Union County, Iowa Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Union County is located in Iowa with a total population of 11,993. It is the 63rd most populous county out of 99 in Iowa. The county encompasses 7 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Union County is 40.5 years. This is 5% higher than the state median of 38.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Union County is $57,772. This is 23% lower than the state median of $75,059. It is also 28% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.4%. This is 12% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.1%. The unemployment rate is 4.0%. This is 13% higher than the state rate of 3.6%. The median home value is $122,000. Housing costs are 41% lower than the state median of $208,000. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.1x, Union County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 72.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied.

Race & Ethnicity

Union County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 91.9% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.8%. The Black or African American population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 3.8%. The Asian population (0.9%) is well below the state average of 2.5%.

Education

23.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 26% lower than the state rate of 31.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 91.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Union County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Iowa and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.