Jobs, pay and daily life in Union, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Union is a city in Kentucky with 7,642 residents. The median household earns $136,712 a year and the median rent is $1,657 a month, which is 14.5% of the median household income. It is part of the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metropolitan area, where BLS counts 1,101,030 jobs.
How Union compares. Among the 80 largest places in Kentucky, Union is #59 by population, #1 for college degrees (#1 = most), #79 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #2 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Boone County, is #17 of 120 counties for average pay ($59,189).
Union has 7,642 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of Kentucky. It covers 4 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,987 people per square mile. The median age is 39.5, about the same as the state median (39.5 against 39.1).
The median gross rent is $1,657 a month (rent plus utilities), 71% above the state median ($1,657 against $967). Over a year that is 14.5% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $411,500, which is 3.0 times the median household income ($136,712); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 82.5% of households own their home, 21% above the state average (82.5% against 68.3%).
The Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metropolitan area has 1,101,030 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $50,170 a year, about the same as the national median ($50,170 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (125,530 jobs, median $47,400); transportation and material moving (107,750 jobs, median $44,200); food preparation and serving related (105,450 jobs, median $32,230). The area is most specialised in architecture and engineering (1.3 times) and production (1.2 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($116,460) and computer and mathematical ($101,210). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Boone County was 3.9%. 71.0% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Boone County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 73.7% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 0.0% walk, 21.8% work from home. 15.2% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 21% above the state average (15.2% against 12.5%). Remote work is more common than in the state as a whole, which widens the set of employers a resident can work for without moving.
58.9% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 114% above the state share (58.9% against 27.6%). 3.9% of residents were born outside the United States, 16% below the state share (3.9% against 4.7%). The poverty rate is 2.9%, 82% below the state rate (2.9% against 16.1%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 76°F (24.4°C), and the coolest is Jan at 30°F (-1.0°C). About 1,117 mm (44 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (118 mm) and Jan the driest (73 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Oakbrook (3 miles, similar rent); Florence (3 miles, rent 20% lower); Elsmere (5 miles, rent 18% lower); Burlington (6 miles, rent 10% lower). Rent differences are against Union; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Kentucky (288) →State guide: KentuckyCountry guideBoone CountyKentucky rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 288 federal postings open in Kentucky (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Kentucky →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 30,950 | 1.13 | $29,720 | $23,590 | $35,240 | -5% |
| General and Operations Managers | 29,330 | 1.18 | $100,670 | $49,550 | $222,520 | -5% |
| Retail Salespersons | 28,670 | 1.04 | $30,810 | $25,300 | $46,350 | -13% |
| Registered Nurses | 28,520 | 1.19 | $83,650 | $67,820 | $107,190 | -14% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 26,870 | 1.34 | $37,810 | $29,680 | $57,620 | +1% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 22,910 | 1.10 | $40,240 | $31,690 | $50,530 | +0% |
| Cashiers | 19,580 | 0.90 | $29,170 | $24,560 | $37,110 | -11% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 19,410 | 1.06 | $46,470 | $31,600 | $64,410 | +4% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 17,790 | 1.11 | $36,530 | $23,280 | $74,040 | +4% |
| Office Clerks, General | 16,750 | 0.96 | $44,640 | $28,980 | $64,570 | -1% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 16,470 | 0.54 | $35,210 | $29,020 | $45,890 | -2% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 13,820 | 0.95 | $60,590 | $45,920 | $81,620 | +3% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 13,560 | 0.87 | $36,030 | $28,840 | $48,530 | -2% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 12,360 | 1.41 | $75,950 | $41,370 | $154,960 | +5% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 12,140 | 1.12 | $56,830 | $36,340 | $77,390 | +15% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 11,940 | 1.20 | $44,440 | $33,010 | $57,960 | -0% |
| Nursing Assistants | 11,390 | 1.11 | $40,350 | $37,300 | $47,180 | -5% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 10,810 | 1.08 | $36,030 | $27,250 | $44,880 | -4% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 10,240 | 1.18 | $38,370 | $31,840 | $61,760 | -13% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 10,050 | 0.98 | $80,640 | $57,740 | $132,680 | -4% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | 3,330 | 4.54 | $350,950 | $182,780 | $463,830 | +51% |
| Physicians, All Other | 3,180 | 1.31 | $315,630 | $72,620 | $542,120 | +19% |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 670 | 1.82 | $221,170 | $174,420 | $315,140 | -7% |
