1st Advantage MortgageUnion County (579,290 residents) has a $103,202 median household income and $1,730 median rent, by the latest Census five-year survey. 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
- Population and place: Union County
- Housing costs in Union County
- How Union County residents earn a living
- Income in Union County compared with New Jersey
- Union County against other New Jersey counties
- The communities that make up Union County
- Union County and the counties next door
- Budget math at the Union County median
- Reading the Union County data as a borrower
- Age, degrees and coverage in Union County
- Steps before you apply in Union County
- Verifying a lender from Union County
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Population and place: Union County
Union County is home to about 579,290 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 7th most populous of 21 county-level areas in New Jersey. Packed into 103 square miles, that is close to 5,637 residents for every square mile of land. Metro area: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ (OMB, 2023). Of the 19 Census places inside Union County, Elizabeth leads by population with about 137,302; 13 of the 19 are incorporated.
Housing costs in Union County
Renters in Union County pay a median of $1,730 a month, in line with New Jersey's $1,720. Cost-burdened renters, paying 30%-plus of income: 51% in Union County, 52% statewide. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $529,200, about 5.1 times the median household income. The ownership rate is 57%. The median home was built in 1956, so roofs, wiring and heating systems are a common source of repair bills.
| Measure | Union County | New Jersey | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owners | 57% | 64% | -6.5 pts |
| Vacant units | 4% | 7% | -3.2 pts |
| Burdened owners | 35% | 32% | +2.8 pts |
| Median home value | $529,200 | $454,400 | 16% higher |
| Mobile homes | 0.2% | 0.9% | -0.8 pts |
| Rent-burdened renters | 51% | 52% | -0.2 pts |
| Median gross rent | $1,730/mo | $1,720/mo | level |
High rent burdens leave little slack. If you are borrowing to consolidate, make sure the new payment is lower than the ones it replaces.
How Union County residents earn a living
Top Union County industry by residents employed: education and health care, 22%; second, professional and administrative services, 13%. Transportation, warehousing and utilities stands out: 10% of workers here, versus 7% statewide. The survey's unemployment rate for Union County averages 6.5% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 6.3%). 22% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 14% work from home. Only 10.2% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Sector | Union County | Compared with New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.2% | -2.1 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 12.9% | -1.5 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 9.8% | +3.2 pts |
| Retail trade | 9.6% | -0.9 pts |
| Manufacturing | 8.8% | +0.7 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 8.5% | -0.1 pts |
Seasonal work is common in many Union County industries; if that is you, show a full year of income rather than one strong month.
Income in Union County compared with New Jersey
$103,202 is the median household income for Union County, set against $103,556 for New Jersey.
| Band | Union County | Compared with New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 15.2% | -1.5 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 33.3% | +1.6 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 28.7% | -1.1 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 22.7% | +1.1 pts |
The spread is wide: 51% of Union County households make $100,000 or more, and 15% make less than $35,000. Union County counts about 53,150 residents below the poverty line, 9.2% of the population. Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
Union County against other New Jersey counties
Where Union County lands at the extremes of New Jersey's county rankings:
- Union County ranks the highest of 21 New Jersey counties for the uninsured rate: 13.0%, against 7.5% statewide. Ask any provider about financial assistance before borrowing for care.
- Few New Jersey counties match Union County on the share of mobile homes: 0.2% here, 0.9% for the state, ranking 2nd lowest of 21. Few mobile homes means most owners have traditional equity options.
- Homeownership: 57% in Union County. Only 3 of 21 New Jersey counties are lower. In a renter-heavy county, unsecured loans and cards are the main options.
