Union receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Union
Jackson
Opportunity
70 · Top 22%
vs67 · Top 27%
Growth
62 · Top 30%
vs54 · Top 44%
Climate
70 · Bottom 49%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 41%
vs43 · Bottom 33%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs99 · Top 11%
Schools
57 · Top 42%
vs50 · Bottom 48%
Access
75 · Bottom 17%
vs73 · Bottom 15%
Economic stability
65 · Top 39%
vs70 · Top 30%
Measured values
| Metric | Union | Jackson | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,781 | 15,659 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,435 | $77,105 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,416 | $38,230 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,406/sq mi | 1,457/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $205,200 | $240,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $858 | $900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.6% | 71.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | -1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.7% | 35.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.1% | 8.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 115 | 34 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.0 | 2.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -40.1% | -2.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.8" | 47.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 40 mi | 44 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.3 min | 21.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.3 | 37.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.31 | 15.25 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 42.0% | 39.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 45.2% | 46.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 45.0% | 37.0% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Union
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, hail, inland flooding.
Jackson
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, tornado.
Full profiles: Union, MO · Jackson, MO · How this is calculated: methodology