Places › New Jersey › Union

Living in Union, NJ

Suburb in New Jersey

Union is a suburb in New Jersey, home to about 60,000 people, with 13.5 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, you can walk or take transit almost everywhere. Life moves at a very fast pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.

Is Union a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Strong healthcare: 23 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Easy flying: EWR is 5 mi away
  • Big job market: about 13.5 million people live within 31 mi
  • Lots of culture: museums, zoos and attractions nearby

👎 Cons

  • Higher taxes: about $2,267 state income tax per resident, 2.37% property tax
  • Few dog parks: 21 within 9 mi
  • Cloudier than most places
  • Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $597k, and rent is $2,760 a month

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Union ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
60,000
13.5 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
43°F / 84°F
Average daily highs · 26″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$597k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$2,760/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
113
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$2,267
State income tax per resident · 2.37% property tax
Safety
0.2× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
8 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, earthquakes
Top-rated hospitals
23
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Good
Tests above US average · 12 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
41%
13 research universities within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
EWR
5 mi away

Living in Union: common questions

What is the cost of living in Union?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $597k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,760 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 113, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Union?

New Jersey collects about $2,267 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 2.37% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Union safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.2× in FBI 2019 data).

How are the schools in Union?

Public schools in Union test above the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 12 students per teacher.

What is the weather like in Union?

Union has cold winters: winter days average around 43°F and summer days around 84°F, with roughly 26″ of snow a year.

Does Union get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding and earthquakes: 8 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.45 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Union?

The nearest major airport is EWR, about 5 mi away.

How Union scores

Each bar compares Union with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City sizeMajor metro Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietUrban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundWalk & transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureStrong culture scene Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateCold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingExpensive Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceVery fast-paced Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunityFriendly community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingApartments & houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingBelow average
💸Low taxesPoor
💼Job marketExcellent
🏥HealthcareExcellent
🏫SchoolsGood
🎓EducationExcellent
🧸Kids & familyGood
🐕Dog-friendlyBelow average
⛰️OutdoorsGood
🎭CultureExcellent
👮SafetyVery safe
🌪️Few natural disastersExcellent
☀️SunnyBelow average
🌤️Mild summersExcellent
✈️AirportExcellent

Places like Union

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.

The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).

West Orange, NJSuburb70 $675k$2,760/moVery safe Woodbridge, NJSuburb70 $534k$2,980/moVery safe Nutley, NJSuburb71 $667k$2,760/moVery safe Clifton, NJSuburb68 $630k$2,840/moVery safe Piscataway, NJSuburb69 $583k$2,980/moVery safe Sayreville, NJSuburb69 $508k$3,380/moVery safe

Nearby

Irvington, NJSuburb · 3 mi away58 $431k$2,760/moModerate crime Elizabeth, NJSuburb · 4 mi away61 $540k$2,760/moModerate crime Westfield, NJSuburb · 5 mi away75 $999k$3,540/moVery safe Linden, NJSuburb · 5 mi away63 $565k$2,760/moSafe City of Orange, NJSuburb · 5 mi away64 $393k$2,760/moNo crime data Newark, NJBig city · 5 mi away65 $450k$2,510/moModerate crime

See all the best places to live in New Jersey.

Is Union right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

Take the free quiz →

Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.