Population 579,290 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Union County
Household size in Union County
| Period | Union County | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.89 | 2.79 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.97 | 2.85 | 2.82 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.94 | 2.82 | 2.78 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.95 | 2.79 | 2.76 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.07 | −0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Union County is a place of big households: 2.95 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.89, even as the national average fell. Of New Jersey's 21 counties, only two have larger households.
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 County
| Period | Union County | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.3 | 38.0 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.8 | 38.7 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.6 | 39.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.6 | 40.4 | 40.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.3 | +2.4 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Union County are younger than 39.6 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 38.3 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the east and oldest in the northwest.
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 County
| Period | Union County | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.3% | 13.1% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.9% | 12.8% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.7% | 11.4% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.7% | 11.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Union County: 14.7% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. Union County has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five New Jersey counties.
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 County
Renters in Union County
| Period | Union County | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.5% | 47.1% | 33.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 40.2% | 48.7% | 35.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 41.4% | 48.8% | 36.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 42.6% | 48.6% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.1 pts | +1.5 pts | +3.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over four in ten households in Union County rent their homes (42.6%), above the national share of 34.8%. Still, renters make up a smaller share here than in the New York area overall (48.6%). Just over a third of owners (34.6%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 4.1 points, in line with the national trend.
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 County
| Period | Union County | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.4% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.6% | 9.0% | 9.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.2% | 9.1% | 9.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.6% | 7.9% | 6.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 5.6% of homes in Union County are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 2.9 points, mirroring the country.
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 County
| Period | Union County | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1955 | 1957 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1956 | 1958 | 1966 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1956 | 1959 | 1967 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1958 | 1962 | 1969 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Union County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1958, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the south, the oldest in the center. Only one other New Jersey county has older homes.
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 County
| Period | Union County | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,234 | $1,268 | $1,246 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,298 | $1,377 | $1,324 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,464 | $1,645 | $1,522 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,910 | $2,060 | $1,896 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$676 | +$792 | +$651 | +$606 |
Rent in Union County runs $1,910 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are lower than in the New York area as a whole ($2,060). Rents are up $676 a month from 2006–10, a 55% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 31.9% of household income on rent, just over 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 County
Bachelor's degrees in Union County
| Period | Union County | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.7% | 35.0% | 34.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 31.6% | 36.7% | 36.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.4% | 39.9% | 39.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 38.0% | 43.6% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.3 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Nearly four in ten adults 25 and older in Union County (38.0%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is lower than in the New York area as a whole (43.6%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 7.3 points, as it has nationally.
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 County
| Period | Union County | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 83.8% | 83.7% | 87.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.7% | 84.6% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.7% | 86.2% | 89.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 85.4% | 86.9% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Union County never finished high school, more than nationally: 85.4% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma is up 1.5 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of New Jersey's 21 counties, only two have a lower share of high school graduates.
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 County
| Period | Union County | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.4% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.8% | 9.5% | 9.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.8% | 5.7% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.6% | 6.9% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in Union County than nationally: unemployment was 6.6%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 1.8 points, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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 County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County | 2.95 | 39.6 | 14.7% | 42.6% | 5.6% | 1958 | $1,910 | 38.0% | 85.4% | 6.6% |
| Essex County | 2.75 | 38.5 | 16.2% | 55.1% | 6.4% | 1960 | $1,796 | 38.7% | 86.3% | 8.9% |
| Richmond County | 2.96 | 41.0 | 11.7% | 32.3% | 8.6% | 1971 | $1,856 | 35.5% | 88.0% | 5.5% |
| Hudson County | 2.44 | 37.1 | 11.7% | 69.3% | 7.3% | 1968 | $2,049 | 49.0% | 87.9% | 6.2% |
| Somerset County | 2.75 | 42.5 | 8.4% | 25.7% | 3.4% | 1978 | $2,235 | 57.0% | 93.5% | 4.8% |
| Kings County | 2.78 | 37.5 | 12.5% | 70.5% | 9.1% | 1953 | $1,954 | 40.2% | 83.6% | 8.3% |
| New York County | 2.08 | 40.4 | 8.9% | 74.9% | 15.4% | 1956 | $2,383 | 64.7% | 89.9% | 8.2% |
| Queens County | 2.88 | 41.4 | 11.8% | 55.1% | 8.4% | 1955 | $2,042 | 36.1% | 82.3% | 7.2% |
| Hunterdon County | 2.56 | 45.9 | 5.6% | 14.9% | 3.5% | 1977 | $1,839 | 57.0% | 96.1% | 4.6% |
| Nassau County | 3.14 | 42.5 | 9.6% | 18.1% | 5.6% | 1955 | $2,478 | 49.8% | 92.0% | 4.8% |
| Warren County | 2.45 | 44.5 | 8.3% | 24.9% | 4.1% | 1970 | $1,595 | 36.9% | 93.9% | 5.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Tulsa County, OK · Monmouth County, NJ · Arapahoe County, CO · Utah County, UT · Bucks County, PA · Kent County, MI · Providence County, RI · Jefferson County, AL · Sonoma County, CA · Montgomery County, 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 County. 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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