City profile · South Carolina · Census ACS 2023

West Union, SC

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for West Union - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

396
Residents
$49,821
Median income
$149,200
Median home
$941
Median rent (state)

West Union - the verdict

Nationally, West Union sits in the 19th percentile for household income and the 1st percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

19th
percentile, household income
27th
percentile, home value
10th
percentile, median rent
1st
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: West Union, SC

South Carolina's West Union is a small town, with 396 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $49,821 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 2.1%. West Union's housing stock carries a median value of $149,200, and the median resident age is 33.1 years. 14.4% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 57.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

West Union's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 7455.0 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in South Carolina run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts South Carolina at 93.7 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $941 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in South Carolina run around $224, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 85.6 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

396 residents

Census ACS 2023 - South Carolina

Median Household Income

$49,821 /yr

Poverty 2.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

93.7 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, South Carolina average

How does West Union compare to other US cities?

Here's how West Union stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 19% higher than other cities
Home value 27% pricier than other cities
Median rent 10% pricier than other cities
Safety 1% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just South Carolina and the picture shifts: West Union ranks #121 of 127 South Carolina cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares West Union against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to South Carolina only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

South Carolina-relative analysis

Poverty Rate places West Union toward the bottom of South Carolina's cities

Among the 439 South Carolina cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, West Union ranks #387 - the 12th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares West Union only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#217 of 403
46th percentile in South Carolina
Median Gross Rent
#314 of 441
27th percentile in South Carolina
Median Home Value
#219 of 404
46th percentile in South Carolina
Poverty Rate
#387 of 439
12th percentile in South Carolina
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#291 of 441
33rd percentile in South Carolina

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within South Carolina only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

19thIncome percentile
1stSafety percentile

19th percentile nationally for median household income · 1st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

West Union's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

West Union's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 34 Avg. percentile National median
West Union's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How West Union's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$149,200 Among the most affordable more affordable than 73% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. West Union $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - West Union, SC West Union, SC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not West Union, SC-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution West Union, SC median $49,821/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
West Union, SC's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for West Union, SC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 14.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 2.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
396
Median Income
$49,821
Median Home Value
$149,200
Median Age
33.1
Poverty Rate
2.1%
Labor force participation
57.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
14.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
7455.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
771.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
6683.8
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
1
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
360 residents370 residents380 residents390 residents400 residents 202020212022202320242025 371 residents 395 residents ▲ +6.5%
West Union's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
85.0%
Carpool
7.5%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
4.0%
Other
3.5%

Based on 173 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for South Carolina - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$130
avg/month
Natural Gas
$52
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$224
estimated/month

Estimates reflect South Carolina state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a South Carolina state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county West Union sits in

Cost of Living Index
93.7
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$941/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
85.6 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in South Carolina

Newry
393 people
Grover
390 people
Finklea
404 people
Richburg
404 people
Paxville
386 people
Rowesville
406 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to West Union's 396 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Horseshoe Lake, AR
396 people
Arboles, CO
396 people
McCoole, MD
396 people
Nanticoke, MD
396 people
Sumner, MS
396 people
Bartley, NE
396 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to West Union's $49,821 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Rantoul, IL
$49,821 median income
Claypool, IN
$49,821 median income
Macy, IN
$49,821 median income
Palmyra, IN
$49,821 median income
Low Moor, IA
$49,821 median income
Oelwein, IA
$49,821 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - West Union, SC Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition West Union, SC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 74.0% 14.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 21.2% White 74.0% Black or African American 5.6% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 14.6% Two or more races 5.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How West Union compares to nearby South Carolina cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
West Union (this city) 396 $49,821
Newry 393 N/A
Grover 390 N/A
Finklea 404 N/A
Census ACS 5-year FIPS SC FBI UCR NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about West Union, SC?

What is the population of West Union, SC? +

The population of West Union, SC stands at 396 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in West Union, SC? +

Median annual household income in West Union runs $49,821, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in West Union? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for West Union; the closest available measure is the South Carolina state average, a cost of living index of 93.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within South Carolina vary by metro area.

Is West Union, SC safe? +

West Union has a total crime rate of 7455.0 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in West Union, SC? +

Homes in West Union carry a median value of $149,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.