Union County, Iowa
Among the top 10% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 53% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 24% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 45% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 90% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 87% of US counties
- top 3% for commute time
- top 13% for park & nature access
- bottom 9% for property tax rate
Union County is a county in Iowa with about 12,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and D for weather. Standout strengths include commute time, park & nature access, and monthly owner costs. It rates lower on sunny days and property tax rate.
Official websiteunioncountyiowa.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
hot
warm
cool
cold
v.cold
68%49%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.6 in1.3 in
humid 81%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$56k37th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$43kbetter than 78% of US counties
Home Value$114k21st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$712better than 76% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 82% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.64%better than 9% of US counties
Income Tax6.00%better than 21% of US counties
Sales Tax6.94%better than 70% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden11.59%better than 20% of US counties
Unemployment5.7%better than 31% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)23°F19th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)76°F41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation37.9 in38th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall26.1 inbetter than 32% of US counties
Sunny Days194 daysbetter than 13% of US counties
Summer Humidity65°Fbetter than 51% of US counties
Comfortable Days88 daysbetter than 73% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk49.5better than 49% of US counties
School Quality57.1better than 55% of US counties
Violent Crime929/100kbetter than 40% of US counties
Property Crime1013/100kbetter than 45% of US counties
Community
Population12,10727th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age40.036th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1011th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9516th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+3242nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)93.3%86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.4%18th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)3.2%33rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.6%52nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.6%28th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time15 minbetter than 97% of US counties
Walkability6.5/20better than 63% of US counties
Airport Distance88 mibetter than 56% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access83.9%better than 54% of US counties
Amenities Nearby6.61better than 75% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 87% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Union County an affordable place to live?
- Union County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $43k, better than 78% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Union County?
- The median home value in Union County is $114k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Union County?
- Median household income in Union County is $56k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Union County?
- Median gross rent in Union County is $712 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Union County safe?
- Union County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 929/100k (better than 40%). Property crime is 1013/100k.
- What is the weather like in Union County?
- Union County averages 76°F in July and 23°F in January, with 37.9 in of annual precipitation and about 194 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Union County?
- Public-school quality in Union County is about average, scoring better than 55% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Union County?
- The average one-way commute in Union County is 15 min.
Other counties in Iowa
Explore Iowa
Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)