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Union County, North Carolina facts for kids

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Union County
Union County Courthouse in Monroe
Union County Courthouse in Monroe
Flag of Union County
Flag
Official seal of Union County
Seal
Official logo of Union County
Logo
Motto(s): 
"Plant your future."
Map of North Carolina highlighting Union County
Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina
Map of the United States highlighting North Carolina
North Carolina's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  North Carolina
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)
 • Total 238,267
 • Estimate 
(2023)
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.

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:

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

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:

Union County racial composition
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

Map of Union County North Carolina With Municipal and Township Labels
Map of Union County, North Carolina With Municipal and Township Labels

Union County is made up of many different cities, towns, and smaller communities.

City

  • Monroe (This is the county seat)

Towns

Villages

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

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Union (Carolina del Norte) para niños

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