Unity is inhabited predominantly by two ethnic groups: the Nuer majority, and the Dinka minority.

Other towns include Riangnom, Rub-Koni, Yoahnyang, Tam, Mankien, Wang-Kay, Koch, Nyal and Ganyliel.

Many people of the state are nomadic agro-pastoralists who engage in both agriculture and rearing of livestock, especially cattle.

Vegetables are not widely cultivated, as most farmers are rural rather than urban, and therefore lack access to markets for their produce.

The Unity oilfield is within the largest hydrocarbon accumulation in the Muglad rift basin and contains an estimated 150,000,000 barrels (24,000,000 m3) of oil.