Union County, NJ

County

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2023 Population

572,549

0.0822% 1-year growth

US Senator

Cory Booker

Democratic Party

US Senator

Andy Kim

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

39.1

0.256% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

8.92%

0.673% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$100,117

5.39% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$488,800

6.72% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

293,183

0.236% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Union County, NJ had a population of 573k people with a median age of 39.1 and a median household income of $100,117. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Union County, NJ grew from 572,079 to 572,549, a 0.0822% increase and its median household income grew from $95,000 to $100,117, a 5.39% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Union County, NJ are White (Non-Hispanic) (36.3%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (19.6%), Other (Hispanic) (18.4%), Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) (8.44%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (5.51%).

None of the households in Union County, NJ reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

84% of the residents in Union County, NJ are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Union County, NJ are Kean University (3,145 degrees awarded in 2023), UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ (1,462 degrees), and Lincoln Technical Institute-Union (953 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Union County, NJ was $488,800, and the homeownership rate was 57.6%.

Most people in Union County, NJ drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 30.7 minutes. The average car ownership in Union County, NJ was 2 cars per household.

Union County, NJ borders Essex County, NJ, Hudson County, NJ, Middlesex County, NJ, Morris County, NJ, Somerset County, NJ, and Richmond County, NY.

About the photo: Aerial over Elizabeth, NJ

Photo by formulanone

United States New Jersey New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA

Population & Diversity

Union County, NJ is home to a population of 573k people, from which 84% are citizens. As of 2023, 32.7% of Union County, NJ residents were born outside of the country (187k people).

In 2023, there were 1.85 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (208k people) in Union County, NJ than any other race or ethnicity. There were 112k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 105k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

84%

2023 Citizenship

84.9%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 84% of Union County, NJ residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Union County, NJ was 84.9%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Union County, NJ compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Union County, NJ

White (Non-Hispanic)
208k ± 1.22k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
112k ± 1.21k
Other (Hispanic)
105k ± 3.65k

34.4%

Hispanic Population

197k people

34.4% of the people in Union County, NJ are hispanic (197k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Union County, NJ as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for New Jersey.

Most Common Origin

India
273,706 ± 12,653 people
Dominican Republic
205,965 ± 11,018 people
Mexico
107,667 ± 8,009 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of New Jersey was India, the natal country of 273,706 New Jersey residents, followed by Dominican Republic with 205,965 and Mexico with 107,667.

Foreign-Born Population

32.7%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

187k people

31.5%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

180k people

As of 2023, 32.7% of Union County, NJ residents (187k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Union County, NJ was 31.5%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Union County, NJ compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
4,664 ± 562
Gulf War (2001-)
1,941 ± 395
Gulf War (1990s)
1,283 ± 268

Union County, NJ has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.4 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Union County, NJ employs 293k people. In 2023, the largest industries in Union County, NJ were Health Care & Social Assistance (36,524 people), Transportation & Warehousing (28,167 people), and Educational Services (28,010 people), and the highest paying industries were Finance & Insurance ($130,983), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($113,996), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($100,549).

Employment

Occupations

293k

2023 Value

± 4,659

0.236%

1 Year growth

± 2.26%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Union County, NJ grew at a rate of 0.236%, from 292k employees to 293k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Union County, NJ, are Management Occupations (33,390 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (33,133 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (24,802 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Union County, NJ.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New Jersey.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in New Jersey (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

293k

2023 Value

± 4,659

0.236%

1 Year growth

± 2.26%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Union County, NJ grew at a rate of 0.236%, from 292k employees to 293k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Union County, NJ, are Health Care & Social Assistance (36,524 people), Transportation & Warehousing (28,167 people), and Educational Services (28,010 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Union County, NJ, though some of these residents may live in Union County, NJ and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$60,680

Median earning men ± $1,235

$47,709

Median earning women ± $1,370

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($146,104), Information ($100,304), and Public Administration ($88,493).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($88,090), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($82,815), and Information ($81,021).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New Jersey.

Y-Axis

2.27%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 4.24M people employed in New Jersey. This represents a 2.27% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 16.5%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in New Jersey.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

1,094
Construction
1,011
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
992
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$2.68M
Wholesale Trade
$2.16M
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
$1.94M
Health Care and Social Assistance

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Education

In 2023, universities in Union County, NJ awarded 5,902 degrees. The student population of Union County, NJ in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 9,837 male students and 14,191 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Union County, NJ are Hispanic or Latino (1,886 and 32.8%), followed by White (1,717 and 29.8%), Black or African American (1,351 and 23.5%), and Unknown (331 and 5.75%).

The largest universities in Union County, NJ by number of degrees awarded are Kean University (3,145 and 53.3%), UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ (1,462 and 24.8%), and Lincoln Technical Institute-Union (953 and 16.1%).

