County profile · North Carolina
Union County, NC market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in Union County, each scored against other counties.
- Population, 2025
- 267,674
- +11.7% since 2020
- Households
- 84,237
- Median household income
- $102,900
- +28.6% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $417,300
- Jobs located here
- 76,151
- Highest market score
- 90
- Convenience stores, #37 of 2,261 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Union County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Union County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 267,674 people live in Union County, in 84,237 households. Population estimates put the population change in Union County from 2020 to 2025 at +11.7%, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). The median household income in Union County is $102,900 a year, 27% above the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 28.6% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in Union County spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 153, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on medical and dental services (103, still above the U.S.).
The highest Groundwork market scores in Union County are for convenience stores (90), pizza places (85) and gas stations (85). Union County ranks #37 of 2,261 scored counties for convenience stores.
Union County is part of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area. For its number of households, Union County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for HVAC and plumbing companies (84% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for mortgage brokers and lenders (56% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Union County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Union County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Convenience stores | 90 | #37 of 2,261 | 58 | 6.9 | $9.8M | 124 | 11 |
| Pizza | 85 | #43 of 2,090 | 60 | 7.1 | $6.4M | 127 | 133 |
| Gas stations | 85 | #79 of 2,358 | 114 | 13.5 | $2.6M | 109 | 71 |
| Pet stores | 84 | #28 of 974 | 17 | 2.0 | $5.5M | 122 | 6 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 84 | #71 of 2,405 | 649 | 77.0 | $596K | 161 | 320 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 84 | #74 of 2,405 | 344 | 40.8 | $1.1M | 169 | 132 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 84 | #95 of 2,087 | 77 | 9.1 | $2.5M | 195 | 33 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 83 | #90 of 2,222 | 103 | 12.2 | $3.8M | 123 | 133 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 82 | #108 of 2,210 | 109 | 12.9 | $1.8M | 199 | 46 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 82 | #151 of 2,402 | 145 | 17.2 | $3.9M | 116 | 50 |
| Property management | 81 | #24 of 910 | 13 | 1.5 | Index only | 204 | 33 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 81 | #26 of 887 | 16 | 1.9 | Index only | 236 | 12 |
| Veterinarians | 80 | #96 of 1,485 | 30 | 3.6 | $3.1M | 115 | 24 |
| Spas and skin care | 79 | #81 of 1,769 | 64 | 7.6 | $1.4M | 161 | 15 |
| Physical therapy | 79 | #81 of 1,422 | 37 | 4.4 | $3M | 125 | 19 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 78 | #86 of 1,302 | 28 | 3.3 | $4M | 127 | 12 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 78 | #133 of 2,063 | 59 | 7.0 | $6.6M | 177 | 53 |
| Barbershops | 77 | #102 of 1,356 | 25 | 3.0 | $3.6M | 192 | 7 |
| Hair salons | 76 | #146 of 2,339 | 166 | 19.7 | $544K | 126 | 41 |
| Child care and preschools | 76 | #147 of 1,611 | 47 | 5.6 | $1.1M | 114 | 47 |
| Insurance agencies | 76 | #313 of 2,272 | 102 | 12.1 | $2.5M | 197 | 99 |
| Car washes and detailing | 74 | #142 of 1,451 | 32 | 3.8 | $3M | 120 | 16 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 73 | #207 of 1,889 | 66 | 7.8 | $5.9M | 141 | 59 |
| Chiropractors | 72 | #196 of 1,490 | 39 | 4.6 | $2.9M | 119 | 22 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 72 | #219 of 1,656 | 47 | 5.6 | $2.4M | 133 | 97 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 70 | #74 of 479 | 8 | 0.9 | $12.1M | 88 | 6 |
| Grocery stores | 70 | #420 of 2,070 | 60 | 7.1 | $9.5M | 102 | 39 |
| Tire shops | 69 | #310 of 1,530 | 35 | 4.2 | $2.8M | 111 | 19 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 69 | #324 of 2,385 | 310 | 36.8 | $291K | 137 | 81 |
| Funeral homes | 68 | #287 of 1,472 | 15 | 1.8 | $750K | 111 | 9 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 67 | #124 of 777 | 14 | 1.7 | $6.2M | 152 | 36 |
| Gyms | 67 | #290 of 1,792 | 59 | 7.0 | $1.5M | 113 | 36 |
| Pest control | 66 | #149 of 699 | 14 | 1.7 | $10.6M | 103 | 20 |
| Nail salons | 66 | #251 of 1,328 | 51 | 6.1 | $1.8M | 106 | 17 |
| Pet businesses | 66 | #441 of 2,200 | 116 | 13.8 | $806K | 92 | 62 |
| Dry cleaners | 60 | #169 of 507 | 11 | 1.3 | $17.3M | 111 | 13 |
| Electricians | 60 | #366 of 1,160 | 27 | 3.2 | $10.7M | 89 | 101 |
| Roofing and gutters | 60 | #367 of 1,177 | 35 | 4.2 | $8.3M | 98 | 41 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 60 | #765 of 2,394 | 569 | 67.5 | $195K | 128 | 224 |
| House cleaning | 59 | #256 of 847 | 25 | 3.0 | $5.9M | 92 | 74 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 58 | #669 of 1,886 | 98 | 11.6 | $1.1M | 115 | 69 |
