Union County, South Carolina Income Statistics
Union County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
-
D
Union County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Union County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $41,432 | $69,383 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $42,413 | $52,934 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 2.2% | 5.0% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 4.2% | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 2.5% | 8.9% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Union County is about 40% lower than in South Carolina. Income has been growing slower in Union County (2.2%/yr) than in South Carolina (5.0%/yr).
About 4% of adults in Union County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the South Carolina average of 11%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Union County, South Carolina grew by 24.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $41,432 in 2024. That's an average of about 2.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Union County
| Metric | Union County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.528 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $55,683 | $62,655 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $39,726 | $49,387 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 28.7% | 21.2% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Union County, it is 0.528, lower than South Carolina's 0.547, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 40% more than women's income in Union County, South Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 40% wage gap accumulates to roughly $558,495 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
The income gap between men and women in Union County, South Carolina has stayed about the same since 2009, at around 29%. Over that period the gap was widest at 32% in 2010, and was narrowest at 23% in 2016. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $4,742 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Union County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.9% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 3.4% | 11.5% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 22 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 930 people are unemployed in Union County, South Carolina.
The average commute time in Union County is 22 minutes, about the same as in South Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Union County, South Carolina has fallen from 14.8% to 7.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 15.8% in 2012 and fell as low as 6.8% in 2019.
Union County, SC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Union County, SC is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 26,885 residents against a local median of 56,649. Union County, SC's unemployment, at 7.9%, runs 77% above the 4.5% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 2.2%/yr against a local median of 4.9%/yr, 55% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Union County, SC reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 1.9% on unemployment, so Union County, SC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Union County, SC has the 6th lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County, SC | 26,885 | $41,432 #6/6 | 2.2%/yr #6/6 | 7.9% #6/6 | 0.528 #2/6 |
| Cherokee County, SC | 56,649 | $50,370 | 4.5%/yr | 6.2% | 0.529 |
| Newberry County, SC | 38,435 | $62,057 | 5.7%/yr | 4.4% | 0.539 |
| Laurens County, SC | 68,664 | $57,581 | 4.8%/yr | 4.5% | 0.535 |
| Spartanburg County, SC | 347,752 | $66,222 | 4.9%/yr | 4.3% | 0.539 |
| Chester County, SC | 32,186 | $53,740 | 5.8%/yr | 5.5% | 0.519 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Union County, South Carolina has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than South Carolina, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Union County, South Carolina.
How Wealthy Is Union County, South Carolina?
Union County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $41,432, about 40% lower than the South Carolina average of $69,383.
How fast is household income rising in Union County, South Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Union County, South Carolina rose 24%, from $33,337 to $41,432. Over the same years, income here lagged behind South Carolina as a whole: +24% against +59%.
What was the median household income in Union County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Union County, South Carolina was $41,454, down 3% from $42,519 in 2022. The South Carolina median that year was $66,973.
What was the median household income in Union County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Union County, South Carolina was $41,295. By 2024 it was about the same, at $41,432.
Is unemployment high in Union County, South Carolina?
Unemployment in Union County, South Carolina is 7.9%, well above the South Carolina rate of 4.8%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Union County, South Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Union County is 0.528. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Union County, South Carolina?
The income gap between men and women in Union County, South Carolina has stayed about the same since 2009, at around 29%. Over that period the gap was widest at 32% in 2010, and was narrowest at 23% in 2016. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $4,742 since 2009.
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