Union County, Illinois
Among the top 25% of US counties for safety & wellbeing.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 15% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 16% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B+, better than 75% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 26% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 62% of US counties
- top 7% for park & nature access
- top 19% for violent crime
- bottom 5% for broadband access
Union County is a county in Illinois with about 17,000 residents. It grades B+ for safety & wellbeing and D for affordability. Standout strengths include park & nature access, violent crime, and monthly rent. It rates lower on sales tax and broadband access.
Official websiteunioncountyil.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cold winters · Wet · Light snow
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81%51%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.3 in3.7 in
muggy 96%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$54k31st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$49kbetter than 24% of US counties
Home Value$129k32nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$710better than 77% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 51% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.40%better than 18% of US counties
Income Tax5.00%better than 46% of US counties
Sales Tax8.86%better than 15% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden11.27%better than 22% of US counties
Unemployment6.3%better than 23% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)34°F50th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)79°F58th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation50.9 in75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall10.4 inbetter than 53% of US counties
Sunny Days244 daysbetter than 59% of US counties
Summer Humidity69°Fbetter than 25% of US counties
Comfortable Days66 daysbetter than 21% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk55.4better than 44% of US counties
School Quality64.8better than 68% of US counties
Violent Crime341/100kbetter than 81% of US counties
Property Crime527/100kbetter than 71% of US counties
Community
Population17,12237th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age44.776th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1630th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0267th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+4152nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)90.6%74th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.5%44th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)5.3%53rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.3%32nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.3%23rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time26 minbetter than 40% of US counties
Walkability5.4/20better than 28% of US counties
Airport Distance107 mibetter than 45% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access68.7%better than 5% of US counties
Amenities Nearby6.42better than 74% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 93% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Union County an affordable place to live?
- Union County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $49k, better than 24% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Union County?
- The median home value in Union County is $129k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Union County?
- Median household income in Union County is $54k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Union County?
- Median gross rent in Union County is $710 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Union County safe?
- Union County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 341/100k (better than 81%). Property crime is 527/100k.
- What is the weather like in Union County?
- Union County averages 79°F in July and 34°F in January, with 50.9 in of annual precipitation and about 244 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Union County?
- Public-school quality in Union County is above average, scoring better than 68% 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 26 min.
Other counties in Illinois
Explore Illinois
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)