The Town FilesUnion, Missouri
City in Franklin County · population 12,348 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $205,200
- Household income
- $73,435
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 14 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 33.3
Union is a city of 12,348 people in Franklin County, Missouri. The median home is worth $205,200, above the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks better for cycling than 85% of Missouri towns, better transit than 77% of Missouri towns.
How Union ranks
Percentile among Missouri towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Missouri towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Union is worth $205,200, above the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $73,435, which is more affordable than 47% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $858 a month. 60.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Union | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $205,200 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $858 | $855 |
| Median household income | $73,435 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 60.6% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1996 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.3% | — |
Who lives in Union
| People | Union | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.3 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.4% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 26.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.7% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.1% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 9.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.4% | — |
| Work from home | 9.0% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 24.2 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.5% | 88.7% |
Weather in Union
July highs average 90.6°F and January lows 22.9°F. About 45.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 14.4 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 50 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 101 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Union since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on February 24, 1956 about 4.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 14, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 83 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on May 26, 2004.
Severe weather in Franklin County since 1996
Franklin County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4867: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Wildfires |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4490: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3482: Covid-19 |
| June 2, 2017 | Flood | DR-4317: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding |
| January 21, 2016 | Flood | DR-4250: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Franklin County
Franklin County had 39,312 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,695 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Union itself the ACS puts it at 3.7%.
Public schools in Union
6 public schools with 3,124 students, about 13.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| UNION HIGH | 9-12 | 993 | 15.5 |
| UNION MIDDLE | 6-8 | 668 | 14.8 |
| CENTRAL ELEM. | PK-5 | 604 | 12.6 |
| PRAIRIE DELL ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 533 | 11.8 |
| Clearview Elementary | K-6 | 292 | 13.9 |
| AUTUMN HILL SCHOOL | K-12 | 34 | 4.9 |
Towns near Union
- St. Clair, MO6.3 mi · 4,791 people · home $157,700
- Villa Ridge, MO6.4 mi · 2,601 people · home $166,600
- Washington, MO8.0 mi · 14,500 people · home $231,800
- Gray Summit, MO10.1 mi · 3,055 people · home $170,500
- Pacific, MO13.6 mi · 7,414 people · home $249,300
- Sullivan, MO18.0 mi · 6,906 people · home $163,200
- Eureka, MO19.4 mi · 11,646 people · home $379,200
- Wildwood, MO20.2 mi · 35,417 people · home $495,800
Union questions
Is Union, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Union scores better for retirees than 22% of Missouri towns and quieter than 30%. 12.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.3).
How much does a house cost in Union?
The median owner-occupied home in Union is valued at $205,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,435, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $858 a month.
What is the weather like in Union?
July highs average 90.6°F and January lows 22.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.0 inches of precipitation a year and 14.4 inches of snow.
Does Union get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Union since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on February 24, 1956. The typical Missouri town has had 23.
- 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)