The Town FilesUnion, South Carolina
City in Union County · population 8,174 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $109,400
- Household income
- $31,914
- Jan low / Jul high
- 29° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 45.5
Union is a city of 8,174 people in Union County, South Carolina. The median home is worth $109,400, below the typical South Carolina town ($183,100). It ranks more walkable than 91% of South Carolina towns, better transit than 74% of South Carolina towns, more vibrant than 71% of South Carolina towns.
How Union ranks
Percentile among South Carolina towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of South Carolina towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Union is worth $109,400, below the typical South Carolina town ($183,100). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $31,914, which is more affordable than 52% of South Carolina towns. Median rent is $832 a month. 49.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Union | Typical South Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $109,400 | $183,100 |
| Median rent | $832 | $937 |
| Median household income | $31,914 | $53,875 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 49.8% | 68.0% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Union
| People | Union | Typical South Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.5 | 40.0 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.6% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.7% | 20.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 28.9% | 17.8% |
| Veterans | 7.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.4% | — |
| Work from home | 2.4% | 6.8% |
| Average commute | 25.7 min | 25.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.0% | 87.8% |
Weather in Union
July highs average 90.4°F and January lows 29.0°F. About 45.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.9 inches of snow (typical South Carolina town: 0.8 in). Expect about 56 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 87 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Union since 1950, compared with 17 for the typical South Carolina town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on August 16, 1994 about 1.1 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 4 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on December 29, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 37 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 23, 2014.
Severe weather in Union County since 1996
Union County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 23, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3632: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 29, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4829: Hurricane Helene |
| September 29, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4835: Tropical Storm Debby |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3619: Hurricane Helene |
| August 5, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3606: Hurricane Debby |
Jobs and pay in Union County
Union County had 7,424 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,510 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Union itself the ACS puts it at 11.4%.
Public schools in Union
5 public schools with 2,587 students, about 13.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Union County High | 9-12 | 1,069 | 21.4 |
| Sims Middle | 6-8 | 635 | 12.2 |
| Monarch Elementary | PK-5 | 449 | 12.8 |
| Foster Park Elementary | PK-5 | 434 | 12.8 |
| Union County Career and Technology Center | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Union
- Clinton, SC21.9 mi · 7,633 people · home $173,400
- Spartanburg, SC23.0 mi · 38,732 people · home $203,700
- Woodruff, SC23.5 mi · 4,212 people · home $204,800
- Chester, SC23.7 mi · 5,269 people · home $123,000
- Gaffney, SC24.3 mi · 12,764 people · home $137,700
- Whitney, SC24.6 mi · 4,409 people · home $157,400
- East Gaffney, SC25.0 mi · 2,882 people · home $77,600
- Saxon, SC25.5 mi · 3,896 people · home $90,000
Union questions
Is Union, South Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Union scores better for retirees than 26% of South Carolina towns and quieter than 42%. 20.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.5).
How much does a house cost in Union?
The median owner-occupied home in Union is valued at $109,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $31,914, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $832 a month.
What is the weather like in Union?
July highs average 90.4°F and January lows 29.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.2 inches of precipitation a year and 1.9 inches of snow.
Does Union get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Union since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on August 16, 1994. The typical South Carolina town has had 17.
- 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)