Union County, NC elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities
Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Union County: 25 seats on 8 elected bodies. 9 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.
The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 17 local governments in Union County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.
Kind of government
Census count (2022)
Listed on this page
County government
1
1
Cities, towns, villages and townships
14
2
School districts (school boards)
0
1
Special districts (elected boards)
2
1
Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units Listing (census.gov).
About these counts
The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments (1 in Union County), though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.
Who lives in Union County
250,958people
39.2median ageU.S.: 38.9
$102,900 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
7.7%below the U.S.: 12.5%
40.5%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$417,300median home valueU.S.: $332,700
4.2%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
12.2%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
6.3%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
7.7%U.S.: 8.4%
43.2%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
22.4%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%
Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 13.4% · White 66.8% · Black 10.9% · Asian 4.5% · Other or more than one race 4.4% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)
Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).
About these figures
The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.
Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.
Jobs in Union County
2.9%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 3.4%. North Carolina: 3.1%.
129,356people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
133,173in the September 2026, preliminary.
Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.
Every month, last two years
Month
Rate
Unemployed
Employed
Labor force
September 2026 (preliminary)
2.9%
3,817
129,356
133,173
August 2026
3.4%
4,505
127,560
132,065
July 2026
3.4%
4,495
127,341
131,836
June 2026
3.2%
4,254
127,785
132,039
May 2026
3.2%
4,190
127,514
131,704
April 2026
3.1%
4,131
127,908
132,039
March 2026
3.2%
4,195
128,532
132,727
February 2026
3.4%
4,524
127,666
132,190
January 2026
3.6%
4,797
126,931
131,728
December 2025
3.1%
4,090
128,993
133,083
November 2025
3.4%
4,488
128,853
133,341
October 2025
not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 2025
3.4%
4,485
128,896
133,381
August 2025
3.7%
4,908
127,654
132,562
July 2025
3.6%
4,891
129,690
134,581
June 2025
3.5%
4,665
128,905
133,570
May 2025
3.3%
4,363
128,206
132,569
April 2025
3.1%
4,056
128,484
132,540
March 2025
3.4%
4,534
128,233
132,767
February 2025
3.4%
4,425
127,122
131,547
January 2025
3.4%
4,521
127,668
132,189
December 2024
3.0%
3,988
127,793
131,781
November 2024
3.3%
4,326
127,603
131,929
October 2024
2.9%
3,864
128,910
132,774
Yearly averages
Year
Rate
Unemployed
Employed
Labor force
2025 (11 months)
3.4%
4,493
128,428
132,921
2024
3.3%
4,324
128,188
132,512
2023
3.1%
4,113
127,868
131,981
2022
3.3%
4,205
124,207
128,412
2021
4.1%
4,909
116,164
121,073
2020
6.0%
7,008
109,740
116,748
2019
3.5%
4,221
115,765
119,986
2018
3.6%
4,219
113,158
117,377
2017
4.1%
4,694
110,309
115,003
2016
4.5%
4,984
106,842
111,826
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, : BLS publishes county figures only that way, so they rise and fall with the seasons; compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the month before. North Carolina's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 3.4% in September 2026. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the next month, and BLS revises earlier years each spring. People are counted where they live. October 2025 wasn't collected during the 2025 federal government shutdown, so 2025's yearly average covers 11 months.
Crime reported in Union County
209.9 per 100,0002022. North Carolina: 285.7.
1,370.4 per 100,0002022. North Carolina: 2,007.8.
8murders2022, 489 violent crimes in all.
2022 is the latest year with complete reporting here: at least one of the county's police agencies didn't send the FBI a full year of figures since, so later totals would be undercounts.
Earlier years
Year
Violent
Rate
Property
Rate
2022
489
209.9
3,192
1,370.4
2021
543
236.9
3,025
1,319.7
2020
618
270.4
3,961
1,733.1
2019
643
286.2
4,260
1,896.4
2018
345
156.5
3,469
1,573.8
By police agency (5)
Agency
Year
Violent
Property
People served
Union County Sheriff's Office
2025
201
1,108
179,357
Monroe Police Department
2025
220
959
41,528
Waxhaw Police Department
2025
11
83
23,823
Wingate Police Department
2022
21
61
3,945
Marshville Police Department
2025
17
77
2,755
Crimes to the county's city and county police agencies (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A), per 100,000 people they serve. Years with incomplete reporting are left out. Crime in North Carolina · the U.S.
Police staffing
1.59 per 1,000 residents2024, 5 agencies serving 247,131 people.
392sworn officers2024, full-time, as of October 31.
112civilian staff2024, full-time.
2024 is the latest year every agency here sent the FBI its staff count.
Agencies counted (5), 2024
Agency
Officers
Civilians
People served
Union County Sheriff's Office
246
98
177,205
Monroe Police Department
96
11
38,903
Waxhaw Police Department
34
3
23,893
Marshville Police Department
9
0
2,701
Wingate Police Department
7
0
4,429
Earlier years
Year
Officers
Per 1,000
Civilians
Agencies
2024
392
1.59
112
5
2023
387
1.63
118
5
2022
373
1.60
105
5
2021
363
1.58
102
5
2020
357
1.56
104
5
2019
348
1.55
105
5
2018
335
1.52
109
5
2017
328
1.52
100
5
2016
324
1.53
97
5
Full-time employees of the county's city police departments and sheriff's office, as each reported them to the FBI (Uniform Crime Reporting, Law Enforcement Employees), per 1,000 people in the areas those agencies serve (the FBI's population figures). A year is shown only when every one of these agencies sent a count; a count under half or over double the agency's own counts in nearby years is treated as not sent. Towns policed under contract by another agency are counted through that agency. State police, campus and other agencies aren't included. Sheriffs' offices often also run the county jail and courthouse security, so their staff counts include those jobs.
Quick answers
Who is the Union County Clerk of Superior Court?
Wendy Maynard (Republican) is the Clerk of Superior Court of Union County, North Carolina. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Union County Register of Deeds?
Crystal D. Gilliard (Republican) is the Register of Deeds of Union County, North Carolina.
Who is the Union County Sheriff?
Eddie Cathey (Republican) is the Sheriff of Union County, North Carolina. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Union County commissioners?
Clancy Baucom (County Commissioner).
Who is on the Union County School Board?
Jimmy H. Bention, Sr. (Board of Education Member, At-Large); Sarah May (Board of Education Member, At-Large); Todd F. Price (Board of Education Member, At-Large); John Jemalle Kirkpatrick IV (Board of Education Member, District 1); Matt Helms (Board of Education Member, District 2); Gary M. Sides (Board of Education Member, District 3); Sandra Greene (Board of Education Member, District 4); Joseph Morreale (Board of Education Member, District 5); Kathy Heintel (Board of Education Member, District 6).
What is the population of Union County?
About 250,958 people, with a median age of 39.2; the median household income is $102,900 and 7.7% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Union County?
2.9% in September 2026 (preliminary): 3,817 people unemployed in a labor force of 133,173, against 3.4% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Union County?
17 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 14 municipal and 2 special district governments.
What cities and towns are in Union County?
2: Indian Trail, Monroe. Each has its own page with its mayor and council.
Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from the NC State Board of Elections' certified results of each seat's last election (2022–2025, and the March 2026 nonpartisan school board elections); officials appointed since then may differ; each name links to its source. Officials change between elections (appointments, resignations), and the body's own website is the authority. Party is shown only for offices elected on a partisan ballot.
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