Union County, North Carolina Housing Market Prices
Union County Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price 51% above the North Carolina median More expensive than 90% of counties in North Carolina$419,934
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Median rent 22% above the North Carolina median Among the 5 most expensive counties in North Carolina$1,495
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Union County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $419,934 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 9.9% | 9.3% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,495 | $1,227 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 6.4% | 5.3% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Union County is about 51% higher than in North Carolina. Rent is about 22% higher than the North Carolina average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in Union County, up about 9.9% and 6.4% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Union County rose about 72.4% between 2015 and 2024, from $867 to $1,495. Over the same span, rent in North Carolina rose about 54.2%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 4.0 yearly household incomes in Union County.
Buying the median-priced home in Union County costs roughly 23.4 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Union County. The price-to-rent ratio in North Carolina is about 18.9.
| Metric | Union County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $419,934 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $104,427 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 4.0 | 3.8 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Union County rose about 91.2%, while median household income rose about 65.6% between 2009 and 2025 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Union County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 77.4% | 58.3% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 17.4% | 29.2% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 5.2% | 12.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 15.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2011 | 2011 | 2011 |
Union County has a homeownership rate of 77.4%, higher than the North Carolina average of 58.3%. Its housing vacancy rate is 5.2%, compared with 12.5% in North Carolina.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Union County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.94 people | 2.44 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1996 | 1989 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 6.9 | 5.6 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Union County was built around 1996. On average, 2.9 people live in a home with about 6.9 rooms, staying for about 15.0 years on average.
Union County, NC Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Union County, NC is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 250,888 residents against a local median of 104,481. Union County, NC's median rent, at $1,495, runs 56% above the $958 typical of the counties around it.
Median home price tells the same story from another angle: $419,934 against a local median of $286,251, 47% above it. The counties themselves spread $813 on median rent, so Union County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Union County, NC has the 2nd highest median rent of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County, NC | 250,888 | $419,934 #1/6 | $1,495 #2/6 | 81.6% #2/6 |
| Lancaster County, SC | 104,481 | $286,251 | $958 | 83.3% |
| Mecklenburg County, NC | 1,154,528 | $336,691 | $1,627 | 55.1% |
| Cabarrus County, NC | 236,149 | $227,299 | $1,414 | 71.2% |
| Stanly County, NC | 64,639 | $296,127 | $861 | 74.5% |
| Anson County, NC | 22,289 | $122,368 | $814 | 68.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Union County, North Carolina.
What is the median home price in Union County, North Carolina?
The median home price in Union County, North Carolina is $419,934, higher than the North Carolina average of $278,288.
What is the average home price in Union County, North Carolina?
The typical home price in Union County, North Carolina, reported as the median sale price, is $419,934. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Union County, North Carolina?
The median gross rent in Union County, North Carolina is $1,495 per month, higher than the North Carolina average of $1,227.
What was the median gross rent in Union County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Union County, North Carolina was $1,077 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Union County, North Carolina?
The price-to-rent ratio in Union County, North Carolina is about 23.4, meaning it would take roughly 23.4 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Union County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Union County, North Carolina?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Union County, up about 9.9% and 6.4% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Union County, North Carolina?
77.4% of households in Union County, North Carolina own their home, higher than the North Carolina average of 58.3%.
What is the vacancy rate in Union County, North Carolina?
The housing vacancy rate in Union County, North Carolina is 5.2%, lower than the North Carolina average of 12.5%.
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