Union IL, 2021
Union’s story
174 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2021.
- 1852Union is settled
UnionIL
A town of 684, settled in 1852.
Photo: Bnperdue2010 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
684
2025 Census estimate · +24.1% since 2020
Typical home
$440K
+8.1% in a year
Household income
$90K
median
Median age
39.0
years
Jobs based here
1,747
A job hub
Is Union a good place to live?
Union’s median rent is $1,692 a month, against $1,129 a month in Illinois’ towns and $1,185 a month across U.S. towns. Union has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Union stand out
Where Union beats most towns.
Small town
684 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Union: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Union, and how to reach them.
PowerCommonwealth Edison17.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterUnion water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers95% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Union’s trash rules yet
SchoolsMarengo-Union Elementary Consolidated District 165Marengo Community High School District 1542 districts serve Union; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Illinois you can register online until 16 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 28 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereMcHenry County ClerkMcHenry County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code6018060180 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Union.
Work & commute
With 5.5 jobs for every working resident, Union draws in 1,741 commuters
Most working residents leave Union for work: only 2% work in town. At 30 minutes, Union’s average trip to work is above both the Illinois town median (26 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Since 2013, Union has added 984 jobs, to 1,747 in 2023.
2%work in town
| Union | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 30 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.9% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Median household income | $90,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 7.5% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Union2%
Chicago14%
Schaumburg6%
Huntley6%
Crystal Lake6%
29 mi
median commute distance
1,747
jobs based in Union
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Housing
The typical home in Union is valued at about $440K
The typical Union home is worth about $440,000, up 8.1% in a year, 49% above the Illinois typical home. 88% of households own their home in Union.
$440KZillow home value
Typical home value
Union$440K
Illinois$296K
+8.1%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Union
Union has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 14° and about 31 inches of snow falls in a winter.
31″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter17–32°
Spring37–58°
Summer60–82°
Fall41–61°
Oct 12
typical first frost
Apr 28
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Safety
Crime reported in Union
2 crimes were reported in Union in 2025: 2 property and 0 violent. In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
Union is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
0
violent crimes reported in 2025
2
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Health
How healthy Union is
Union beats the Illinois average on 12 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 20% of Union adults binge drink.
| Union | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 18% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 35% | 36% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 13% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 23% | 25% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
12 better19 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Union | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 8.2% | 15.9% |
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 5.5% | 10.3% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 8.7% | 7.6% |
Mercyhealth Hospital & Physician Clinic-Crystal La
11.1 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Moderate risk in Union, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 59% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 8 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Union.
41risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
8
paid flood claims since 1978
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Outdoors
Union has set aside 0% of its land for conservation
0.0 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 531 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Verterans Park | — | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 172 attractions →Illinois Railway Museum and 32 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Union. Close and well known come first.
in town MuseumIllinois Railway Museum
Big draw33 mi Theme parkSix Flags Great America3.0M visitors a year
37 mi Stadium & arenaAllstate Arena
36 mi MuseumMcDonald's #1 Store Museum
35 mi TheatreAlpine Valley Music Theatre
38 mi MuseumMorton ArboretumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Illinois Railway Museum: The original uploader was Slambo at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 2.0 · Six Flags Great America: Feather Better, CC BY 4.0 · Allstate Arena: Nkon21, CC BY-SA 4.0 · McDonald's #1 Store Museum: Bruce Marlin, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Alpine Valley Music Theatre: chad davis, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Morton Arboretum: Bruce Marlin, CC BY-SA 2.5
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Union
19pages on Union
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Union
About 7 of every 100 Union residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Illinois.
A job hub
Every workday, about 1,741 people come to Union for work
Where Union’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,747jobs based in Union
2%of working residents work in town
29 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Union
Village in McHenry County, Illinois, United States
Union is a village in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 551 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 840 ft
- ZIP code
- 60180
Questions about Union
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Union, IL a good place to live?
Union has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.