The Town FilesUnion City, New Jersey
City in Hudson County · population 68,589 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $471,600
- Household income
- $64,310
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 30 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 37.4
Union City is a city of 68,589 people in Hudson County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $471,600, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks more walkable than 100% of New Jersey towns, more vibrant than 99% of New Jersey towns, better transit than 97% of New Jersey towns.
How Union City ranks
Percentile among New Jersey towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Jersey towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Union City is worth $471,600, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 7.3 times the median household income of $64,310, which is more affordable than 5% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $1,537 a month. 19.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Union City | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $471,600 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $1,537 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $64,310 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.3× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 19.1% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Union City
| People | Union City | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.4 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.6% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.3% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 23.1% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 1.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 54.3% | — |
| Work from home | 7.9% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 33.1 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.1% | 94.6% |
Weather in Union City
July highs average 84.9°F and January lows 27.9°F. About 49.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 29.8 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 17 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 67 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Union City since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on August 8, 2007 about 9.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 2, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 40 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 6, 2020.
Severe weather in Hudson County since 1996
Hudson County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4614: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3573: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3451: Covid-19 |
| March 14, 2016 | Severe Storm | DR-4264: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Hudson County
Hudson County had 273,729 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $94,901 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Union City itself the ACS puts it at 9.4%.
Public schools in Union City
15 public schools with 12,154 students, about 15.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Union City High School | 9-12 | 3,089 | 17.1 |
| Emerson Middle School | 6-8 | 1,023 | 14.6 |
| Robert Waters Elementary School | PK-6 | 1,019 | — |
| Union Hill Middle School | 7-8 | 902 | 14.3 |
| Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School | K-6 | 881 | — |
| Thomas A Edison Elementary School | PK-6 | 779 | 10.3 |
| George Washington Elementary School | K-6 | 761 | 13.4 |
| Colin Powell Elementary School | K-5 | 702 | 13.8 |
| Jose Marti STEM Academy | 9-12 | 588 | 10.1 |
| John F Kennedy Elementary School | 1-8 | 566 | 11.8 |
| Veterans' Memorial Elementary School | PK-5 | 531 | 14.4 |
| Sara M. Gilmore Academy | 1-8 | 394 | 15.2 |
Towns near Union City
- Weehawken, NJ0.8 mi · 17,197 people · home $889,000
- Hoboken, NJ1.5 mi · 60,419 people · home $895,100
- West New York, NJ1.8 mi · 52,912 people · home $465,600
- North Bergen, NJ1.9 mi · 63,361 people · home $473,500
- Secaucus, NJ2.1 mi · 22,181 people · home $571,900
- Guttenberg, NJ2.3 mi · 12,017 people · home $379,000
- Fairview, NJ4.0 mi · 15,025 people · home $511,400
- Jersey City, NJ4.2 mi · 292,449 people · home $566,900
Union City questions
Is Union City, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Union City scores better for retirees than 1% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 1%. 12.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.4).
How much does a house cost in Union City?
The median owner-occupied home in Union City is valued at $471,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $64,310, so homes cost about 7.3 times income. Median rent is $1,537 a month.
What is the weather like in Union City?
July highs average 84.9°F and January lows 27.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.5 inches of precipitation a year and 29.8 inches of snow.
Does Union City get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Union City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on August 8, 2007. The typical New Jersey town has had 9.
- 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)