Union County is located in the U.S. State of Georgia and consists of 329 square miles. In 2020, the U.S. Census estimated the county population to be 24,632. Located at the top of Georgia – an easy 90 mile drive from Atlanta, Union County is a beautiful place to live and visit.
Founded in 1832, Union County has been a favorite location for those looking for a lifestyle surrounded by the great outdoors. Nature takes center stage here in Union County – rolling pastures, stunning mountain views, clear rushing creeks, and magnificent hidden waterfalls – and it all comes packaged in the charm and heritage of a quintessential mountain community.
There is something about living in this community that adds to one’s quality of life. The air is fresh, the weather is delightful, the drinking water is clean, and the people are friendly and kind. It was an honor, but no surprise, to learn that Blairsville, the county seat, was rated among the “Top Ten Places for Retirement” in a 1994 Wall Street Journal article. The article attributed this in part to the low crime and low cost of living. More recently, (2008), Blairsville was also written up in Retire in Georgia magazine as one of the “Top 10 Places to Retire in Georgia.” But rest assured, the region is not for retirees only. Union County is the ideal place to settle down and raise your children. The award-winning local hospital and high-ranking public school system will provide your children with the opportunities they need and amenities you expect.
Life here is casual, defined not only by the stunning natural environment, but also by a strong sense of community. Whether you choose to live in Blairsville, Suches, or in the Union County countryside, you’ll find that this area’s beauty, ideal growth, outdoor adventure, festivals and events, nice selection of dining, shopping, lodging and friendly people make Union County a perfect place to relocate. We welcome you to explore all that Union County has to offer.
Geography
The county has a total area of 329.02 square miles (852.2 km2), of which 322.55 square miles (835.4 km2) (or 98.03%) is land and 6.47 square miles (16.8 km2) (or 1.97%) is water. Brasstown Bald, the highest mountain in Georgia, rises in southeast Union County, straddling the Towns County line.
Demographics
There are 21,451 people, 7,159 households, and 5,211 families residing in the county. The population density was 54 people per square mile (21/km²). There were 10,001 housing units at an average density of 31 per square mile (12/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.94% White, 0.88 Hispanic or Latino, 0.58% African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.24% from other races, and 0.74% from two or more races.
There were 7,159 households out of which 24.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.90% were married couples living together, 7.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.20% were non-families. 24.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.77.
In the county the population was spread out with 20.00% under the age of 18, 6.60% from 18 to 24, 23.60% from 25 to 44, 28.20% from 45 to 64, and 21.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 96.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $31,893, and the median income for a family was $39,776. Males had a median income of $29,127 versus $20,871 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,845. About 9.30% of families and 12.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.10% of those under age 18 and 15.90% of those ages 65 or over.