Data / Rankings / Union membership rate / US states

US states by union membership rate

New York had the highest union membership rate of 51 states in 2015, at 24.7%. South Carolina had the lowest, at 2.1%. The median was 9.7% and the figure for the United States was 11.1%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest24.7New York
Lowest2.1South Carolina
Median9.751 states
United States11.1History

Map of states, 2015

Alabama: 10.2 %Alaska: 19.6 %Arizona: 5.2 %Arkansas: 5.1 %California: 15.9 %Colorado: 8.4 %Connecticut: 17 %Delaware: 9.2 %District of Columbia: 10.4 %Florida: 6.8 %Georgia: 4 %Hawaii: 20.4 %Idaho: 6.8 %Illinois: 15.2 %Indiana: 10 %Iowa: 9.6 %Kansas: 8.7 %Kentucky: 11 %Louisiana: 5.8 %Maine: 11.6 %Maryland: 10.4 %Massachusetts: 12.9 %Michigan: 15.2 %Minnesota: 14.2 %Mississippi: 5.4 %Missouri: 8.8 %Montana: 12.2 %Nebraska: 7.7 %Nevada: 14.3 %New Hampshire: 9.7 %New Jersey: 15.4 %New Mexico: 6.2 %New York: 24.7 %North Carolina: 3 %North Dakota: 5.4 %Ohio: 12.3 %Oklahoma: 5.6 %Oregon: 14.8 %Pennsylvania: 13.3 %Rhode Island: 14.2 %South Carolina: 2.1 %South Dakota: 5.9 %Tennessee: 5.4 %Texas: 4.5 %Utah: 3.9 %Vermont: 12.6 %Virginia: 5.4 %Washington: 16.8 %West Virginia: 12.4 %Wisconsin: 8.3 %Wyoming: 7.1 %
  • Under 5.4
  • 5.4 to 7
  • 7 to 9.7
  • 9.7 to 12
  • 12 to 15
  • 15 and over
%, 2015. Source: BLS, Union affiliation data from the Current Population Survey: members of unions, percent of employed wage and salary workers, nation and states (LUU0204899600 and LUU02048996<state FIPS>). Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2015

