The Town FilesUnion City, California
City in Alameda County · population 70,143 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,104,900
- Household income
- $133,715
- Jan low / Jul high
- 43° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 43.0
Union City is a city of 70,143 people in Alameda County, California. The median home is worth $1,104,900, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better transit than 96% of California towns, more walkable than 82% of California towns, more vibrant than 81% of California towns.
How Union City ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Union City is worth $1,104,900, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 8.3 times the median household income of $133,715, which is more affordable than 23% of California towns. Median rent is $2,713 a month. 64.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Union City | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,104,900 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,713 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $133,715 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.3× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 64.7% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.1% | — |
Who lives in Union City
| People | Union City | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.0 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.4% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 17.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.1% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.2% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 3.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 48.7% | — |
| Work from home | 18.6% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 31.9 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.1% | 93.3% |
Weather in Union City
July highs average 77.9°F and January lows 42.6°F. About 15.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 3 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Union City since 1950.
Severe weather in Alameda County since 1996
Alameda County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3428: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Alameda County
Alameda County had 790,358 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $98,026 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Union City itself the ACS puts it at 5.3%.
Public schools in Union City
11 public schools with 9,997 students, about 23.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Logan High | 9-12 | 3,151 | 22.8 |
| Itliong-Vera Cruz | 6-8 | 1,092 | 22.8 |
| Cesar Chavez Middle | 6-8 | 979 | 21.3 |
| Searles Elementary | K-5 | 712 | 26.4 |
| Guy Jr. Emanuele Elementary | K-5 | 684 | 27.4 |
| Delaine Eastin Elementary | K-5 | 672 | 25.8 |
| Alvarado Elementary | K-5 | 653 | 26.1 |
| Pioneer Elementary | K-5 | 637 | 26.5 |
| Tom Kitayama Elementary | K-5 | 633 | 27.5 |
| Connecting Waters Charter - East Bay (charter) | K-12 | 505 | 17.4 |
| Decoto School for Independent Study | K-12 | 279 | 25.4 |
Towns near Union City
- Hayward, CA4.9 mi · 162,954 people · home $854,400
- Fairview, CA5.4 mi · 11,341 people · home $963,300
- Newark, CA6.8 mi · 47,529 people · home $1,142,800
- Cherryland, CA7.0 mi · 15,808 people · home $668,800
- Castro Valley, CA7.7 mi · 66,441 people · home $1,104,600
- San Lorenzo, CA8.2 mi · 29,581 people · home $847,100
- Ashland, CA8.3 mi · 23,823 people · home $775,800
- Fremont, CA8.6 mi · 230,504 people · home $1,403,800
Union City questions
Is Union City, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Union City scores better for retirees than 40% of California towns and quieter than 31%. 19.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.0).
How much does a house cost in Union City?
The median owner-occupied home in Union City is valued at $1,104,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $133,715, so homes cost about 8.3 times income. Median rent is $2,713 a month.
What is the weather like in Union City?
July highs average 77.9°F and January lows 42.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 15.9 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Union City get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Union City in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)