1st Advantage MortgageThe median Union County household earns $57,772, and 12% of residents live below the poverty line. A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Iowa license first.
On this page
- Union County by the numbers
- Rent, home values and ownership in Union County
- Income in Union County compared with Iowa
- Work, industries and travel time in Union County
- Towns and communities in Union County
- How Union County compares with nearby counties
- Union County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Borrowing situations common in Union County
- Room for a loan payment in Union County
- Who licenses lenders for Union County residents
- Four steps for Union County borrowers
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Union County by the numbers
The latest five-year Census estimate puts Union County's population at 11,993; only 62 of Iowa's 99 county-level areas are larger. Land area is 424 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 28 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 8 Census places inside Union County, Creston leads by population with about 7,435; 7 of the 8 are incorporated.
Rent, home values and ownership in Union County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $721 in Union County versus $972 statewide. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 35% of renter households here. With a median value of $122,000, a typical Union County house costs 2.1 times what the median household earns in a year. 72% of Union County households own their home and 28% rent.
| Measure | Union County | Iowa | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $721/mo | $972/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $122,000 | $208,000 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 72% | 72% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 35% | 44% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 31% | 20% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 12% | 8% | 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.
Income in Union County compared with Iowa
The median household income in Union County is $57,772; statewide it is $75,059, so Union County runs 23% below Iowa as a whole.
| Band | Union County | Compared with Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 26.7% | +5.6 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 51.3% | +8.4 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 19.4% | -8.1 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 2.6% | -6.0 pts |
The spread is wide: 22% of Union County households make $100,000 or more, and 27% make less than $35,000. The poverty rate is 12.4%, 1 point higher than the state's 11.1%. For a borrower in Union County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
Work, industries and travel time in Union County
The biggest employer of Union County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 23% of workers, followed by manufacturing (16%). Agriculture, forestry and mining stands out: 7% of workers here, versus 4% statewide. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 4.0% in Union County. Long commutes are the exception here: 9% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. 5.9% of households have no vehicle.
| Where residents work | Union County | Difference from Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.8% | -1.3 pts |
| Manufacturing | 15.9% | +1.2 pts |
| Retail trade | 12.9% | +1.4 pts |
| Construction | 8.1% | +1.1 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 7.0% | +3.2 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 6.8% | -0.8 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Towns and communities in Union County
The table lists the 8 largest of 8 Census places in Union County, by population. Together all 8 hold about 8,912 people, so roughly 26% of residents live outside any named place. No Union County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 8.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creston | city | 7,435 | $52,633 | $703 | 7 mi |
| Afton | city | 817 | $54,545 | $590 | 3 mi |
| Lorimor | city | 319 | $45,500 | $833 | 12 mi |
| Shannon City | city | 115 | $92,875 | n/a | 9 mi |
| Cromwell | city | 103 | $58,750 | n/a | 11 mi |
| Arispe | city | 78 | $53,750 | n/a | 6 mi |
| Thayer | city | 45 | $55,000 | n/a | 10 mi |
| Kent | CDP | 0 | n/a | n/a | 12 mi |
CDPs are unincorporated communities the Census Bureau defines for counting.
How Union County compares with nearby counties
Six nearby counties, 20 to 31 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Madison County leads the group on income ($90,855), Taylor County trails ($67,740), and Union County out-earns 0 of the six.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County | - | $57,772 | $721/mo | 72% |
| Ringgold County, IA | 20 mi | $73,346 | $710/mo | 78% |
| Adams County, IA | 24 mi | $71,875 | $893/mo | 77% |
| Clarke County, IA | 24 mi | $71,641 | $931/mo | 72% |
| Adair County, IA | 24 mi | $68,092 | $799/mo | 74% |
| Madison County, IA | 24 mi | $90,855 | $1,036/mo | 80% |
| Taylor County, IA | 31 mi | $67,740 | $765/mo | 78% |
Union County residents: age, schooling, coverage
Degree holders: 23% of adults over 25. About 8% go without health insurance.
| Union County | Iowa | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.5 | 38.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 23.3% | 31.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 8.5% | 6.7% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 8.3% | 5.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 5.9% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 4.6% | 11.3% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 12.4% | 11.1% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.0% | 3.6% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Union County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 63.1% |
| 15 to 29 min | 20.9% |
| 30 to 44 min | 6.9% |
| 45 to 59 min | 2.2% |
| 60+ min | 6.9% |
Borrowing situations common in Union County
Where the Union County numbers stand out, and why it matters for a loan:
- Consolidating cards in Union County. Compare the total repaid, not the monthly figure (how).
- Check your file. An error fixed before you apply can change the offers a Union County borrower sees (free reports).
- Requirements. Lenders weigh credit history, documented income and existing debt (what to gather).
Room for a loan payment in Union County
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Union County's medians:
- Monthly gross at the median, Union County: $4,814
- 15% goes to median rent ($721)
- Under a 35% cap, $1,685 total minus rent leaves $964
- 45% debt-to-income limit: $1,445 left for all other debt payments
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Union County's.
Who licenses lenders for Union County residents
Union County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Iowa Division of Banking. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. The Iowa guide covers state rules in more detail.
Four steps for Union County borrowers
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Know the exact dollar figure you need before talking to a lender.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- Confirm the lender is licensed in Iowa.
- Read the final agreement; it must match the offer.
Related local guides
The Iowa guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Union County household make?
About $57,772 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 23% below the Iowa median.
Is Union County expensive for renters?
Median rent is $721 against $972 statewide, and 35% of renter households are cost-burdened.
Which towns does the Union County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 8 Census places: Creston, Afton, Lorimor, Shannon City, Cromwell.
Is the fit check different in Union County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.
Who regulates personal lenders for Union County residents?
The Iowa Division of Banking licenses consumer lenders in Iowa; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.