New York: 24.7 %New York24.7Hawaii: 20.4 %Hawaii20.4Alaska: 19.6 %Alaska19.6Connecticut: 17 %Connecticut17Washington: 16.8 %Washington16.8California: 15.9 %California15.9New Jersey: 15.4 %New Jersey15.4Illinois: 15.2 %Illinois15.2Michigan: 15.2 %Michigan15.2Oregon: 14.8 %Oregon14.8Nevada: 14.3 %Nevada14.3Minnesota: 14.2 %Minnesota14.2Rhode Island: 14.2 %Rhode Island14.2Pennsylvania: 13.3 %Pennsylvania13.3Massachusetts: 12.9 %Massachusetts12.9Vermont: 12.6 %Vermont12.6West Virginia: 12.4 %West Virginia12.4Ohio: 12.3 %Ohio12.3Montana: 12.2 %Montana12.2Maine: 11.6 %Maine11.6Kentucky: 11 %Kentucky11District of Columbia: 10.4 %District of Columbia10.4Maryland: 10.4 %Maryland10.4Alabama: 10.2 %Alabama10.2Indiana: 10 %Indiana10New Hampshire: 9.7 %New Hampshire9.7Iowa: 9.6 %Iowa9.6Delaware: 9.2 %Delaware9.2Missouri: 8.8 %Missouri8.8Kansas: 8.7 %Kansas8.7Colorado: 8.4 %Colorado8.4Wisconsin: 8.3 %Wisconsin8.3Nebraska: 7.7 %Nebraska7.7Wyoming: 7.1 %Wyoming7.1Florida: 6.8 %Florida6.8Idaho: 6.8 %Idaho6.8New Mexico: 6.2 %New Mexico6.2South Dakota: 5.9 %South Dakota5.9Louisiana: 5.8 %Louisiana5.8Oklahoma: 5.6 %Oklahoma5.6Mississippi: 5.4 %Mississippi5.4North Dakota: 5.4 %North Dakota5.4Tennessee: 5.4 %Tennessee5.4Virginia: 5.4 %Virginia5.4Arizona: 5.2 %Arizona5.2Arkansas: 5.1 %Arkansas5.1Texas: 4.5 %Texas4.5Georgia: 4 %Georgia4Utah: 3.9 %Utah3.9North Carolina: 3 %North Carolina3South Carolina: 2.1 %South Carolina2.1New York: 24.7 %New York24.7Hawaii: 20.4 %Hawaii20.4Alaska: 19.6 %Alaska19.6Connecticut: 17 %Connecticut17Washington: 16.8 %Washington16.8California: 15.9 %California15.9New Jersey: 15.4 %New Jersey15.4Illinois: 15.2 %Illinois15.2Michigan: 15.2 %Michigan15.2Oregon: 14.8 %Oregon14.8Nevada: 14.3 %Nevada14.3Minnesota: 14.2 %Minnesota14.2Rhode Island: 14.2 %Rhode Island14.2Pennsylvania: 13.3 %Pennsylvania13.3Massachusetts: 12.9 %Massachusetts12.9Vermont: 12.6 %Vermont12.6West Virginia: 12.4 %West Virginia12.4Ohio: 12.3 %Ohio12.3Montana: 12.2 %Montana12.2Maine: 11.6 %Maine11.6Kentucky: 11 %Kentucky11District of Columbia: 10.4 %District of Columbia10.4Maryland: 10.4 %Maryland10.4Alabama: 10.2 %Alabama10.2Indiana: 10 %Indiana10New Hampshire: 9.7 %New Hampshire9.7Iowa: 9.6 %Iowa9.6Delaware: 9.2 %Delaware9.2Missouri: 8.8 %Missouri8.8Kansas: 8.7 %Kansas8.7Colorado: 8.4 %Colorado8.4Wisconsin: 8.3 %Wisconsin8.3Nebraska: 7.7 %Nebraska7.7Wyoming: 7.1 %Wyoming7.1Florida: 6.8 %Florida6.8Idaho: 6.8 %Idaho6.8New Mexico: 6.2 %New Mexico6.2South Dakota: 5.9 %South Dakota5.9Louisiana: 5.8 %Louisiana5.8Oklahoma: 5.6 %Oklahoma5.6Mississippi: 5.4 %Mississippi5.4North Dakota: 5.4 %North Dakota5.4Tennessee: 5.4 %Tennessee5.4Virginia: 5.4 %Virginia5.4Arizona: 5.2 %Arizona5.2Arkansas: 5.1 %Arkansas5.1Texas: 4.5 %Texas4.5Georgia: 4 %Georgia4Utah: 3.9 %Utah3.9North Carolina: 3 %North Carolina3South Carolina: 2.1 %South Carolina2.1
%. Source: BLS, Union affiliation data from the Current Population Survey: members of unions, percent of employed wage and salary workers, nation and states (LUU0204899600 and LUU02048996<state FIPS>). Retrieved 2026-10-18.

Full ranking

RankStates2015 (%)Change on 2014
1New York24.7+0.1 pts
2Hawaii20.4-1.4 pts
3Alaska19.6-3.2 pts
4Connecticut17+2.2 pts
5Washington16.80 pts
6California15.9-0.4 pts
7New Jersey15.4-1.1 pts
8Illinois15.2+0.1 pts
8Michigan15.2+0.7 pts
10Oregon14.8-0.8 pts
11Nevada14.3-0.1 pts
12Minnesota14.20 pts
12Rhode Island14.2-0.9 pts
14Pennsylvania13.3+0.6 pts
15Massachusetts12.9-0.8 pts
16Vermont12.6+1.5 pts
17West Virginia12.4+1.8 pts
18Ohio12.3-0.1 pts
19Montana12.2-0.5 pts
20Maine11.6+0.6 pts
21Kentucky110 pts
22District of Columbia10.4+1.8 pts
22Maryland10.4-1.5 pts
24Alabama10.2-0.6 pts
25Indiana10-0.7 pts
26New Hampshire9.7-0.2 pts
27Iowa9.6-1.1 pts
28Delaware9.2-0.7 pts
29Missouri8.8+0.4 pts
30Kansas8.7+1.3 pts
31Colorado8.4-1.1 pts
32Wisconsin8.3-3.4 pts
33Nebraska7.7+0.4 pts
34Wyoming7.1+0.4 pts
35Florida6.8+1.1 pts
35Idaho6.8+1.5 pts
37New Mexico6.2+0.5 pts
38South Dakota5.9+1 pts
39Louisiana5.8+0.6 pts
40Oklahoma5.6-0.4 pts
41Mississippi5.4+1.7 pts
41North Dakota5.4+0.4 pts
41Tennessee5.4+0.4 pts
41Virginia5.4+0.5 pts
45Arizona5.2-0.1 pts
46Arkansas5.1+0.4 pts
47Texas4.5-0.3 pts
48Georgia4-0.3 pts
49Utah3.9+0.2 pts
50North Carolina3+1.1 pts
51South Carolina2.1-0.1 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Union members as a percent of employed wage and salary workers, annual average, from the Current Population Survey of the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (series LUU0204899600 for the nation).

