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COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS

Union County

Tennessee · 17,808 residents · 224 sq mi
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The short version

Union County is home to 17,808 people in Tennessee. 6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 24% national rate. 81% of homes are owner-occupied. 4,114 more people live here than in 1990. Median home value sits at $65,600. Households here earn about 25% less than in Tennessee as a whole.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Mid-age
median age 35.8
US median: 35.2
Less educated
6% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
17,808
+30%since 1990
from 13,694 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
35.8
+10%since 1990
from 32.6 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
224 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
13K15K17K19K21K19902000201020202024Union County
202420K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 56.7%(1,195)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 96.9%(1,222)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 147.7%(1,376)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 197.1%(1,266)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 246.2%(1,100)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3414%(2,495)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4417%(3,029)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5413.5%(2,408)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 6410%(1,789)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 746.5%(1,162)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 843.3%(581)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1%(185)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$27,335
+6%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $19,595 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$13,375
+60%since 1990
from $8,351 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
19.6%
−1.7 ptssince 1990
from 21.3% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$65,600
+9%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $45,500 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$388
+11%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $265 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
81.0%
+1.1 ptssince 1990
from 79.8% in 1990
19.0% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic99.6%(13,644)
Black0%(0)
Hispanic / Latino0.6%(86)
Asian0.2%(22)
2000
White, non-Hispanic97.9%(17,426)
Black0.1%(18)
Hispanic / Latino0.8%(140)
Asian0.1%(25)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin
Puerto Rican1.3%(260)
Mexican0.7%(144)
Chilean0.2%(40)
Peruvian0.1%(22)
Guatemalan0.1%(19)
Asian origin
Ancestry
English14%(2,869)
American12.5%(2,550)
Irish10.2%(2,086)
German7.8%(1,587)
Scotch-Irish1.9%(394)
Scottish1.9%(384)
French1.2%(244)
Italian1.1%(234)
Norwegian1.1%(231)
Dutch1.1%(217)
Swedish0.3%(70)
+ 14 more ancestry groups with data
Polish0.2%(51)
Danish0.2%(44)
Welsh0.2%(42)
Slovak0.1%(30)
British0.1%(25)
Hungarian0.1%(23)
Austrian0.1%(13)
Arab0%(10)
Lebanese0%(10)
Turkish0%(7)
Finnish0%(4)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
5.8%
+1.3 ptssince 1990
from 4.5% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
56.3%
+10.7 ptssince 1990
from 45.6% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
2.1%
+0.8 ptssince 1990
from 1.3% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
24.5 min
−20%since 1990
from 30.5 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 married20.8%(1,431)
Married66%(4,533)
Widowed2%(138)
Divorced11.2%(769)
Women 15+
Never married12.9%(918)
Married66.1%(4,722)
Widowed10.9%(778)
Divorced10.1%(721)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
8.1%
−6.0 ptssince 2013
from 14.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
46.6%
+2.0 ptssince 2020
from 44.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
13.4%
−0.5 ptssince 2020
from 13.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
23.0%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 21.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
25.7%
−2.0 ptssince 2020
from 27.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.8%
−1.0 ptssince 2020
from 2.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
59.3%
+1.7 ptssince 2020
from 57.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
44.5%
−2.2 ptssince 2020
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)15.2%(149)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era46.2%(454)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.4%(53)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.3%(3)
US avg: 1%

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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

Places similar to Union County

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Pop 20,488
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Pop 21,773
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Pop 20,790
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Pop 20,764
Places similar to Union County
Head to head

Compare Union County to nearby counties

UNION COUNTY VS
Claiborne County
Income$49,379+81%
Home value$159,900+144%
Population33,229+55%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
UNION COUNTY VS
Grainger County
Income$50,538+85%
Home value$189,200+188%
Population25,739+20%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
UNION COUNTY VS
Campbell County
Income$51,557+89%
Home value$186,500+184%
Population40,290+88%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
UNION COUNTY VS
Knox County
Income$74,222+172%
Home value$320,900+389%
Population511,453+2284%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Union County, Tennessee?

Union County, Tennessee has about 17,808 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Union County, Tennessee?

The typical household in Union County, Tennessee earns about $27,335 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 $65,600, and the typical rent is about $388 a month.

How educated are people in Union County, Tennessee?

About 5.8% 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 19.6% 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 4,114 residents, a change of about 30 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 →