Blog · October 14, 2026 · Iowa
Union County Township Map, Iowa
How to tell which township a parcel in Union County sits in, and what that means near Creston.
Main page: Union County, IA GIS & Parcel Viewer (official map link, Union County facts and neighboring maps).
Platbookmapper is an Amazon Associate. If you buy through an Amazon link on this page, we earn a commission. The link is a product, not the county map.
Townships organize a lot of rural life near Arispe, from road upkeep to how land is described, and a Union County township map displays their lines. This guide covers the free Union County, IA options and how to read them.
How to use the Union County township map
A township name on a county tax record refers to the civil township where the land near Lorimor sits. Separately, Iowa land near Lorimor follows the federal survey grid, with blocks about 6 miles on a side; each holds 36 sections, so a farm near Talmage may span two.
Search Union County parcels by owner, address or ID
For land around Afton, open the Union County Beacon site (Schneider Geospatial's Beacon platform); it is the map Union County itself publishes. Search an Afton address on the county search page, read the report, then jump to the map to see that parcel's outline. Bookmark our Union County page too; it tracks the official Iowa link if it moves and lists the maps around Thayer.
How to look up a township in Union County
Open the Union County Beacon site and look in the layer list for township or municipal boundaries; click a parcel near Lorimor and the record frequently names the township. Some Union County viewers include a PLSS layer that labels sections, which helps when a deed near Lorimor cites T and R numbers.
Reading sections near Thayer
On a grid map of Union County, sections are numbered from 1 in the northeast corner, with the count snaking back and forth to 36 in the southeast. Quarter-quarter descriptions in Union County are read from the end: the final quarter listed is the largest piece. Water, old surveys and corrections can leave odd-sized lots along section edges in Union County.
Township records near Creston
If a county deed near Talmage cites a township that no longer appears on the map, the county recorder can most frequently explain the change. For property tax questions, the township shown on the county record for a parcel near Creston is the one that counts.
The Union County economy in brief
Union County's 2022 business count was 299 establishments, with retail trade, other services, and health care and social assistance the largest groups. Compared with national shares, Union County leans toward utilities and heavy and civil engineering construction, which shapes demand for land near Creston.
The lay of the land around Creston
Town lots cluster around Creston, the county seat, and Afton, Arispe, Cromwell, and Lorimor. Unincorporated communities in the county, including Talmage and Kent, show up as small groups of parcels along the roads. Union County had an estimated 11,906 people in 2023 (Census Bureau), spread across about 424 square miles. Beyond the town lots in Cromwell, expect big rural parcels across the county. Union County was organized in 1851, so deeds for older farms near Thayer can run back a long way.
Tracts that cross the Union County line
Near the edge of the county, check the next map over: Adair County, Adams County, Clarke County, Decatur County, and Madison County all border it. Our Iowa page links each map neighboring Union County.
Recorded documents in Union County, Iowa
Deeds and plats behind the Union County map are kept by the county's recording office; the official Union County website names which office that is. Easements and access rights near Shannon City live in recorded documents, so read the deed, not just the county map.
Mailing towns vs. townships near Creston
For a parcel near Creston, township lines decide which local office you deal with, so look it up before you call about land near Talmage. The township on the county record also decides which local office keeps meeting notices and ordinances for land near Talmage.
Union County township map questions
How do I find what township a property in Union County is in?
Click the parcel on the Union County Beacon site; the Union County record most frequently names the township.
Does a Union County mailing town match the township?
Postal towns and township lines in Union County do not always match; the parcel record displays the township for taxes.
How many acres is a section in Union County?
Roughly 640 acres per section in Union County; real sections vary a bit because of survey corrections.
Can I see township boundaries near Arispe online?
Usually; turn on boundary layers in the county viewer and zoom toward Arispe.
What is a boundary survey township in Union County?
It's a Public Land Survey System block about 6 miles square with 36 sections, used to describe Union County land.
Open the official Union County, IA parcel map Union County in the Platbookmapper directory
Not a survey. County GIS and tax parcel maps are assessment and planning layers. They are not a substitute for a recorded plat, deed, or licensed survey, especially for fences, setbacks, or boundary disputes.