MOMap-doton-Union Star, 2004
Union Star’s story
163 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2004.
- 1863Union Star is settled
Union StarMO
A town of 372, settled in 1863.
Population
372
2025 Census estimate · −2.4% since 2020
Typical home
$178K
+2.5% in a year
Household income
$61K
median
Median age
27.4
years
Jobs based here
26
A commuter town
Is Union Star a good place to live?
Union Star’s average trip to work is 82 minutes, above both the Missouri town median (22 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Only 4 of the 248 Missouri towns we compare have a lower January low than Union Star. Union Star has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
372 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Polk TownshipUnion Star
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Union Star: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Union Star, and how to reach them.
PowerUnion Electric13.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterUnion Star PWSNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Union Star’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Missouri you can register online until 27 days before Election Day, in person until 27 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 27 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereDeKalbDeKalb County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2019
ZIP code6449464494 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Union Star.
Work & commute
Most of Union Star’s workers commute out: the town has 0.2 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Union Star for work: only 0% work in town. 4.5% of residents live below the poverty line in Union Star, where Missouri’s towns sit at 14% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. The top destinations are St.
0%work in town
| Union Star | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 4.5% | 14% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $61,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Union Star0%
St. Joseph36%
Kansas City8%
Stewartsville5%
Cameron5%
23 mi
median commute distance
26
jobs based in Union Star
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Housing
A typical Union Star home is worth about $178K
The typical Union Star home is worth about $178,000, up 2.5% in a year, 33% below the Missouri typical home. The median rent in Union Star is $913 a month.
$178KZillow home value
| Union Star | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $913 a month | $971 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 64% | 64% | 73% |
Typical home value
Union Star$178K
Missouri$265K
+2.5%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Union Star
Union Star has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 87°, January nights drop to 17° and about 18 inches of snow falls in a winter.
18″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter20–39°
Spring42–64°
Summer64–85°
Fall43–65°
Oct 19
typical first frost
Apr 17
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Union Star is
Union Star beats the Missouri average on 4 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 31% of Union Star adults feel lonely.
| Union Star | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 32% | 33% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 15% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 16% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 38% | 36% |
32 measures vs. Missouri
4 better28 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Union Star | MO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 6.8% | 9% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 10.5% | 13.7% |
Mosaic Life Care at St. Joseph
17.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Union Star
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 53% of U.S. communities.
53risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesDrought
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Union Star
16pages on Union Star
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Union Star; the nearest are
Missouri Western State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Saint Joseph18.3 mi$10,306 in-state tuitionHighland Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Highland, KS36.6 mi$4,080 in-state tuition
About 8 of every 100 Union Star residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Missouri.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Union Star for work
Where Union Star’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
26jobs based in Union Star
0%of working residents work in town
23 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Union Star
City in Missouri, United States
Union Star is a city in northwest DeKalb County, Missouri, United States, along the Third Fork Platte River. The population was 380 at the 2020 census. It is part of the St. Joseph, MO–KS Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 958 ft
- ZIP code
- 64494
- Area code
- 816
Questions about Union Star
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Union Star, MO a good place to live?
Union Star has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.