United States › Tennessee › Union County COUNTY
Union County Tennessee · 21,450 residents (2025 est.) · 224 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 20,431 people, Union County is a county in Tennessee. 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. 80% of homes are owner-occupied. The foreign-born share is 1%. At a median age of 42.7, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $204,000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
14% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 71%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 17,808 in 2000
21,450 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 85 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 35.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
13K 15K 17K 19K 21K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Union County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $62,727
+26%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $27,335 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $13,375 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 13.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 19.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.433 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 6.3%
Transportation & warehousing 2.1%
Education & health services 1.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.9%
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$204,000
+71%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $65,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$847
+20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $388 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 81.0% in 2000
19.8% rent
from 15.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.44 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 22.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 42.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.9 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 97.9%(17,426)
Hispanic / Latino 0.8%(140)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 94%(19,213)
Hispanic / Latino 2.4%(485)
from 7 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 29 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 Ancestry
+ 14 more ancestry groups with data from 5.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 56.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 24.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 82.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 12.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 8.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 52.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 58.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 8.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 18.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 7.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 18.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 14.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 58.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 87.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 89.4% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 98.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 25.6%(2,183)
Women 15+
Never married 15.6%(1,313)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 14.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 44.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 13.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 21.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 27.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 57.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 46.7% 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) 18.6%(183)
Gulf War (1990s) 15.2%(149)
Share of the 983 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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Union County Head to head
Compare Union County to nearby counties UNION COUNTY VS
Claiborne County
Income $49,379 −21%
Home value $159,900 −22%
Population 33,229 +55%
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UNION COUNTY VS
Grainger County
Income $50,538 −19%
Home value $189,200 −7%
Population 25,739 +20%
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UNION COUNTY VS
Campbell County
Income $51,557 −18%
Home value $186,500 −9%
Population 40,290 +88%
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UNION COUNTY VS
Knox County
Income $74,222 +18%
Home value $320,900 +57%
Population 511,453 +2284%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Union County, Tennessee? Union County, Tennessee has about 20,431 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Union County, Tennessee? The typical household in Union County, Tennessee earns about $62,727 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Union County, Tennessee expensive? In Union County, Tennessee, the median home is worth about $204,000, and the typical rent is about $847 a month.
How educated are people in Union County, Tennessee? About 14.2% of adults age 25 and over in Union County, Tennessee hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Union County, Tennessee? About 13.8% of people in Union County, Tennessee live below the federal poverty line.
Has Union County, Tennessee grown since 1990? Yes, Union County, Tennessee has grown since 1990. The population has added about 6,737 residents, a change of about 49 percent over that period.
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