The communities that make up Union County
Here are the 14 most populous of the county's 19 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 71% of Union County residents live in one of the 19. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $66,555 in Elizabeth to $250,001 in Springfield. Rent is cheapest in Elizabeth ($1,523) and steepest in Mountainside ($3,501). Elizabeth and every other Union County community use this county guide.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth | city | 137,302 | $66,555 | $1,523 | 6 mi |
| Plainfield | city | 55,236 | $85,908 | $1,767 | 6 mi |
| Linden | city | 44,192 | $92,915 | $1,731 | 4 mi |
| Westfield | town | 31,111 | $232,629 | $2,357 | 2 mi |
| Rahway | city | 30,109 | $91,461 | $1,845 | 4 mi |
| Summit | city | 22,705 | $190,304 | $2,430 | 5 mi |
| Roselle | borough | 22,646 | $92,762 | $1,567 | 3 mi |
| Roselle Park | borough | 14,093 | $109,679 | $1,663 | 2 mi |
| New Providence | borough | 13,727 | $161,599 | $1,903 | 6 mi |
| Kenilworth | borough | 8,401 | $118,611 | $2,023 | 2 mi |
| Fanwood | borough | 7,799 | $195,529 | $2,446 | 4 mi |
| Mountainside | borough | 7,049 | $211,538 | $3,501 | 3 mi |
| Vauxhall | CDP | 6,157 | $111,421 | $1,830 | 4 mi |
| Garwood | borough | 4,885 | $110,670 | $1,753 | 1 mi |
A CDP is a named community without its own municipal government.
Union County and the counties next door
The six counties whose centers lie closest to Union County's, from 9 to 19 miles away. Income ranges from $80,789 in Essex County to $140,374 in Somerset County; 3 of these neighbors top Union County's median. The list crosses into New York, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County | - | $103,202 | $1,730/mo | 57% |
| Essex County, NJ | 9 mi | $80,789 | $1,531/mo | 45% |
| Richmond County, NY | 11 mi | $98,333 | $1,733/mo | 68% |
| Hudson County, NJ | 13 mi | $91,795 | $1,894/mo | 31% |
| Middlesex County, NJ | 16 mi | $111,549 | $1,871/mo | 64% |
| Somerset County, NJ | 18 mi | $140,374 | $2,033/mo | 74% |
| Morris County, NJ | 19 mi | $137,326 | $1,904/mo | 74% |
Budget math at the Union County median
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Union County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Start: $8,600 gross per month ($103,202 / 12)
- Housing at the median rent of $1,730 uses 20%
- 35% debt-to-income limit: $1,280 left for all other debt payments
- With a 45% ceiling, about $2,140 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
A household below the $103,202 median has less room than this, often none.
Reading the Union County data as a borrower
Where the Union County numbers stand out, and why it matters for a loan:
- 13% uninsured. In Union County, ask for an itemized bill and a payment plan first (medical bills).
- Vehicle repairs. 22% of Union County workers commute 45+ minutes, so a breakdown can cost a paycheck. Get two written estimates.
- Strong-credit shopping. Many Union County households (51%) earn six figures; prequalify with several lenders at once.
- 51% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
Age, degrees and coverage in Union County
College graduates make up 39% of the adult population. About 13% go without health insurance.
| Measure | Union County | Gap to New Jersey | Gap to typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| No health insurance | 13.0% | +5.5 pts | +5.1 pts |
| Bachelor's or higher | 38.9% | -4.8 pts | +16.7 pts |
| No high school diploma | 13.7% | +4.4 pts | n/a |
| Work from home | 14.2% | -2.6 pts | +5.6 pts |
| Median age | 39.1 | -1.0 yrs | -2.4 yrs |
| No vehicle | 10.2% | -1.0 pts | +4.7 pts |
| Poverty rate | 9.2% | -0.5 pts | -4.0 pts |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 6.5% | +0.2 pts | +2.1 pts |
| Minutes to work | Union County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 21.3% |
| 15 to 29 min | 34.4% |
| 30 to 44 min | 22.5% |
| 45 to 59 min | 8.5% |
| 60+ min | 13.4% |
Steps before you apply in Union County
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Ask a Union County credit union about member loans.
Verifying a lender from Union County
The New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance is the place to verify any lender's New Jersey license. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov.
Related local guides
Next step up from Union County:
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Union County?
$103,202 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $103,556 for New Jersey. It ranks 10th of 21 in the state.
Can a Union County renter afford a loan payment?
At the $1,730 median rent and $8,600 median monthly income, rent alone uses 20%; add other debts before a new payment.
I live near Elizabeth. Which guide is mine?
This one. Elizabeth and the rest of Union County have no separate city guide.
Is the fit check different in Union County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.
What agency protects Union County borrowers?
The New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance at the state level and the CFPB federally.