1st Advantage MortgageAbout 73% of Union County homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $55,259. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Union County by the numbers
- How much Union County households make
- What it costs to live in Union County
- Jobs and commutes in Union County
- Places inside Union County
- How Union County compares with nearby counties
- Debt-to-income at Union County's medians
- Reading the Union County data as a borrower
- Union County households compared
- Who licenses lenders for Union County residents
- A Union County borrower's checklist
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Union County by the numbers
Roughly 37,900 residents live in Union County, Arkansas, 21st by population among the state's 75 counties and county equivalents. Spread over 1,039 square miles, that works out to roughly 36.5 residents per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Union County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. Of the 11 Census places inside Union County, El Dorado leads by population with about 17,115; 8 of the 11 are incorporated.
How much Union County households make
Half of Union County households take in less than $55,259 a year and half take in more, 9% below the Arkansas median of $60,773.
| Income band | Share in Union County | Difference from Arkansas |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 33.7% | +4.7 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 41.0% | -2.1 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 19.8% | -1.4 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 5.5% | -1.2 pts |
About 34% of households earn under $35,000, while 25% clear $100,000. The poverty rate is 19.5%, 4 points higher than the state's 16.0%. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.480 here. A household earning below the $55,259 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
What it costs to live in Union County
Renters in Union County pay a median of $847 a month, 11% below the Arkansas figure of $947. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 44% of renter households here. With a median value of $120,900, a typical Union County house costs 2.2 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 73%. Half the housing stock was built before 1979.
| Housing | Union County | Arkansas statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $847/mo | $947/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $120,900 | $188,000 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 73% | 66% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 44% | 45% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 30% | 22% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Union County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it.
Jobs and commutes in Union County
By the Census industry count, 23% of employed Union County residents work in education and health care and 18% in manufacturing. Manufacturing stands out: 18% of workers here, versus 13% statewide. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 5.5% in Union County. Long commutes are the exception here: 8% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Households without a car make up 6.6% of the total (5.9% statewide).
| Sector | Union County | Compared with Arkansas |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 23.1% | -0.9 pts |
| Manufacturing | 18.4% | +5.7 pts |
| Retail trade | 13.1% | -0.1 pts |
| Construction | 9.3% | +2.0 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 8.4% | +0.2 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 5.7% | -2.2 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Places inside Union County
11 Census places fall mainly inside Union County; the 11 biggest are below. They account for 22,582 residents, leaving about 40% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Smackover has the highest median household income on the list ($55,995) and El Dorado the lowest ($49,244), counting places with at least 500 residents. No Union County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 11.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Dorado | city | 17,115 | $49,244 | $880 | 5 mi |
| Smackover | city | 2,419 | $55,995 | $860 | 16 mi |
| Norphlet | city | 1,003 | $51,705 | $597 | 11 mi |
| Junction City | city | 564 | n/a | $717 | 12 mi |
| Strong | city | 434 | $36,063 | $488 | 15 mi |
| Huttig | city | 401 | $55,000 | $660 | 26 mi |
| Calion | city | 355 | $41,417 | n/a | 12 mi |
| Urbana | CDP | 147 | n/a | n/a | 9 mi |
| Lawson | CDP | 86 | $91,389 | n/a | 7 mi |
| Felsenthal | town | 40 | $33,750 | n/a | 27 mi |
| Mount Holly | CDP | 18 | n/a | n/a | 22 mi |
A CDP is a named community without its own municipal government.
How Union County compares with nearby counties
Six nearby counties, 27 to 37 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Income ranges from $32,831 in Claiborne Parish to $66,809 in Calhoun County; 2 of these neighbors top Union County's median. The list crosses into Louisiana, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County | - | $55,259 | $847/mo | 73% |
| Union Parish, LA | 27 mi | $42,885 | $778/mo | 78% |
| Calhoun County, AR | 28 mi | $66,809 | $769/mo | 88% |
| Bradley County, AR | 32 mi | $41,476 | $689/mo | 66% |
| Claiborne Parish, LA | 33 mi | $32,831 | $674/mo | 69% |
| Ouachita County, AR | 33 mi | $49,268 | $764/mo | 71% |
| Columbia County, AR | 37 mi | $55,334 | $649/mo | 71% |
Debt-to-income at Union County's medians
How much room does a median Union County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- Start: $4,605 gross per month ($55,259 / 12)
- Less median rent of $847, which is 18% of it
- With a 40% ceiling, about $995 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
Reading the Union County data as a borrower
What the Union County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Repairs on manufactured housing. With 20% of homes here, compare a personal loan with any dealer or park repair program.
- 20% below poverty. Emergency aid, payment plans and counseling (list) come first.
- Know your credit. Review all three bureau reports for free (AnnualCreditReport.com).
Union County households compared
College graduates make up 19% of the adult population. 5.6% of residents have no health coverage.
| Indicator | Union County | All of Arkansas | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.4 | 38.5 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 19.1% | 25.7% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 11.5% | 11.3% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 5.6% | 9.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 6.6% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 6.9% | 8.8% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 19.5% | 16.0% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.5% | 4.9% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Union County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 40.7% |
| 15 to 29 min | 35.8% |
| 30 to 44 min | 15.0% |
| 45 to 59 min | 4.4% |
| 60+ min | 4.0% |
Who licenses lenders for Union County residents
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Union County, check the Arkansas State Bank Department. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. Statewide data and rules: Arkansas guide.
A Union County borrower's checklist
Quick steps for Union County:
- Know the exact dollar figure you need before talking to a lender.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Pick the shortest term whose payment still fits.
Related local guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Arkansas guide.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Union County household make?
About $55,259 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 9% below the Arkansas median.
How does Union County rent compare with Arkansas?
$847 locally versus $947 for the state, 11% below.
Should Union County homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 73% of Union County homes are owner-occupied, and a home-equity loan or line is secured by the house while a personal loan usually is not.
What are the biggest places in Union County?
By population: El Dorado, Smackover, Norphlet, Junction City, Strong. The county has 11 Census places in all.
Does living in Union County change what I qualify for?
Not in our fit check, which uses only the amount, credit range, income and payments you enter, the same for a Union County resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.