Small manufacturing town in Upstate South Carolina
Though Union's population has dropped more than 20% over the last 50 years, local leaders hope economic growth spurred by a new manufacturing plant along with downtown improvements will lure people back. Union is located in South Carolina’s Piedmont Region, about 70 miles northwest of Columbia. It is the seat of Union County and currently home to about 8,000 residents. A California-based biotech company opened a manufacturing plant in the city in 2023, bringing hundreds of jobs. Other manufacturers, including those that make parts for America’s only BMW plant in nearby Spartanburg, are some of the city’s other big employers. “Overall, there’s a lot of opportunity for investment, if people want to build or have farms or start businesses,” says Jenna Fleming, a Realtor with Keller Williams on Main. She says affordable prices also make Union a good place to buy properties to rent out.
Union is a good place to buy and rent out properties.
New manufacturing plants, like Standard Textile, can be found in Union, SC.
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Brick ranch-style homes dominate in Union
The median home price in Union is close to $220,000, below the roughly $250,000 median in Columbia and nearby Spartanburg. Fleming said most available properties are single-family homes. Many of the city’s houses are brick ranch-style homes built between the 1930s and 1980s. Some farmhouse style homes are also available. “People really are looking for homes with some acreage,” says Fleming, a lifelong Union resident. “If I list a nice farmhouse style on a couple of acres, it goes immediately. It’s a little harder to find those.”
There is a mix of single family and brick ranch-style homes throughout Union, SC.
Many farmhouse style homes sit on large plots of land in Union.
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Career tech programs at Union County schools and a growing USC satellite campus
The city is served by Union County Public Schools, which earns a C-plus on Niche. Union County High School has a B-minus. The district’s career and technical education center is popular, and many students are enrolled in its agriculture, finance and health science programs. Spartanburg Community College has a campus in Union, as does the University of South Carolina. In early 2025, which marks the 60th anniversary of USC Union, the university unveiled a 10-year master plan that includes building a new multipurpose facility and expanding the athletic department.
The Union University of South Carolina is a popular destination for students living in the area.
The Spartanburg Community College campus offers a plethora of programs for Union residents.
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Union home to historic sites, including community-centered Carnegie Library
Many buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places, including Carnegie Library and Rose Hill Plantation State Historic Site. The library was built in 1905 in the Beaux-Arts style. Since then, it has been remodeled multiple times – including the addition of a slide as an alternate way to access the downstairs children’s section. The local United Way and other community partners operate out of the library. The Rose Hill Plantation State Historic Site was a cotton plantation for more than 100 years. In the mid 1800s, the plantation had nearly 200 enslaved people at one time. The property now belongs to the South Carolina State Park Service and hosts lots of educational and historical programs.
The Carnegie Library was built in 1905 in the Beaux-Arts style in Union.
The local United Way and other community partners operate out of the Carnegie Library in Union.
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Festivals and outdoors activities in Union
Union hosts multiple events throughout the year. The Uniquely Union festival is held on Main Street every September. The weekend includes live music, food vendors, corn hole tournaments and carnival rides. The Grand National Cross Country Series – an offroad motorcycle and ATV racing series – kicks off at Union’s Big Buck Farm each February. Foster Park is popular among residents, who enjoy its playground, pond and paved walking trails. The Timken Sports Complex has ballfields and batting cages. The city’s YMCA has a pool available for public use.
Foster Park offers a playground, pond, and paved walking trails for Union locals.
The Union's YMCA has a pool available for public use.
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Mix of dining and retail options and a new medical facility in Union
Downtown Union features multiple boutique shops, plus a locally-owned coffee shop and seafood restaurant. Other cuisine options range from Mexican and Japanese food to barbecue and diner fare. The main thoroughfares are Highways 176 and 49. Spartanburg is about 25 miles northwest along Highway 176. The Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport is about 50 miles from Union. The new Union Medical Center opened in February 2025 to replace an older facility. The building, run by Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System, includes an emergency room and hospital and offers primary care services.
Elle Bell Cafe in located in the heart of Union downtown.
Union has a number of great shopping plazas along Highway 176.
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Moderate weather and a higher-than-state-average property crime rate
Union has a more moderate climate than the more southern parts of the state, seeing fewer days extreme heat. Winters are mild and snow is minimal. The city is also typically shielded from hurricanes, though it was heavily impacted by Hurricane Helene in 2024, with many residents losing power for more than a week.Year-over-year overall crime is on the decline in Union, as in the rest of the state, according to 2022 and 2023 data from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. But Union has one of the highest property crime rates in the state, at about 337 crimes per 10,000 residents.
Written By
Nour Habib
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Viktor Zagorevskiy
Video By
Mark Barakat
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