Union members are members of a labor union or an employee association similar to a union. Annual averages of the monthly Current Population Survey, a household survey, so the figures carry sampling error, which is larger for small states. Wage and salary workers exclude the incorporated and unincorporated self employed. State figures are by state of residence. The 2025 averages cover 11 months: October 2025 was not collected during the federal government shutdown. For workers covered by a union contract, members or not, use union_representation_rate.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the states are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Union affiliation data from the Current Population Survey: members of unions, percent of employed wage and salary workers, nation and states (LUU0204899600 and LUU02048996<state FIPS>). https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/lu/lu.data.1.AllData. Retrieved 2026-10-18.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Union affiliation data from the Current Population Survey: members of unions, percent of employed wage and salary workers, nation and states (LUU0204899600 and LUU02048996<state FIPS>) (US states by union membership rate, 2015) [Data set]. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/lu/lu.data.1.AllData

MLA 9

Union affiliation data from the Current Population Survey: members of unions, percent of employed wage and salary workers, nation and states (LUU0204899600 and LUU02048996<state FIPS>), US states by union membership rate, 2015. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 18 Feb. 2026, https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/lu/lu.data.1.AllData. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/union-membership-rate/us-states?period=2015. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Union affiliation data from the Current Population Survey: members of unions, percent of employed wage and salary workers, nation and states (LUU0204899600 and LUU02048996<state FIPS>). US states by union membership rate, 2015. Dataset. Accessed October 18, 2026. https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/lu/lu.data.1.AllData. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/union-membership-rate/us-states?period=2015.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Union affiliation data from the Current Population Survey: members of unions, percent of employed wage and salary workers, nation and states (LUU0204899600 and LUU02048996<state FIPS>), US states by union membership rate, 2015 [Dataset]. Available at: https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/lu/lu.data.1.AllData, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/union-membership-rate/us-states?period=2015 (Accessed: 18 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_us_states_by_union_2015,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Union affiliation data from the Current Population Survey: members of unions, percent of employed wage and salary workers, nation and states (LUU0204899600 and LUU02048996<state FIPS>): US states by union membership rate, 2015}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/lu/lu.data.1.AllData},
  urldate = {2026-10-18},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/union-membership-rate/us-states?period=2015. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Union affiliation data from the Current Population Survey: members of unions, percent of employed wage and salary workers, nation and states (LUU0204899600 and LUU02048996<state FIPS>). https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/lu/lu.data.1.AllData. Retrieved 2026-10-18.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
TI  - Union affiliation data from the Current Population Survey: members of unions, percent of employed wage and salary workers, nation and states (LUU0204899600 and LUU02048996<state FIPS>): US states by union membership rate, 2015
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/02/18
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/lu/lu.data.1.AllData
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/union-membership-rate/us-states?period=2015
Y2  - 2026/10/18
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/union-membership-rate/us-states?period=2015.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Union affiliation data from the Current Population Survey: members of unions, percent of employed wage and salary workers, nation and states (LUU0204899600 and LUU02048996<state FIPS>). https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/lu/lu.data.1.AllData. Retrieved 2026-10-18.
ER  -
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Rank US states by union membership rate using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which state has the highest union membership rate?

New York, with 24.7% in 2015, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which state has the lowest union membership rate?

South Carolina, with 2.1% in 2015.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Union affiliation data from the Current Population Survey: members of unions, percent of employed wage and salary workers, nation and states (LUU0204899600 and LUU02048996<state FIPS>). Retrieved 2026-10-18.

US states: more rankings