What it's like to live in Union City
Union City is a small city in Georgia with home prices that remain within reach, a population that has grown fast since 2020, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Union City deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks.
The good
- Affordable home prices
- Fast-growing population
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- High rent burden for renters
- Above-average rainfall
How Union City compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Union City
Based on Union City's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,660
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $53,200 a year
- 54% of Union City renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$49,120
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $24,560
- Homes cost 5.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,330/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,330 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $245,600. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $245,600 · 54% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 14% above US
4.9% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.9%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 123% above US
859 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 8103/100k · Union City Police Department · 2018 data
Getting around▲ 12% above US
29 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 29.1 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 14% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 89°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 38°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 17% below US
30% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 30%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park (16 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Union City's strongest points are home prices that remain within reach and a population that has grown fast since 2020; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,330/mo) equals 32% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. Whether it fits comes down to the specifics: the neighborhood, the job, and what matters most in the move.
Other places near Union City
All Georgia guides →Moving to South Fulton →
3 mi away · pop. 110,471
Rent $1,702/mo · Income $82,324
Compare with Union City →Moving to College Park →
6 mi away · pop. 14,712
Rent $1,207/mo · Income $51,635
Compare with Union City →Moving to East Point →
7 mi away · pop. 38,335
Rent $1,364/mo · Income $68,598
Compare with Union City →Not sure Union City is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.