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Union County, OR: population growth, jobs and income

Union County lost 45 residents between 2024 and 2025 (−0.2%).

Union County had an estimated 25,900 residents in 2025, down 1.0% (271 fewer people) since 2020. That is slower than Oregon as a whole (+0.7%), and the 29th fastest growth of 36 counties in Oregon.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Union County report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Union County, ranked against Oregon and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$982/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes7.9%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months612025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
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Headline numbers

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration added 40 people in 2025: more people moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out.

Private employers had 7,702 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +3.1% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 5.7% in 2025, 0.9 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 50 new homes in 2025, or 1.9 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $65,661 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +21.7% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 2,201st.

Part of the La Grande, OR micro area.

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Union County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
202525,900−45
202425,945+11
202325,934−223
202226,157−131
202126,288+117
202026,171–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Union County

Union County lost 271 people since 2020 even though 106 more people moved in from other U.S. counties than left: deaths outnumbered births by 426, and net international migration added 53.

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths−89−426
International migrationfrom and to other countries+7+53
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties+40+106
Census adjustmentbalancing residual−3−4
Total change−45−271

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn OregonAmong U.S. counties
Population growth29th of 362,201st of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents20th of 361,645th of 3,108
Private-sector job growth23rd of 361,449th of 3,092
Median household income22nd of 361,554th of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate25th of 362,822nd of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents23rd of 341,570th of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

Get the county report — $99

The County Growth and Demographics Report for Union County, OR as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

Add 2 neighbouring counties for $50: the Umatilla County and Baker County reports too, $149 for all 3.

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Neighbouring counties

Over 2020–25, Union County's population change (−1.0%) was ahead of 1 of its 4 neighbouring counties and behind 3.

2 of its 4 neighbouring counties had a higher median household income than Union County's $65,661 (2020–24).

Union County, OR and its 4 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Union County, OR This county25,900−1.0%1.51.9$65,661
Umatilla County, OR81,119+1.5%−0.02.5$67,728
Baker County, OR16,658−0.4%−0.42.6$60,936
Wallowa County, OR7,595+2.6%1.72.4$67,112
Grant County, OR7,075−2.3%−0.60.8$59,450

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

All 36 Oregon counties · Every state

Questions

Is Union County growing?

No. Its population fell 1.0% between 2020 and 2025, about 271 fewer people (Census Bureau population estimates). Oregon as a whole changed +0.7% over the same years. That ranks 29th of 36 counties in Oregon for population growth.

How many people moved to Union County?

On net, about 40 people in 2025: that many more moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Union County?

It averaged 5.7% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Union County?

About 25,900 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Union County?

Private employers there had 7,702 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +3.1% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in Oregon

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other Oregon county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

Union County data alerts

Email me when Union County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for Union County is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.