Union County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 42,681.^[1] Its county seat is Lewisburg.^[2] The county was created on March 22, 1813, from part of Northumberland County. Its name is an allusion to the federal Union. Mifflinburg was established by legislation as the first county seat until it was moved to New Berlin in 1815. Lewisburg became county seat in 1855 and has remained so since. Union County comprises the Lewisburg, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Bloomsburg-Berwick-Sunbury, PA Combined Statistical Area. The county is part of the Central Pennsylvania region of the state.^{[lower-alpha 1]}

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Union County
County
Old Union County Courthouse in New Berlin
Location within the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 40°58′N 77°04′W
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
Founded	March 22, 1813
Seat	Lewisburg
Largest borough	Lewisburg
Area
• Total	318 sq mi (820 km2)
• Land	316 sq mi (820 km2)
• Water	1.8 sq mi (5 km2)  0.6%
Population  (2020)
• Total	42,681
• Density	142/sq mi (55/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	12th
Website	unionco.org

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 318 square miles (820 km²), of which 316 square miles (820 km²) is land and 1.8 square miles (4.7 km²) (0.6%) is water.^[3] It is the fourth-smallest county in Pennsylvania by area. Union has a humid continental climate (Dfa/Dfb) and average temperatures in Lewisburg range from 27.2 °F in January to 72.7 °F in July, while in Hartleton they range from 26.4 °F in January to 72.1 °F in July.^[4]

As of the census^[11] of 2000, there were 41,624 people, 13,178 households, and 9,211 families residing in the county. The population density was 131 people per square mile (51 people/km²). There were 14,684 housing units at an average density of 46 units per square mile (18/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 90.08% White, 6.91% Black or African American, 0.16% Native American, 1.06% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races, and 1.37% from two or more races. 3.90% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 41.2% were of German, 13.9% American, 6.5% Irish, 5.9% English and 5.3% Italian ancestry. 90.4% spoke English, 3.7% Spanish, 2.0% Pennsylvania Dutch and 1.2% German as their first language.

There were 13,178 households, out of which 31.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.90% were married couples living together, 6.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.10% were non-families. 25.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 20.10% under the age of 18, 13.90% from 18 to 24, 30.90% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 13.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 123.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 128.50 males.

The United States Office of Management and Budget^[13] has designated Union County as the Lewisburg, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area (µSA). As of the 2010 census^[14] the micropolitan area ranked 12th most populous in the State of Pennsylvania and the 263rd most populous in the United States with a population of 44,947. Union County is also a part of the Bloomsburg–Berwick–Sunbury, PA Combined Statistical Area (CSA), which combines the populations of Union County, as well as Columbia, Montour, Northumberland and Snyder Counties in Pennsylvania. The Combined Statistical Area ranked 8th in the State of Pennsylvania and 115th most populous in the United States with a population of 264,739.

In presidential elections, Union County has voted for Democratic candidates less than almost any county in the nation.^{[citation needed]} Andrew Jackson was the last Democratic Party candidate to win the county, in 1828. The county has been solidly Republican in Presidential elections since John C. Frémont's win against James Buchanan in 1856. The only exception was William Howard Taft's loss to Theodore Roosevelt of the Bull Moose (Progressive) Party – which had splintered from the Republican Party – in 1912.^[16] The county has also voted for Republican Senators,^[17] State Treasurers,^[18] and State Auditors^[19] for decades. Robert P. Casey is the only Democratic gubernatorial candidate to win the county in the last fifty years.^[20] The county seat of Lewisburg is heavily Democratic, having given Joe Biden over 70% of its vote in 2020. However, the rest of the county is overwhelmingly Republican.^[21]

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in most cases, towns. The following boroughs and townships are located in Union County:

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Union County, Pennsylvania