Union County, Tennessee 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.
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D
Union County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Union County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $63,970 | $69,901 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $44,243 | $53,263 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 6.7% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.5% | 10.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.3% | 9.0% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Union County is about 8% lower than in Tennessee. Income has been growing faster in Union County (6.7%/yr) than in Tennessee (5.2%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Union County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Tennessee average of 10%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Union County, Tennessee grew by 103.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $63,970 in 2024. That's an average of about 6.7% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Union County
| Metric | Union County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.518 | 0.542 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $50,821 | $61,993 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $46,460 | $50,108 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 8.6% | 19.2% | 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 0.518, lower than Tennessee's 0.542, 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 9% more than women's income in Union County, Tennessee. Over a 35-year career, a 9% wage gap accumulates to roughly $152,635 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Union County, Tennessee has narrowed from about 23% to 9% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $3,670 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Union County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 2.6% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 11.5% | 12.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 33 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 240 people are unemployed in Union County, Tennessee.
The average commute time in Union County is 33 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in Tennessee.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Union County, Tennessee has fallen from 8.6% to 2.6% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 11.1% in 2013.
Union County, TN Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Union County, TN is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 20,431 residents against a local median of 39,761. Where Union County, TN breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 42% below the local median of 4.5% at 2.6%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 6.7%/yr against a local median of 5.0%/yr, 33% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Union County, TN is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread 1.4% on unemployment, so Union County, TN sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Union County, TN has the 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, TN | 20,431 | $63,970 #3/6 | 6.7%/yr #1/6 | 2.6% #1/6 | 0.518 #1/6 |
| Claiborne County, TN | 32,466 | $49,273 | 5.0%/yr | 4.5% | 0.537 |
| Knox County, TN | 494,148 | $74,263 | 5.0%/yr | 3.5% | 0.543 |
| Grainger County, TN | 24,266 | $50,783 | 3.9%/yr | 4.7% | 0.548 |
| Campbell County, TN | 39,761 | $51,969 | 5.6%/yr | 5.0% | 0.534 |
| Anderson County, TN | 79,153 | $67,394 | 5.4%/yr | 3.7% | 0.532 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Union County, Tennessee has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Tennessee, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Union County, Tennessee.
How Wealthy Is Union County, Tennessee?
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 $63,970, about 8% lower than the Tennessee average of $69,901.
Are incomes growing in Union County, Tennessee?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Union County, Tennessee rose 104%, from $31,401 to $63,970. Over the same years, income here outpaced Tennessee as a whole: +104% against +63%.
What was the median household income in Union County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Union County, Tennessee was $63,187, up 13% from $56,042 in 2022. The Tennessee median that year was $67,483.
What was the median household income in Union County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Union County, Tennessee was $45,146. By 2024 it had risen 42% to $63,970.
How strong is the job market in Union County, Tennessee?
Unemployment in Union County, Tennessee is only 2.6%, well below the Tennessee rate of 4.6%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Union County, Tennessee?
The Gini coefficient in Union County is 0.518. 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, Tennessee?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Union County, Tennessee has narrowed from about 23% to 9% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $3,670 since 2009.
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