Union County, NC
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Plant Your Future with Union County
Union County - the second largest county in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg region - offers families, visitors and businesses all the amenities of a large city, but with the charm of a small community. Conveniently located just 30 minutes from the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, Union County has the space to breathe and innovate.
Our county’s 14 vibrant municipalities comprise a thriving community with a skilled and ready workforce. It’s the perfect place for your business to grow.
Get to know our community quickly by downloading our one-sheet: Union County At A Glance. Some of our key demographics and quick facts include:
- total population: 270,000
- unemployment rate: 3.1%
- high school graduation rate: 90.4%
- Union County property tax rate: 58.8 cents per $100 valuation
- $1.4 billion in aerospace investment since 2002
- largest geographic aerospace cluster in NC
Located adjacent to Charlotte-Mecklenburg with the suburban charm reflecting our community’s agricultural roots, Union County is at the crossroads of Charlotte’s I-485 beltway and US-74. These major roadways provide easy connectivity to East Coast ports and major metro areas. The Monroe Expressway - an alternative all-electronic bypass – provides an alternative connection along the U.S. 74 corridor to provide additional capacity between Mecklenburg and Union counties.
Union County’s Core Industries
Our region is home to a diverse range of industries, a testament to the broad range of talent that exists with our highly capable workforce. The five most prominent industries in Union County include:
- precision/aerospace manufacturing;
- food systems/agribusiness;
- healthcare;
- office headquarters; and
- retail development.
The Union County Economic Development team works closely with existing businesses who seek to expand their footprint in our community as well as those who seek to establish a presence here.
Meet Our Team
The Union County Economic Development Department serves the existing business community as well as new industries seeking to locate here by connecting them with incentives and funding opportunities from public and private entities who wish to invest in our community.
Ron Mahle, Director of Economic Development, helps existing industries across Union County identify their goals for expansion.
If you represent a local industry with a minimum of 10 full time employees and need assistance with expanding your operations in Union County, contact Ron by email or by calling 980-476-5279.
Rachael Holzman, Assistant Director of Economic Development, represents Union County’s economic development services to industries seeking to initiate a presence in our community.
Site selectors can reach Rachael by email or by calling 980-476-5278.
Officials Gather for Economic Development Municipal Summit
Union County's Economic Development department hosted a Municipal Summit on Wednesday, March 19, to help identify community goals for economic development. More than 30 elected officials and staff gathered to hear about the County's commitment to collaborating with towns on their respective goals for business retention, expansion and recruitment.
Members of the Union County Board of Commissioners joined town leaders to participate in the summit's agenda. A representative of each town shared the latest news and initiatives from their community during the "Municipal Minute" component of the event. Sharla Wells, Vice President of External Affairs with NC Electric Cooperatives, gave a keynote address about the importance of community partnerships.
"Our intent for the Municipal Summit was to demonstrate that Union County Economic Development is a resource for each of the 14 municipalities in our county," said Ron Mahle, Director of Economic Development for Union County. "We wanted to provide an opportunity for town leaders to hear from us and from each other about the future of economic development in Union County."
Union County Economic Development expresses its appreciation to community partner Union Power Cooperative for hosting the summit at its headquarters on Rocky River Road in Monroe.
About Union Power Cooperative
Union Power Cooperative is an electric distribution cooperative that serves members in Union, Stanly, Cabarrus, Mecklenburg and Rowan counties. The Cooperative is a not-for-profit organization incorporated in 1939. Learn more at union-power.com.