Union County, Tennessee Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Union County, Tennessee, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Union County, Tennessee. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Union County, Tennessee. The estimated population of Union County, Tennessee is 19,597 people, with a median age of 42.5.

We can look at the total population in Union County over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
19,597
 -0.41% +2.20%
2020
19,678
+0.97%
-
2019
19,488
+1.01%
-
2018
19,293
+0.61%
-
2017
19,176
 - -

Population of Union County, Tennessee by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
95.6%
96.6%
 -1.04%
Black/African American
0.6%
0.4%
 +50.00%
Native
0%
0%
 0.00%
Hispanic
1.8%
1.5%
 +20.00%
Asian
0%
0.1%
 -100.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0.2%
 -100.00%
Two Or More Races
1.8%
1.2%
 +50.00%
Other
0.1%
0%
 0.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Union County, Tennessee by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 42.5 0% 42 +0.48% 42.7 -0.7%
2020 42.5 -1.16% 41.8 -1.65% 43 -1.83%
2019 43 +1.65% 42.5 +2.41% 43.8 +1.62%
2018 42.3 +0.71% 41.5 +1.97% 43.1 +0.23%
2017 42 - 40.7 - 43 -

The median age of Union County, Tennessee gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 1,085 +1.58% 1,125 -16.83% 1,100 946
10 to 19 1,350 -8.33% 1,125 +22.75% 1,239 1,401
20 to 29 1,080 +7.99% 1,120 -7.39% 1,166 1,038
30 to 39 1,079 +4.92% 1,171 +5.44% 1,118 1,234
40 to 49 1,300 -7.47% 1,217 -0.19% 1,196 1,206
50 to 59 1,463 -2.81% 1,474 -9.01% 1,420 1,344
60 to 69 1,280 +10.06% 1,384 +2.16% 1,411 1,411
70+ 879 +16.1% 1,044 +26.76% 1,022 1,345

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Union County, Tennessee is $50,868.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Union County.

  • Under 25
    $42,154.00
  • 25 to 44
    $61,675.00
  • 45 to 64
    $53,610.00
  • 65 and over
    $39,907.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Union County, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Union County, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Union County, Tennessee is currently $67,551.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

2.33% of households in Union County are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Union County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    20.47%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    29.13%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    21.59%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    12.05%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    10.31%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    4.12%
  • $200,000 or more
    2.33%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Union County is $26,390.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Union County by the total population of Union County.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Union County, Tennessee, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Union County to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    7.07%
  • Bachelor's degree
    11.96%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    12.45%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    64.39%
  • Less than high school diploma
    4.13%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Union County that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Union County over the age of 16 is 15,850.

Of those people, a total of 54.30% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Union County is 51.10%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 939 41.20% 9.60%
20 to 24 years 1,068 81.10% 7.40%
25 to 29 years 1,136 74.60% 7.60%
30 to 34 years 1,126 82.90% 3.60%
35 to 44 years 2,339 77.20% 7.10%
45 to 54 years 2,698 70.20% 4.30%
55 to 59 years 1,355 53.30% 0.00%
60 to 64 years 1,674 40.00% 1.60%
65 to 74 years 2,211 16.10% 9.00%
75 years and over 1,304 9.50% 39.50%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Union County. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 15,317 53.50% 5.50%
Black or African American 92 34.80% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0 0.00% 0.00%
Asian 8 100.00% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 9 11.10% 0.00%
Other 21 61.90% 0.00%
Two or more races 403 88.30% 15.20%
Hispanic or Latino 269 67.70% 0.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 15,219 53.70% 5.50%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Union County as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Union County is 8,103, with median earnings of $33,092.00.

Women in Union County, Tennessee earning approximately 72.30% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 8,103 $33,092.00
Male 4,434 $39,927.00
Female 3,669 $28,854.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 608 $52,461.00
Business and Financial 145 $49,306.00
Computer and Mathematical 30 $40,833.00
Architecture and Engineering 61 $62,548.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 70 $73,491.00
Community and Social Service 154 $24,191.00
Legal 72 $0.00
Educational and Library 373 $38,949.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 8 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 498 $40,795.00
Healthcare Support 286 $25,458.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 28 $27,143.00
Law Enforcement 16 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 396 $10,714.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 454 $23,846.00
Personal Care and Service 123 $23,393.00
Sales 893 $25,705.00
Office and Administrative Support 797 $29,102.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 29 $21,771.00
Construction and Extraction 961 $42,587.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 397 $41,231.00
Production 689 $40,417.00
Transportation and Material Moving 528 $41,461.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 427 $56,756.00 181 $49,476.00
Business and Financial 32 $59,318.00 113 $42,321.00
Computer and Mathematical 25 $2,499.00 5 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 58 $52,333.00 3 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 70 $73,491.00 0 $0.00
Community and Social Service 33 $53,583.00 121 $22,978.00
Legal 0 $0.00 72 $0.00
Educational and Library 12 $0.00 361 $38,835.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 0 $0.00 8 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 45 $49,792.00 453 $39,469.00
Healthcare Support 6 $0.00 280 $25,583.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 28 $27,143.00 0 $0.00
Law Enforcement 16 $0.00 0 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 117 $7,039.00 279 $11,750.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 330 $25,517.00 124 $13,523.00
Personal Care and Service 9 $0.00 114 $25,000.00
Sales 435 $27,327.00 458 $21,340.00
Office and Administrative Support 109 $46,563.00 688 $28,646.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 23 $22,396.00 6 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 911 $42,969.00 50 $28,942.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 397 $41,231.00 0 $0.00
Production 470 $43,910.00 219 $31,893.00
Transportation and Material Moving 506 $41,818.00 22 $0.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 7,411 households in Union County, with an average household size of 2.62 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 5,663 families in Union County with an average family size of 2.94 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 4,260 396 1,007 1,748
Average Household Size 3.04 2.79 3.13 1.27
Total Families 4,260 396 1,007 0
Average Household Size 3.01 2.35 2.87 0

Poverty

Of the 5,663 families in Union County, 13.50% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Union County:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 9,489 housing units in Union County, Tennessee.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 7,411 78.10%
Vacant 2,078 21.90%

13.15% of the total 9,489 housing units in Union County are rental units. This is approximately 1,248 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 5,764 are occupied by the owner - or 60.74% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Union County is $771.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Union County that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    399
  • Less than $500
    227
  • $500 to $999
    830
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    145
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    16
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    0
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    30
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in Union County is $144,400.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Union County that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    888
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    794
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    1,359
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    1,197
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    925
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    349
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    230
  • $1,000,000 or more
    22

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Union County. The chart below shows the number of properties in Union County that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    436
  • 1940 to 1949
    206
  • 1950 to 1959
    331
  • 1960 to 1969
    768
  • 1970 to 1979
    1,117
  • 1980 to 1989
    1,413
  • 1990 to 1999
    2,185
  • 2000 to 2009
    2,260
  • 2010 to 2013
    765
  • 2014 or later
    8

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Union County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    361
  • 1 vehicle available
    2,017
  • 2 vehicles available
    2,555
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    2,478

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Union County get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Union County that commute to work in a particular way.

31.6 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Union County.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    97
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    735
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    484
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    629
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    680
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    690
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    1,197
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    350
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    509
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    1,254
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    723
  • 90 or more minutes
    115

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Union County, Tennessee in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

Places in Union County, Tennessee

We have data for 9 places in Union County, Tennessee. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.