How old are the homes in Union Township (Union County), NJ?

Name: Age of homes in Union Township (Union County), NJ, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

78.5% (±4.5 points) of the homes in Union Township (Union County), NJ were built before 1980 (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

20.4% were built before 1940.

5.8% were built in 2010 or later.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Built before 1980: 78.5% (±4.5 points)
Built before 1940: 20.4%
Built 2010 or later: 5.8%

When the homes in Union Township (Union County) were built

Housing units by year structure built, 2020–2024
Year built	Union Township (Union County)	Union County	New Jersey	United States
2020 or later	0.9% (±0.5 points)	1.0%	1.1%	2.0%
2010 to 2019	4.9% (±1.1 points)	5.8%	6.2%	9.4%
2000 to 2009	6.0% (±1.4 points)	5.9%	9.2%	13.6%
1990 to 1999	3.3% (±0.9 points)	4.0%	8.9%	12.4%
1980 to 1989	6.4% (±1.4 points)	5.0%	11.8%	12.9%
1970 to 1979	6.5% (±1.4 points)	7.9%	12.3%	14.2%
1960 to 1969	11.4% (±1.6 points)	12.5%	12.8%	9.9%
1950 to 1959	25.6% (±2.2 points)	22.0%	13.8%	9.5%
1940 to 1949	14.6% (±1.7 points)	12.3%	6.5%	4.4%
1939 or earlier	20.4% (±2.8 points)	23.5%	17.4%	11.7%

In Union Township (Union County), the share of homes built before 1980 is not measurably different from Union County (78.2%).

It is also higher than in New Jersey (62.8%).

It is higher than the national figure (49.7%).

In Union County, Union Township (Union County) ranks 15 of 21 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest share of homes built before 1980.

Statewide, it ranks 154 of 564.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

Why the age of a home matters: lead-based paint

Federal law treats housing built before 1978 as likely to contain lead-based paint.

Before a lease or sale of most pre-1978 housing, the landlord or seller must disclose any known lead-based paint and hazards and give the tenant or buyer the EPA pamphlet (42 U.S.C. § 4852d; 40 CFR part 745, subpart F; 24 CFR part 35, subpart A).

A contractor paid to renovate, repair or paint a pre-1978 home must be a certified firm, use a certified renovator and follow lead-safe work practices under the Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (40 CFR part 745, subpart E) whenever the job disturbs more than 6 square feet of painted surface in a room or more than 20 square feet outside; window replacement and demolition always count (40 CFR 745.83).

Certification comes from EPA, or from the state where EPA has authorized the state to run the program.

The Census Bureau groups construction by decade, so the share built before 1978 lies between the share built before 1970 (72.0%) and the share built before 1980 (78.5%).

Homes built before 1980 in places near Union Township (Union County)

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Union Township (Union County)
Place	Distance	Homes built before 1980	Compared with this place
Union Township (Union County)	—	78.5% (±4.5 points)	—
Kenilworth Borough	1.6 mi	90.0% (±12.8 points)	Not measurably different
Roselle Park Borough	2.1 mi	89.3% (±10.3 points)	Not measurably different
Hillside Township	2.1 mi	91.2% (±7.7 points)	Higher
Springfield	2.4 mi	88.7% (±40.0 points)	Not measurably different
Maplewood Township	2.7 mi	83.3% (±6.1 points)	Not measurably different
Irvington Township	2.8 mi	80.2% (±5.6 points)	Not measurably different
Roselle Borough	3.0 mi	79.5% (±7.9 points)	Not measurably different
Cranford Township	3.3 mi	86.5% (±6.7 points)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Hillside Township, NJ (91.2%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Homes built before 1980 across Union County, place by place

Rank	Place	Homes built before 1980
9	Clark Township	84.1% (±8.9 points)
10	Fanwood Borough	83.2% (±13.1 points)
11	Scotch Plains Township	81.2% (±7.3 points)
12 (tie)	Roselle Borough	79.5% (±7.9 points)
12 (tie)	Westfield Town	79.5% (±6.4 points)
14	Garwood Borough	78.9% (±14.2 points)
15	Union Township (Union County)	78.5% (±4.5 points)
16	Linden	75.8% (±5.2 points)
17	New Providence Borough	75.6% (±7.8 points)
18	Elizabeth	72.6% (±3.6 points)
19	Berkeley Heights Township	72.3% (±7.8 points)
20	Springfield Township (Union County)	71.1% (±7.6 points)
21	Rahway	65.0% (±6.1 points)

Showing 13 of 21 places in Union County, ranked from highest to lowest.

The figures for Union Township (Union County) include the places inside it that have pages of their own: Kean University, Union, Vauxhall.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Union Township (Union County)

How old are most homes in Union Township (Union County)?

78.5% of homes in Union Township (Union County), NJ were built before 1980 (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Do homes in Union Township (Union County) need a lead paint disclosure?

A home built before 1978 does, before it is rented or sold, unless an exemption applies (42 U.S.C. § 4852d); between 72.0% and 78.5% of homes in Union Township (Union County) were built before then.

Does a contractor need lead certification to work on older homes in Union Township (Union County)?

Yes, when the job disturbs more than 6 square feet of paint in a room or 20 square feet outside, or replaces a window: the firm must be certified and a certified renovator must direct the work under the Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (40 CFR part 745, subpart E).

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Union township, Union County, New Jersey

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Union township, Union County, New Jersey (county subdivision:74480, in state:34 county:039).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0017PE, DP04_0017PM, DP04_0018PE, DP04_0018PM, DP04_0019PE, DP04_0019PM, DP04_0020PE, DP04_0020PM, DP04_0021PE, DP04_0021PM, DP04_0022PE, DP04_0022PM, DP04_0023PE, DP04_0023PM, DP04_0024PE, DP04_0024PM, DP04_0025PE, DP04_0025PM, DP04_0026PE, DP04_0026PM

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.