Union County is a county in Kentucky, United States, on the east bank of the Ohio River across from where the Wabash River empties into it. It had a population of 13,668 at the 2020 census and covers 342.85 square miles (888.0 km2) of land centred near 37°40′N 87°57′W.
Morganfield is the county seat and its postal code is 42437. The county has 4 incorporated cities and about three dozen unincorporated communities and farm hamlets, in the Central time zone. Union County lies in Kentucky’s Western Coal Fields region.
Towns & Villages in Union County
Union County has four incorporated cities — Morganfield (the seat), Sturgis, Uniontown and Waverly — plus roughly three dozen small unincorporated communities and rural crossroads scattered across the county’s farmland and coal-field terrain. Most of the unincorporated places have no separately tabulated Census population.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morganfield | City · seat | 3,256 | 42437 |
| Sturgis | City | 1,735 | 42459 |
| Uniontown | City | — | 42461 |
| Waverly | City | — | 42462 |
| Arnold | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Blackburn | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bordley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Boxtown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Boxville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Breckinridge Center | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Caseyville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Chapman | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cullen | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Curlew | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dekoven | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Flournoy | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Givens | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Grangertown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Grove Center | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hamner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Harding | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hazel | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Henshaw | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hitesville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kern Orchard | Unincorp. | — | — |
| King Mills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mulfordtown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pride | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Raleigh | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Robinsville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Saint Vincent | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shrote | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Spring Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sullivan | Unincorp. | — | 42460 |
| The Rocks | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Yuba | Unincorp. | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 42437 — Morganfield
- 42459 — Sturgis
- 42461 — Uniontown
- 42462 — Waverly
- 42460 — Sullivan (PO Box delivery only)
The county’s smaller unincorporated communities are served by the nearest of these five post offices rather than having a ZIP code of their own.
Geography
Union County sits on the east bank of the Ohio River in Kentucky’s Western Coal Fields region, a landscape of low ridges, bottomland farm ground and former strip-mine acreage. The Ohio River forms the county’s northern and western boundary, and the John T. Myers Locks and Dam crosses it into Indiana. Union County also borders Illinois across the river at the tri-point where Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois meet.
Union County borders Posey County, Indiana to the north, Henderson County to the northeast, Webster County to the southeast, Crittenden County to the south, Hardin County, Illinois to the west, and Gallatin County, Illinois to the northwest across the Ohio River.
Demographics
Union County had 13,668 residents at the 2020 census, down from 15,007 in 2010. Morganfield and Sturgis are the two largest communities, together accounting for roughly a third of the county’s population. Union County’s median household income runs below the Kentucky median of $61,118. Population density is about 40 people per square mile of land.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture — grain, soybeans and livestock — and coal mining have long anchored Union County’s economy, alongside barge traffic and river-dependent industry along the Ohio. Morganfield, the seat, hosts county government offices and Union County’s schools and is the retail hub for the surrounding farm communities.
History
Union County was formed effective January 15, 1811, from parts of Henderson County. Morganfield, its seat, was named for General Daniel Morgan of Revolutionary War fame. The county’s location on the Ohio River made it a landing point for river trade in the 19th century, and its coal deposits later drew mining operations that shaped many of its smaller communities.
Getting There
US Route 60 and US Route 641 are Union County’s main highways, and Kentucky Route 56 links Morganfield to Sturgis and Uniontown along the river.
- Henderson, Kentucky — 20 miles northeast
- Evansville, Indiana — 30 miles north
- Madisonville, Kentucky — 30 miles southeast
- Paducah, Kentucky — 55 miles southwest
The nearest commercial airport is Evansville Regional Airport in Indiana.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Union County, Kentucky?
It is in far western Kentucky on the east bank of the Ohio River, near the Kentucky-Indiana-Illinois tri-point.
What is the population of Union County?
Union County had 13,668 residents at the 2020 census.
How big is Union County?
The county covers 342.85 square miles (888.0 km2) of land.
What is the county seat of Union County?
Morganfield is the county seat.
How many towns and cities are in Union County?
Union County has four incorporated cities — Morganfield, Sturgis, Uniontown and Waverly — and about three dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Union County?
Union County’s ZIP codes are 42437 (Morganfield), 42459 (Sturgis), 42461 (Uniontown), 42462 (Waverly) and 42460 (Sullivan, PO Box only).
What river forms Union County’s border?
The Ohio River forms the county’s northern and western boundary.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Kentucky.