County, South Carolina?

The typical household in Union County, South Carolina earns about $41,117 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 $80,300, and the typical rent is about $707 a month.

How educated are people in Union County, South Carolina?

About 13.5% 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 19.9% 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 3,093 residents, a change of about -10 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 →