What it's like to live in Union
Union is a small city in Missouri with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, county unemployment below the national average, and a growing population. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Union deals with crime rates above the national average, cold winters, fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment in the county
- Growing population
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Crime above national average
- Cold winters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Union compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Union
Based on Union's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,716
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $34,320 a year
- 24% of Union renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$41,040
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $20,520
- Homes cost 2.8× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 39% below US
$858/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $858 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $205,200. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $205,200 · 24% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.7% county unemployment
Unemployment in Franklin County is 3.7%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Franklin County (county-wide)
Safety▲ 25% above US
410 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 2275/100k · Union Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 24.2 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 89°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 25°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 34% below US
24% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 24%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
5 public schools inside the boundary
There are 5 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, 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 Ulysses S Grant National Historic Site (36 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Union's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are crime rates above the national average and cold winters. A year of median rent ($858/mo) equals 14% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Union
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