The most popular majors in Union County, NJ are Electrician (479 and 8.12%), Registered Nursing (456 and 7.73%), and General Psychology (415 and 7.03%).

The median tuition costs in Union County, NJ are $11,275 for private four year colleges, and $11,135 and $18,785 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2023 in Union County, NJ, the percentage of applicants admitted was 77.2%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 21.4%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 24,028 (40.9% men and 59.1% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 24,028 students enrolled in Union County, NJ, 40.9% men and 59.1% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 9,248 records, of which 59.1% were women and 40.9% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Psychology
374 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
249 degrees awarded
General Biological Sciences
192 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Union County, NJ was General Psychology with 374 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Union County, NJ according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Kean University
3,145 degrees awarded
UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ
1,462 degrees awarded
Lincoln Technical Institute-Union
953 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Kean University with 3,145 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 2,556 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Union County, NJ, which is 0.764 times less than the 3,346 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Hispanic or Latino students. These 1,886 degrees mean that there were 1.1 times more degrees awarded to Hispanic or Latino students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 1,717 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($11,275) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Private not-for-profit, 2-year ($18,496) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($1,440) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New Jersey.

Measure

In 2023, 1.22% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 1.18% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New Jersey.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2023 were High School or Equivalent (1.91M), Bachelors Degree (1.8M), and Some college (1.26M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Union County, NJ was $488,800 in 2023, which is 1.61 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $458,000 to $488,800, a 6.72% increase. The homeownership rate in Union County, NJ is 57.6%, which is lower than the national average of 65%.

People in Union County, NJ have an average commute time of 30.7 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Union County, NJ is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Union County, NJ is $100,117. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Union County, NJ was Census Tract 364, Union County, NJ with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 365, Union County, NJ and Census Tract 368, Union County, NJ, with respective values of $250,001 and $250,001.

In 2024, 21.8% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Union County, NJ. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 6.51%.

Housing

Property

$488,800

Median Property Value 2023

±$4,723

$116,188

Median Property Taxes

±$2,140

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Union County, NJ the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Union County, NJ compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

57.6%

Homeownership

2023

59.5%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 57.6% of the housing units in Union County, NJ were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 57.7%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Union County, NJ compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 364, Union County, NJ
Census Tract 365, Union County, NJ
Census Tract 368, Union County, NJ

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Union County, NJ was Census Tract 364, Union County, NJ with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 365, Union County, NJ and Census Tract 368, Union County, NJ, with respective values of $250,001 and $250,001.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Union County, NJ colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$100,117

Median Household Income

± $2,051

202k

Number of Households

± 3,615

In 2023, the median household income of the 202k households in Union County, NJ grew to $100,117 from the previous year's value of $95,000.

The following chart displays the households in Union County, NJ distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Union County, NJ is from New Jersey.

0.486

2023 Wage GINI in New Jersey

0.489

2022 Wage GINI in New Jersey

In 2023, the income inequality in New Jersey was 0.486 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.709% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for New Jersey was higher than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in New Jersey in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in New Jersey across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (62.4%)
Worked At Home (12.9%)
Public Transit (9.6%)

In 2023, 62.4% of workers in Union County, NJ drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (12.9%) and those who used public transit to get to work (9.6%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

30.7 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Union County, NJ have a longer commute time (30.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 4.98% of the workforce in Union County, NJ have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Union County, NJ compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Union County, NJ distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Union County, NJ have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2024, 21.8% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Union County, NJ. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 6.51%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

8.92% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Union County, NJ (50.5k out of 566k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Males 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Union County, NJ is Hispanic, followed by Other and White.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2024, 12.7% of the children was living in poverty in Union County, NJ. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 3.3%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 357 in Union County, NJ. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 97.5 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

87.6% of the population of Union County, NJ has health coverage, with 51.7% on employee plans, 16.6% on Medicaid, 10.8% on Medicare, 8.08% on non-group plans, and 0.316% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Union County, NJ see 1,625 patients per year on average, which represents a 8.26% increase from the previous year (1,501 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1124 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 422 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.3% were men and 50.7% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,625 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Union County, NJ

Primary care physicians in Union County, NJ see an average of 1,625 patients per year. This represents a 8.26% increase from the previous year (1,501 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Union County, NJ in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.8% under 18 years, 19.6% between 18 and 34 years, 41% between 35 and 64 years, and 14.6% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.3% were men and 50.7% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

12.4%

Uninsured

51.7%

Employer Coverage

16.6%

Medicaid

10.8%

Medicare

8.08%

Non-Group

0.316%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Union County, NJ grew by 1.98% from 12.1% to 12.4%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Union County, NJ changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2024, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 35.4 in Union County, NJ.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Union County, NJ.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2024, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 28.2% in Union County, NJ.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Union County, NJ.