The Town Files

Union, Michigan

Charter township in Isabella County · population 11,699 (2020 Census)

Map: where Union is in MichiganUnion
Median home
$163,800
Household income
$43,694
Jan low / Jul high
16° / 84°
Snow a year
39 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
8
Median age
24.6

Union is a charter township of 11,699 people in Isabella County, Michigan. The median home is worth $163,800, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better for young professionals than 98% of Michigan towns, hipper than 91% of Michigan towns, better for cycling than 91% of Michigan towns.

How Union ranks

Percentile among Michigan towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Michigan towns.

Union lifestyle rankings vs other Michigan townsRetirement15th pctFamilies3rd pctQuiet9th pctWalkability61st pctFirst-time buyers51st pctYoung professionals98th pctVibrancy87th pctHip & trendy91st pctCollege town68th pctUpscale65th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling91st pctTransit85th pctDriving42nd pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Union is worth $163,800, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $43,694, which is more affordable than 12% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $896 a month. 38.9% of households own their home.

Union vs Isabella County vs typical Michigan townUnionIsabella CountyTypical Michigan townHome value$163,800$170,400$193,900Household income$43,694$55,237$69,792Monthly rent$896$913$955
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Michigan towns with 500+ people.
HousingUnionTypical Michigan town
Median home value$163,800$193,900
Median rent$896$955
Median household income$43,694$69,792
Home value ÷ income3.7×2.8×
Homeownership38.9%86.8%
Median year built19951975
Seasonal / vacation homes3.9%—

Who lives in Union

PeopleUnionTypical Michigan town
Median age24.643.7
Age 65 and over10.8%20.7%
Under 1815.9%—
Bachelor's degree or higher36.5%21.5%
Below the poverty line29.7%10.4%
Veterans5.0%—
Born outside the U.S.3.1%—
Work from home4.0%9.1%
Average commute17.6 min25.6 min
Homes with broadband78.2%88.8%

Weather in Union

July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 15.9°F. About 35.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 39.3 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 146 nights at or below freezing.

Union monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing30°16°Jan32°17°Feb43°24°Mar56°34°Apr69°46°May80°57°Jun84°61°Jul82°59°Aug74°51°Sep60°41°Oct46°31°Nov35°22°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.110.71.79.91.95.43.62.13.73.93.23.82.83.50.32.82.72.48.2
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Central Michigan Univ station (2.5 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 1 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Union since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 12, 1956 about 8.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 21, 2001.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Union by decade11950s11960s31970s01980s21990s12000s02010s02020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 24 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on October 4, 2006.

Severe weather in Isabella County since 1996

Storm events in Isabella County since 1996 by typeHail39Flood9Tornado5Blizzard2High Wind9Ice Storm5Heavy Snow16Flash Flood8
NOAA Storm Events Database, Isabella County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996).

Isabella County has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 27, 2020BiologicalDR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3455: Covid-19
August 2, 2017Severe StormDR-4326: Severe Storms And Flooding
September 7, 2005HurricaneEM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation
January 10, 2001SnowstormEM-3160: Snow

Jobs and pay in Isabella County

Isabella County had 26,640 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,992 a year. Unemployment was 4.5% in 2023; in Union itself the ACS puts it at 5.7%.

Largest industries in Isabella CountyHealth care & social assistan…3,145 jobs · $43,048Retail3,119 jobs · $36,058Manufacturing2,589 jobs · $61,354Hotels & restaurants2,298 jobs · $21,563Construction1,653 jobs · $70,988Transportation & warehousing936 jobs · $70,532
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Isabella County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Isabella 4.5%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Union

Union questions

Is Union, Michigan a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Union scores better for retirees than 15% of Michigan towns and quieter than 9%. 10.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 24.6).

How much does a house cost in Union?

The median owner-occupied home in Union is valued at $163,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $43,694, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $896 a month.

What is the weather like in Union?

July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 15.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.5 inches of precipitation a year and 39.3 inches of snow.

Does Union get tornadoes?

8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Union since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 12, 1956. The typical Michigan town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Union's Census boundary (GEOID 2607381340). Comparisons use the median of Michigan towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.