Union County, North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Union County
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Union County Courthouse in Monroe
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| Motto(s):
"Plant your future."
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Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina
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 North Carolina's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  North Carolina |
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| Founded | 1842 | ||||
| Named for | Compromise name that both local Democrats and Whigs agreed on | ||||
| Seat | Monroe | ||||
| Largest community | Indian Trail | ||||
| Area | |||||
| • Total | 639.65 sq mi (1,656.7 km2) | ||||
| • Land | 632.74 sq mi (1,638.8 km2) | ||||
| • Water | 6.91 sq mi (17.9 km2) 1.08% | ||||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 238,267 | ||||
| • Estimate
(2023)
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256,452 | ||||
| • Density | 376.56/sq mi (145.39/km2) | ||||
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | ||||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | ||||
| Congressional districts | 8th | ||||
Union County is a county in North Carolina, a state in the United States. In 2020, about 238,267 people lived here. The main town, or county seat, is Monroe. Union County is part of the larger Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents
History of Union County
Union County was created in 1842. It was formed from parts of two other counties: Anson County and Mecklenburg County.
How Union County Got Its Name
The county's name, "Union," was a way to bring people together. Two main political groups, the Whigs and the Democrats, couldn't agree on a name. The Whigs wanted to name it after Henry Clay, and the Democrats wanted to name it after Andrew Jackson. So, they chose "Union" as a compromise.
Civil Rights in Monroe
Monroe, the county seat, played a role in the Civil Rights Movement. In 1958, a local leader named Robert F. Williams stood up for two young African-American boys. They were treated unfairly after a small incident with a white girl.
Later, in 1961, during a time of high racial tension, Williams helped shelter an elderly white couple in his home. He was later accused of a crime related to this event. Williams then left the country for a time before returning to the United States.
Geography of Union County
Union County covers about 640 square miles. Most of this area, about 632 square miles, is land. The rest, about 8 square miles, is water.
Neighboring Counties
Union County shares borders with several other counties:
- Cabarrus County to the north
- Stanly County to the northeast
- Anson County to the east
- Chesterfield County, South Carolina to the southeast
- Lancaster County, South Carolina to the southwest
- Mecklenburg County to the northwest
Main Roads and Highways
Many important roads run through Union County, helping people travel around. These include:
US 74
US 601
NC 16
NC 75
NC 84
NC 200
NC 205
NC 207
NC 218
NC 522
NC 742
NC 51
Population and People
Union County has grown a lot over the years. Here's how the population has changed:
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 10,051 | — | |
| 1860 | 11,202 | 11.5% | |
| 1870 | 12,217 | 9.1% | |
| 1880 | 18,056 | 47.8% | |
| 1890 | 21,259 | 17.7% | |
| 1900 | 27,156 | 27.7% | |
| 1910 | 33,277 | 22.5% | |
| 1920 | 36,029 | 8.3% | |
| 1930 | 40,979 | 13.7% | |
| 1940 | 39,097 | −4.6% | |
| 1950 | 42,034 | 7.5% | |
| 1960 | 44,670 | 6.3% | |
| 1970 | 54,714 | 22.5% | |
| 1980 | 70,380 | 28.6% | |
| 1990 | 84,211 | 19.7% | |
| 2000 | 123,677 | 46.9% | |
| 2010 | 201,292 | 62.8% | |
| 2020 | 238,267 | 18.4% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 256,452 | 27.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020 |
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2020 Census Information
In 2020, the census showed that 238,267 people lived in Union County. There were 77,954 households and 62,932 families.
The table below shows the different racial groups living in Union County in 2020:
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 161,113 | 67.62% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 26,500 | 11.12% |
| Native American | 641 | 0.27% |
| Asian | 9,516 | 3.99% |
| Pacific Islander | 90 | 0.04% |
| Other/Mixed | 10,297 | 4.32% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 30,110 | 12.64% |
2010 Census Information
According to the census in 2010, Union County had 201,292 people. The population density was about 194 people per square mile.
About 32.90% of the people were under 20 years old. The median age was 36.2 years.
Education in Union County
Union County has many schools and colleges for students of all ages. Some of these include:
- South Piedmont Community College
- Central Academy of Technology and Arts
- Cuthbertson High School
- Forest Hills High School
- Marvin Ridge High School
- Metrolina Christian Academy
- Monroe Charter Academy
- Monroe High School
- Parkwood High School
- Piedmont High School
- Porter Ridge High School
- Sun Valley High School
- Arborbrook Christian Academy
- Tabernacle Christian School
- Union County Early College
- Union Academy
- Weddington High School
- Wingate University
- Shiloh Elementary
Fun Events in Union County
Union County hosts two big events every year that bring many people together:
Queens Cup Steeplechase
The Queens Cup Steeplechase is a major horse racing event. It takes place at Brooklandwood in Mineral Springs. This exciting event happens on the last Saturday of April. Besides horse races, there's also a Jack Russell Terrier judging contest. Over 10,000 people usually come to watch!
Randy Travis Festival
The town of Marshville hosts the Randy Travis Festival each fall. This event is a fun street fair and carnival. It's named after the famous country music singer, Randy Travis.
Communities in Union County
Union County is made up of many different cities, towns, and smaller communities.
City
- Monroe (This is the county seat)
Towns
Villages
- Lake Park
- Marvin
- Wesley Chapel
Census-Designated Place
Unincorporated Communities
These are smaller areas that are not officially part of a city or town:
Ghost Towns
- Gibraltar (A ghost town is a place where people used to live, but now it's mostly empty.)
Townships
- Goose Creek
- Jackson
- Marshville
- Monroe
- New Salem
- Vance
- Buford
- Lanes Creek
- Sandy Ridge
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Union (Carolina del Norte) para niños
