Cooper-Gillies House · National Register of Historic Places
Union’s story
186 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper and 5 maps from 1889 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1840Union is settled
John C. and Mary Robinson Farmstead · Photo: TheCatalyst31 · CC0
Population
2,099
2025 Census estimate · +0% since 2020
Typical home
$436K
+8.5% in a year
Household income
$99K
median
Median age
42.0
years
Jobs based here
62
A commuter town
Is Union a good place to live?
Union’s best subject grades are an A for incomes and history; its weakest is a D for walkability. 96% of households own their home in Union, where Wisconsin’s towns sit at 74% and U.S. towns at 73%. Among 363 Wisconsin towns, just 5 have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Union. On history, just 70 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns do better. Evansville State Wildlife Area, at 378 acres with 1 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Union has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Union stand out
Where Union beats most towns.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Union for work
Where Union’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
62jobs based in Union
1%of working residents work in town
17 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Union grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Union is from typical.
Jobs & income$99K median household incomeAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.4 of 20; 1.3% of households have no car; 0.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitDOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 18% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listAOpen →HealthStoughton Hospital 9.3 miles awayB+Open →SchoolsBeat 67% of Wisconsin districts on tests and graduationB+Open →Cost of livingCOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors2 miles of trails; 5% conserved landB−Open →History2 places on the National Register; 1 notable person born hereAOpen →Civic life0.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 34 attractions →Camp Randall Stadium and 19 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Union. Close and well known come first.
19 mi Stadium & arenaCamp Randall Stadium
19 mi Stadium & arenaKohl Center
29 mi State parkAztalan State Park
18 mi Zoo & aquariumHenry Vilas Zoo
20 mi GardenOlbrich Botanical Gardens
32 mi State parkBlue Mound State ParkSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Camp Randall Stadium: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain · Kohl Center: Pbrown111 at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Aztalan State Park: Joshua Mayer - Flickr user wackybadger, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Henry Vilas Zoo: Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0 · Olbrich Botanical Gardens: Chief-O at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Blue Mound State Park: Mailseth at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
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.
PowerWisconsin Power & Light18.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterEvansville WaterworksNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet10 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpFrom the town’s siteTrash and recycling rulesTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn Wisconsin you can register online until 20 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 20 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereTown of Union ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, May 2026
ZIP codes53536, 5352153536 86% · 53521 13%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.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A
Union faces a very low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 82% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Union since 2017.
18risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
1
paid flood claims since 2017
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
Union has 0.1 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Union for work: only 1% work in town. Jobs based in Union fell to 62 in 2023, 48 fewer than in 2013. 3.3% of Union residents live below the poverty line, below both Wisconsin’s towns (6.4%) and U.S. towns (9.6%).
1%work in town
| Union | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 3.3% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $99,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Union1%
Evansville19%
Madison12%
Janesville11%
Stoughton4%
17 mi
median commute distance
62
jobs based in Union
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 14% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade C
Union’s typical home value is about $436K
The typical Union home is worth about $436,000, up 8.5% in a year, 29% above the Wisconsin typical home. The median rent in Union is $938 a month.
$436KZillow home value
Typical home value
Union$436K
Wisconsin$337K
+8.5%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
HealthB+
Union ranks healthier than 68% of the country’s towns
Union beats the Wisconsin average on 8 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 31% of adults have high blood pressure in Union.
68%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Union | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 33% | 35% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 38% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 20% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 76% | 78% | 79% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
8 better24 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Union | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9.4% | 12.1% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 6.5% | 8% |
Stoughton Hospital
9.3 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Union has four seasons and pleasant summers
Union has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 82°, January nights drop to 12° and about 36 inches of snow falls in a winter.
36″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter15–30°
Spring36–57°
Summer59–81°
Fall40–60°
Oct 11
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Fewer young adults than Wisconsin overall
Adults 18 to 34 are 14% of residents (22% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 45% of residents (38% statewide). 27% of Union residents are under 18. 33% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 33% across Wisconsin.
42median age · WI 40.2
| Union | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 27% | 21% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 33% | 32% | 29% |
UnionWisconsinUnited States
Ages · share of residents
16%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma3%
High school25%
Some college23%
Associate’s16%
Bachelor’s26%
Graduate7%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.6 points. Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women.
| Union | WI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 13.7% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 12.9% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 3.9% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.8% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 16.2% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 16.3% | 13.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.2% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 3.8% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 3.4% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 24.8% | 29.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 23.1% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 15.7% | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 26.4% | 22% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 6.6% | 11.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,100, single groups can be off by several points
OutdoorsB−
Conserved land covers 5.2% of Union
2.3 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves. Union’s trail density is 0.1 miles per square mile.
5.2%conserved
| Union | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 5.2% | 3.8% | 4.3% |
5.2%
conserved · 1,080 of 20,805 acres
2.3 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Evansville State Wildlife Area | 1 mi | 378 |
| 2. Brooklyn State Wildlife Area | — | 24 |
| 3. Lake Leota Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Union
19pages on Union
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Union; the nearest are
Edgewood CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Madison18.2 mi$35,860 tuitionUniversity of Wisconsin-MadisonUniversity or college · Public · Madison19.2 mi$11,603 in-state tuitionBlackhawk Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Janesville21 mi$4,267 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Union residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
Landmarks
2 places in Union on the National Register of Historic Places.
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About Union
Town in Wisconsin, United States
The Town of Union is located in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,104 at the 2020 census. The town surrounds the city of Evansville.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 34 sq mi
- Elevation
- 928 ft
- Area code
- 608
Union’s neighbors
5 towns share a border with Union.
EvansvilleMagnoliaPorterRutlandBrooklynUnion
How the neighbors grade
| Town | WI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union | — | — | C | — | B+ | B+ |
| Evansville | #192 | B+ | C | — | B+ | B+ |
| Magnolia | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Porter | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Rutland | — | — | B− | — | B+ | A− |
| Brooklyn | — | — | C− | — | B+ | A− |
Union, Rutland and Brooklyn have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Union, Evansville, Rutland and Brooklyn report no FBI crime data of their own. Magnolia and Porter aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Union with a neighbor →
Questions about Union
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Union, WI a good place to live?
Home to 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Is Union, WI expensive?
That is 5.8 years of the area's median household income ($75,673 across the Janesville-Beloit, WI metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.