| Real estate | 58 | #672 of 2,229 | 210 | 24.9 | Index only | 162 | 272 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 58 | #694 of 2,088 | 131 | 15.6 | $660K | 100 | 70 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 57 | #693 of 2,176 | 175 | 20.8 | Index only | 154 | 191 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 56 | #560 of 1,493 | 66 | 7.8 | $2.2M | 76 | 178 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 55 | #615 of 1,461 | 52 | 6.2 | $1.8M | 71 | 32 |
| Home inspectors | 54 | #167 of 415 | 6 | 0.7 | Index only | 93 | 17 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 53 | #759 of 1,771 | 105 | 12.5 | $1.4M | 84 | 272 |
| Auto repair and car care | 53 | #1,105 of 2,401 | 392 | 46.5 | $247K | 92 | 178 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 52 | #629 of 1,327 | 41 | 4.9 | $2.4M | 77 | 33 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 49 | #724 of 1,334 | 58 | 6.9 | $1.5M | 74 | 34 |
| Auto repair shops | 49 | #1,251 of 2,378 | 258 | 30.6 | $376K | 85 | 131 |
| Home repair trades | 47 | #1,201 of 2,057 | 160 | 19.0 | $1.8M | 75 | 282 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 44 | #1,084 of 1,707 | 98 | 11.6 | $3M | 62 | 140 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 0.4 | $63.6M | 508 | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 0.4 | $37.1M | 151 | 5 |
Household spending in Union County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $97M | $1,151 | 120 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $297.2M | $3,528 | 136 |
| Food away from home | $386.9M | $4,592 | 113 |
| Groceries | $568.8M | $6,753 | 107 |
| Personal care products and services | $90.3M | $1,072 | 107 |
| Child care and other personal services | $53.7M | $638 | 110 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $86.4M | $1,026 | 104 |
| Medical and dental services | $111.2M | $1,320 | 103 |
| Pets | $93.5M | $1,110 | 122 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $190.8M | $2,265 | 110 |
| Vehicle insurance | $252.2M | $2,994 | 153 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $290M | $3,443 | 114 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $147.7M | $1,754 | 124 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $1.5B | $17,473 | 105 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Union County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 267,674+11.7% since 2020
- Households
- 84,237
- Median age
- 39.7
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 82%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.2
- Land area
- 633 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 397
- Median household income
- $102,900+28.6% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $137,492
- Median home value
- $417,300
- Jobs located here
- 76,151
- Daytime population
- 210,985Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Union County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Union County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Nearest counties in North Carolina 8
- Mecklenburg County, NC1,154,681 people
- Cabarrus County, NC236,133 people
- Stanly County, NC64,651 people
- Anson County, NC22,289 people
- Gaston County, NC234,881 people
- Rowan County, NC149,875 people
- Lincoln County, NC92,716 people
- Montgomery County, NC26,007 people
Questions
How fast is Union County, NC growing?
Population estimates put Union County at 267,674 people in 2025, up 11.7% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 84,237 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 28.6%, before inflation.
How much do households in Union County, NC spend?
Households in Union County spend about $1.5B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $568.8M on groceries and $386.9M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in Union County runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 153, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on medical and dental services (103, still above the U.S.).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Union County, NC?
Of the business types scored in Union County, convenience stores (90), pizza places (85) and gas stations (85) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For convenience stores, that ranks #37 of 2,261 scored counties.
How does Union County, NC compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in Union County is $102,900, 27% above the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 11.7% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $417,300, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for HVAC and plumbing companies (84% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for mortgage brokers and lenders (56% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 54 of the 56 business types have a score in Union County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Union County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in Union County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Union County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.