Union County, South Carolina
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 61% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B+, better than 74% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 2% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 28% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 66% of US counties
- top 5% for cost of living
- top 7% for monthly owner costs
- bottom 1% for violent crime
Union County is a county in South Carolina with about 27,000 residents. It grades B+ for weather and F for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include cost of living, monthly owner costs, and amenities nearby. It rates lower on property crime and violent crime.
Official websitegearupunionsc.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain
cold
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comf.
warm
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66%57%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.0 in3.4 in
muggy 91%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$42k9th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$41kbetter than 95% of US counties
Home Value$95k9th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$782better than 59% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 93% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.63%better than 73% of US counties
Income Tax6.40%better than 17% of US counties
Sales Tax7.50%better than 43% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden10.29%better than 35% of US counties
Unemployment10.2%better than 5% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)43°F74th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)80°F69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation44.9 in54th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall1.7 inbetter than 73% of US counties
Sunny Days247 daysbetter than 62% of US counties
Summer Humidity68°Fbetter than 36% of US counties
Comfortable Days81 daysbetter than 54% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk58.2better than 41% of US counties
School Quality38.0better than 12% of US counties
Violent Crime3216/100kbetter than 1% of US counties
Property Crime3191/100kbetter than 3% of US counties
Community
Population27,15851st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age44.273rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4977th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.904th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+2535th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)64.2%29th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)28.9%90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)1.8%14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.1%18th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.9%77th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time28 minbetter than 26% of US counties
Walkability4.7/20better than 14% of US counties
Airport Distance54 mibetter than 78% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access80.8%better than 35% of US counties
Amenities Nearby7.36better than 78% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 67% 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 $41k, better than 95% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Union County?
- The median home value in Union County is $95k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Union County?
- Median household income in Union County is $42k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Union County?
- Median gross rent in Union County is $782 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 3216/100k (better than 1%). Property crime is 3191/100k.
- What is the weather like in Union County?
- Union County averages 80°F in July and 43°F in January, with 44.9 in of annual precipitation and about 247 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Union County?
- Public-school quality in Union County is below average, scoring better than 12% 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 28 min.
Other counties in South Carolina
Explore South Carolina
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)