| Chief Executives | 980 | 0.68 | $207,170 | $80,430 | $535,860 | -3% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 2,950 | 1.89 | $177,160 | $132,700 | $276,990 | +3% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 3,920 | 0.83 | $169,530 | $104,560 | $281,130 | -3% |
| Natural Sciences Managers | 520 | 0.68 | $164,300 | $88,880 | $250,000 | -2% |
| Financial Managers | 6,340 | 1.06 | $152,700 | $93,210 | $293,320 | -8% |
| Purchasing Managers | 1,070 | 1.79 | $150,190 | $98,590 | $219,530 | +1% |
| Marketing Managers | 2,730 | 0.98 | $145,770 | $81,070 | $263,930 | -13% |
| Pharmacists | 2,380 | 1.04 | $140,200 | $102,600 | $169,790 | -1% |
| Sales Managers | 5,180 | 1.15 | $138,790 | $77,210 | $267,180 | -6% |
| Managers, All Other | 1,680 | 0.38 | $137,850 | $69,490 | $213,170 | -3% |
| Computer Network Architects | 1,170 | 0.92 | $133,000 | $83,500 | $183,610 | -1% |
| Human Resources Managers | 1,920 | 1.23 | $132,070 | $81,440 | $223,940 | -12% |
| Lawyers | 3,870 | 0.72 | $130,980 | $72,660 | $280,430 | -18% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 2,820 | 1.23 | $128,700 | $89,710 | $162,510 | -3% |
| Physician Assistants | 920 | 0.80 | $128,520 | $68,300 | $179,120 | -5% |
| Veterinarians | 650 | 1.09 | $127,670 | $57,870 | $209,000 | -2% |
| Engineers, All Other | 2,100 | 1.92 | $127,150 | $75,410 | $171,840 | +3% |
These figures are for the whole Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $50,170 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.6% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 26.3% |
| Retail trade | 11.9% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 11.7% |
| Manufacturing | 11.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 8.5% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 8.2% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 7.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 5.2% |
| Construction | 4.3% |
| Other services | 2.4% |
| Public administration | 2.0% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.0% |
| Information | 0.5% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Union lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boone County | 139,841 | $16,775 million | $119,960 | 102,941 | 6,277 | $59,189 | -1.1% | 3.9% | 75,658 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transportation and warehousing | 25,038 | 26.1% | $59,956 | 5.74 |
| Manufacturing | 13,367 | 14.0% | $75,569 | 1.58 |
| Administrative and waste services | 9,826 | 10.3% | $41,396 | 1.62 |
| Retail trade | 9,500 | 9.9% | $41,368 | 0.92 |
| Accommodation and food services | 8,253 | 8.6% | $27,019 | 0.88 |
| Wholesale trade | 8,094 | 8.4% | $83,455 | 2.00 |
| Health care and social assistance | 6,653 | 6.9% | $56,671 | 0.45 |
| Construction | 2,953 | 3.1% | $76,165 | 0.55 |
| Professional and technical services | 2,725 | 2.8% | $97,560 | 0.38 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 2,478 | 2.6% | $48,790 | 0.80 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 2,108 | 2.2% | $35,326 | 1.22 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,912 | 2.0% | $91,309 | 0.46 |
| Real estate and rental | 1,109 | 1.2% | $54,664 | 0.69 |
| Information | 701 | 0.7% | $80,717 | 0.36 |
| Educational services | 466 | 0.5% | $40,115 | 0.22 |
| Management of companies | 363 | 0.4% | $79,079 | 0.21 |
| Utilities | 246 | 0.3% | $131,087 | 0.63 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 73.7% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 0.0% |
| Work from home | 21.8% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 15.2% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $136,712 |
| Income per person | $57,048 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,657 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 14.5% |
| Median home value | $411,500 |
| Homeowners | 82.5% |
| Poverty rate | 2.9% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 95.4 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $50,170 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 3.50%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 39.5 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 98.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 58.9% |
| Born abroad | 3.9% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 71.0% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -1.0 | 30 | 73 |
| Feb | 0.1 | 32 | 77 |
| Mar | 5.7 | 42 | 101 |
| Apr | 12.2 | 54 | 111 |
| May | 17.7 | 64 | 118 |
| Jun | 22.2 | 72 | 106 |
| Jul | 24.4 | 76 | 105 |
| Aug | 24.1 | 75 | 79 |
| Sep | 20.4 | 69 | 82 |
| Oct | 13.3 | 56 | 92 |
| Nov | 6.4 | 44 | 81 |
| Dec | 1.3 | 34 | 92 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakbrook | KY | 3 mi | 10,211 | $94,652 | $1,665 |
| Florence | KY | 3 mi | 32,803 | $71,003 | $1,329 |
| Elsmere | KY | 5 mi | 9,205 | $60,503 | $1,351 |
| Burlington | KY | 6 mi | 18,008 | $109,308 | $1,489 |
| Independence | KY | 7 mi | 29,392 | $102,361 | $1,250 |
| Edgewood | KY | 7 mi | 8,447 | $119,028 | $1,073 |
| Erlanger | KY | 8 mi | 19,875 | $75,840 | $970 |
| Hebron | KY | 8 mi | 6,407 | $106,719 | $1,491 |
| Villa Hills | KY | 9 mi | 7,480 | $107,859 | $1,412 |
| Fort Mitchell | KY | 9 mi | 8,713 | $86,310 | $1,039 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
7,642 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,657 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 14.5% of the median household income.
$136,712 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.9% (BLS county, Boone County (latest month 2026M09)).
Kentucky. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.