The Town FilesUnion, Kentucky
City in Boone County · population 7,416 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $411,500
- Household income
- $136,712
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 23 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 25
- Median age
- 39.5
Union is a city of 7,416 people in Boone County, Kentucky. The median home is worth $411,500, above the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). It ranks more upscale than 90% of Kentucky towns, better for families than 89% of Kentucky towns, more of a college town than 83% of Kentucky towns.
How Union ranks
Percentile among Kentucky towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Kentucky towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Union is worth $411,500, above the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $136,712, which is more affordable than 53% of Kentucky towns. Median rent is $1,657 a month. 82.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Union | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $411,500 | $161,450 |
| Median rent | $1,657 | $837 |
| Median household income | $136,712 | $54,969 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 82.5% | 63.5% |
| Median year built | 2007 | 1974 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.7% | — |
Who lives in Union
| People | Union | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.5 | 39.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.9% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 26.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 58.9% | 19.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.9% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 5.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.9% | — |
| Work from home | 21.8% | 7.5% |
| Average commute | 26.4 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.6% | 88.6% |
Weather in Union
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 23.1°F. About 45.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 23.3 inches of snow (typical Kentucky town: 9.4 in). Expect about 22 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 100 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Union since 1950, compared with 19 for the typical Kentucky town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on April 3, 1974 about 8.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 53 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 2, 1983.
Severe weather in Boone County since 1996
Boone County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3633: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 3, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3626: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| February 16, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3624: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| March 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4497: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3469: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Boone County
Boone County had 102,941 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,189 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Union itself the ACS puts it at 1.5%.
Public schools in Union
7 public schools with 7,541 students, about 17.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Larry A. Ryle High School | 9-12 | 2,062 | 18.9 |
| Randall K. Cooper High School | 9-12 | 1,485 | 18.6 |
| Gray Middle School | 6-8 | 1,007 | 17.7 |
| Longbranch Elementary School | PK-5 | 933 | 16.7 |
| Shirley Mann Elementary School | PK-5 | 744 | 15.8 |
| New Haven Elementary School | PK-5 | 696 | 16.2 |
| Ballyshannon Middle School | 6-8 | 614 | 15.7 |
Towns near Union
- Oakbrook, KY3.4 mi · 9,268 people · home $260,700
- Florence, KY3.5 mi · 31,946 people · home $210,700
- Elsmere, KY5.1 mi · 9,159 people · home $171,900
- Burlington, KY5.7 mi · 17,318 people · home $254,300
- Walton, KY6.7 mi · 5,460 people · home $262,200
- Independence, KY6.9 mi · 28,676 people · home $263,700
- Edgewood, KY7.5 mi · 8,435 people · home $312,200
- Erlanger, KY7.5 mi · 19,611 people · home $209,000
Union questions
Is Union, Kentucky a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Union scores better for retirees than 41% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 25%. 14.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.5).
How much does a house cost in Union?
The median owner-occupied home in Union is valued at $411,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $136,712, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $1,657 a month.
What is the weather like in Union?
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 23.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.3 inches of precipitation a year and 23.3 inches of snow.
Does Union get tornadoes?
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Union since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on April 3, 1974. The typical Kentucky town has had 19.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)