Population 20,431 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Union County
Household size in Union County
| Period | Union County | Knoxville area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.56 | 2.40 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.67 | 2.46 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.60 | 2.55 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.58 | 2.47 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.02 | +0.06 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
At 2.58 people per household, Union County sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is bigger than in the Knoxville area overall, where it has 2.47 people. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the southwest.
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 | Knoxville area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.0 | 40.0 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.0 | 41.0 | 39.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.4 | 41.6 | 39.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.3 | 41.6 | 39.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.3 | +1.6 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
Union County skews older than the country: its median age is 43.3, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 39.0 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the west.
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 | Knoxville area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.9% | 9.6% | 12.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.4% | 9.4% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.0% | 9.8% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.3% | 9.4% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −5.6 pts | −0.2 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.3% of households in Union County, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 5.6 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only four of Tennessee's 95 counties have a lower share of single-parent households.
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 | Knoxville area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.6% | 28.6% | 30.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 21.2% | 31.2% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.6% | 31.1% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 19.8% | 29.6% | 33.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | +1.0 pts | +2.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 19.8% of households in Union County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Nearly half of owners (47.2%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the north.
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 | Knoxville area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.0% | 9.9% | 11.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.3% | 11.3% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 19.1% | 11.7% | 11.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.2% | 9.9% | 10.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.2 pts | −0.0 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Union County: 19.2% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 3.2 points, even as the national rate fell.
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 | Knoxville area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1983 | 1980 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1988 | 1981 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1991 | 1982 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1991 | 1985 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +5 | +6 | +6 |
Union County has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1991, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1983 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the north, while the southwest has the oldest housing.
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 | Knoxville area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $541 | $707 | $761 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $529 | $787 | $837 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $688 | $882 | $961 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $825 | $1,212 | $1,286 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$284 | +$505 | +$526 | +$606 |
The median renter in Union County pays $825 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $284 a month since 2006–10, up 52%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 30.5% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the west; the most affordable are in the northeast.
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 | Knoxville area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 26.7% | 23.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.6% | 27.7% | 25.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 9.9% | 30.0% | 27.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.0% | 33.5% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.0 pts | +6.8 pts | +7.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Union County: 14.0% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 7.0 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the center.
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 | Knoxville area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 66.4% | 84.6% | 83.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 74.7% | 86.9% | 85.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 77.5% | 88.9% | 87.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.2% | 90.9% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +19.8 pts | +6.3 pts | +6.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Union County never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.2% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 19.8 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 | Knoxville area | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.9% | 7.0% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.0% | 8.2% | 9.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.1% | 4.9% | 5.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.4% | 3.6% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.5 pts | −3.4 pts | −3.8 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Union County has been low: just 2.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Few Tennessee counties have lower unemployment: only three of 95. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 5.5 points, in line with the national trend.
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 | 2.58 | 43.3 | 6.3% | 19.8% | 19.2% | 1991 | $825 | 14.0% | 86.2% | 2.4% |
| Grainger County | 2.54 | 46.7 | 10.2% | 22.9% | 16.4% | 1991 | $872 | 16.2% | 85.9% | 4.3% |
| Campbell County | 2.31 | 43.8 | 12.6% | 30.8% | 15.0% | 1982 | $787 | 12.7% | 84.1% | 4.8% |
| Hamblen County | 2.55 | 40.3 | 14.5% | 30.2% | 7.6% | 1982 | $890 | 20.2% | 88.3% | 4.8% |
| Greene County | 2.49 | 44.3 | 9.3% | 22.9% | 13.4% | 1983 | $763 | 19.5% | 88.3% | 5.9% |
| Fentress County | 2.51 | 45.8 | 12.3% | 17.4% | 17.7% | 1988 | $818 | 14.5% | 82.7% | 4.4% |
| Washington County | 2.34 | 41.3 | 9.1% | 35.5% | 10.8% | 1984 | $1,008 | 34.9% | 91.3% | 4.7% |
| Unicoi County | 2.23 | 46.9 | 10.2% | 27.1% | 11.7% | 1975 | $824 | 20.8% | 86.9% | 4.5% |
| Overton County | 2.54 | 43.7 | 10.8% | 23.1% | 13.0% | 1983 | $810 | 15.3% | 83.5% | 3.3% |
| Carter County | 2.30 | 45.0 | 11.0% | 24.8% | 13.3% | 1976 | $755 | 21.1% | 89.9% | 6.1% |
| Putnam County | 2.37 | 38.6 | 9.9% | 38.8% | 9.5% | 1991 | $964 | 30.0% | 88.7% | 3.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Jefferson County, OR · Jackson County, KY · Jackson County, MN · Jackson County, OK · Jackson County, TN · Jackson County, TX · Jackson County, WV · Jasper County, SC · Jefferson County, GA · Jefferson County, IA
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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