Union Center, IA Demographics

Population 340 · Census ACS 2020–24

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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Union Center, IA map of median age by neighborhood
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Population and households in Union Center

Household size in Union Center

Household size, people per household
PeriodUnion CenterIowaU.S.
2006–102.562.442.68
2010–142.602.452.73
2015–192.612.432.71
2020–243.002.432.65
Change+0.44−0.01−0.03
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Households in Union Center are large by national standards, averaging 3.00 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.56, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.

Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).

Median age in Union Center

Median age, years
PeriodUnion CenterIowaU.S.
2006–1049.038.837.7
2010–1444.039.338.6
2015–1939.939.739.6
2020–2441.139.840.1
Change−7.9+1.0+2.3
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At 41.1, the median age in Union Center is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's.

Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).

Single-parent households in Union Center

Single-parent households, % of households
PeriodUnion CenterIowaU.S.
2006–100.9%9.5%12.3%
2010–148.5%9.9%12.3%
2015–197.4%10.0%11.6%
2020–2410.2%10.0%11.6%
Change+9.3 pts+0.6 pts−0.6 pts
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Single-parent households are a bit less common in Union Center than nationally: 10.2%, against 11.6%. That is in line with the rest of Iowa.

Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).

Housing in Union Center

Renters in Union Center

Renters, % of occupied homes
PeriodUnion CenterIowaU.S.
2006–1021.1%26.8%33.3%
2010–1418.6%28.2%35.6%
2015–1928.8%28.9%36.0%
2020–245.6%28.3%34.8%
Change−15.5 pts+1.5 pts+1.5 pts
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Union Center is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 5.6% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 51.6% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%.

Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).

Vacant homes in Union Center

Vacant homes, % of all homes
PeriodUnion CenterIowaU.S.
2006–103.4%8.7%11.4%
2010–1410.1%8.6%11.4%
2015–197.9%9.4%11.1%
2020–249.9%8.8%9.6%
Change+6.5 pts+0.1 pts−1.8 pts
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Vacancy in Union Center is close to the national rate: 9.9% of homes are empty, against 9.6%.

Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).

Age of homes in Union Center

Age of homes, median year built
PeriodUnion CenterIowaU.S.
2006–10194719651974
2010–14195319671975
2015–19197119691977
2020–24195419711980
Change+7+6+6
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The housing in Union Center is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1954, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates.

Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).

Rent in Union Center

Rent, per month
PeriodUnion CenterIowaU.S.
2006–10$362$669$965
2010–14$652$732$1,040
2015–19$780$821$1,213
2020–24$761$1,020$1,571
Change+$399+$351+$606
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The median renter in Union Center pays $761 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 24.8% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.

Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).

Education in Union Center

Bachelor's degrees in Union Center

Bachelor's degrees, % of adults 25+
PeriodUnion CenterIowaU.S.
2006–1018.9%26.5%28.4%
2010–1418.7%27.9%29.6%
2015–1928.7%29.3%32.1%
2020–2412.2%32.3%35.6%
Change−6.7 pts+5.8 pts+7.2 pts
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College degrees are relatively uncommon in Union Center: 12.2% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.

Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).

High school graduates in Union Center

High school graduates, % of adults 25+
PeriodUnion CenterIowaU.S.
2006–1097.7%90.4%84.9%
2010–1499.5%91.4%86.1%
2015–1989.0%92.1%87.7%
2020–2494.8%93.0%89.3%
Change−2.9 pts+2.7 pts+4.3 pts
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High school completion is high in Union Center: 94.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.

High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).

Jobs in Union Center

Unemployment, % of the labor force
PeriodUnion CenterIowaU.S.
2006–103.4%5.2%8.1%
2010–141.6%5.4%9.4%
2015–190.5%3.7%5.6%
2020–244.5%3.7%5.4%
Change+1.1 pts−1.5 pts−2.7 pts
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Unemployment in Union Center runs below the national rate: 4.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Still, the rate is higher than in Iowa overall (3.7%). Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.

Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).

Union Center compared with nearby cities

CityHousehold sizeMedian ageSingle parentsRentersVacant homesMedian year builtMedian rentBachelor's degreeHigh school diplomaUnemployment
Union Center3.0041.110.2%5.6%9.9%1954$76112.2%94.8%4.5%
Oyens2.7941.09.0%15.2%7.6%1959$83419.5%96.6%1.5%
Kingsley2.4643.23.5%17.0%6.8%1963$80227.0%95.0%1.5%
Le Mars2.4238.911.3%37.4%5.7%1974$95221.4%94.2%2.7%
Remsen2.6745.47.7%16.8%7.4%1957$87416.2%95.2%5.3%
West Le Mars2.3337.73.9%34.6%6.9%1975$96115.8%93.4%0.7%
Merrill2.6142.27.9%14.6%13.0%1958$72116.6%94.4%2.0%
Neptune2.5846.85.4%16.4%4.3%1978$88923.1%95.7%1.7%
Seney2.2048.52.6%18.5%17.1%1959$74826.4%95.2%0.5%
Pierson2.6338.94.8%11.2%9.1%1942$62124.2%92.5%2.7%
Struble2.2745.64.2%17.6%14.5%1958$86527.4%95.8%0.8%

All figures 2020–24.

Cities with similar populations: Pedenville, GA · Pahaska Tepee, WY · Paisley, OR · Palito Blanco, TX · Palmer, KY · Pansy, WV · Parker School, MT · Parks, AR · Paxton, IN · Pecan Gap, TX

About these numbers

Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Union Center. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.

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