Data / Rankings / Union representation rate / US states

US states by union representation rate, 2025

Hawaii had the highest union representation rate of 51 states in 2025, at 26%. South Dakota had the lowest, at 3.1%. The median was 9.6% and the figure for the United States was 11.2%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest26Hawaii
Lowest3.1South Dakota
Median9.651 states
United States11.2History

Map of states, 2025

Alabama: 7.2 %Alaska: 20.7 %Arizona: 4.5 %Arkansas: 3.5 %California: 16.7 %Colorado: 6.7 %Connecticut: 17.2 %Delaware: 11.5 %District of Columbia: 10.7 %Florida: 6.2 %Georgia: 6.1 %Hawaii: 26 %Idaho: 5.3 %Illinois: 14 %Indiana: 9.6 %Iowa: 8.2 %Kansas: 9 %Kentucky: 10.5 %Louisiana: 5.5 %Maine: 14.1 %Maryland: 15 %Massachusetts: 15.4 %Michigan: 14.2 %Minnesota: 15.8 %Mississippi: 7.3 %Missouri: 11.2 %Montana: 12.3 %Nebraska: 8.5 %Nevada: 14.3 %New Hampshire: 9.9 %New Jersey: 16.1 %New Mexico: 7.9 %New York: 22.5 %North Carolina: 3.1 %North Dakota: 7.4 %Ohio: 12.8 %Oklahoma: 7.3 %Oregon: 16.9 %Pennsylvania: 11.7 %Rhode Island: 17.5 %South Carolina: 4.1 %South Dakota: 3.1 %Tennessee: 5.7 %Texas: 5.8 %Utah: 7.8 %Vermont: 14.8 %Virginia: 6.4 %Washington: 19.4 %West Virginia: 9.1 %Wisconsin: 7.5 %Wyoming: 7.2 %
  • Under 5.9
  • 5.9 to 7.4
  • 7.4 to 9.6
  • 9.6 to 13
  • 13 to 16
  • 16 and over
%, 2025. Source: BLS, Union affiliation data from the Current Population Survey: represented by unions, percent of employed wage and salary workers, nation and states (LUU0204899700 and LUU02048997<state FIPS>). Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2025

Hawaii: 26 %Hawaii26New York: 22.5 %New York22.5Alaska: 20.7 %Alaska20.7Washington: 19.4 %Washington19.4Rhode Island: 17.5 %Rhode Island17.5Connecticut: 17.2 %Connecticut17.2Oregon: 16.9 %Oregon16.9California: 16.7 %California16.7New Jersey: 16.1 %New Jersey16.1Minnesota: 15.8 %Minnesota15.8Massachusetts: 15.4 %Massachusetts15.4Maryland: 15 %Maryland15Vermont: 14.8 %Vermont14.8Nevada: 14.3 %Nevada14.3Michigan: 14.2 %Michigan14.2Maine: 14.1 %Maine14.1Illinois: 14 %Illinois14Ohio: 12.8 %Ohio12.8Montana: 12.3 %Montana12.3Pennsylvania: 11.7 %Pennsylvania11.7Delaware: 11.5 %Delaware11.5Missouri: 11.2 %Missouri11.2District of Columbia: 10.7 %District of Columbia10.7Kentucky: 10.5 %Kentucky10.5New Hampshire: 9.9 %New Hampshire9.9Indiana: 9.6 %Indiana9.6West Virginia: 9.1 %West Virginia9.1Kansas: 9 %Kansas9Nebraska: 8.5 %Nebraska8.5Iowa: 8.2 %Iowa8.2New Mexico: 7.9 %New Mexico7.9Utah: 7.8 %Utah7.8Wisconsin: 7.5 %Wisconsin7.5North Dakota: 7.4 %North Dakota7.4Mississippi: 7.3 %Mississippi7.3Oklahoma: 7.3 %Oklahoma7.3Alabama: 7.2 %Alabama7.2Wyoming: 7.2 %Wyoming7.2Colorado: 6.7 %Colorado6.7Virginia: 6.4 %Virginia6.4Florida: 6.2 %Florida6.2Georgia: 6.1 %Georgia6.1Texas: 5.8 %Texas5.8Tennessee: 5.7 %Tennessee5.7Louisiana: 5.5 %Louisiana5.5Idaho: 5.3 %Idaho5.3Arizona: 4.5 %Arizona4.5South Carolina: 4.1 %South Carolina4.1Arkansas: 3.5 %Arkansas3.5North Carolina: 3.1 %North Carolina3.1South Dakota: 3.1 %South Dakota3.1Hawaii: 26 %Hawaii26New York: 22.5 %New York22.5Alaska: 20.7 %Alaska20.7Washington: 19.4 %Washington19.4Rhode Island: 17.5 %Rhode Island17.5Connecticut: 17.2 %Connecticut17.2Oregon: 16.9 %Oregon16.9California: 16.7 %California16.7New Jersey: 16.1 %New Jersey16.1Minnesota: 15.8 %Minnesota15.8Massachusetts: 15.4 %Massachusetts15.4Maryland: 15 %Maryland15Vermont: 14.8 %Vermont14.8Nevada: 14.3 %Nevada14.3Michigan: 14.2 %Michigan14.2Maine: 14.1 %Maine14.1Illinois: 14 %Illinois14Ohio: 12.8 %Ohio12.8Montana: 12.3 %Montana12.3Pennsylvania: 11.7 %Pennsylvania11.7Delaware: 11.5 %Delaware11.5Missouri: 11.2 %Missouri11.2District of Columbia: 10.7 %District of Columbia10.7Kentucky: 10.5 %Kentucky10.5New Hampshire: 9.9 %New Hampshire9.9Indiana: 9.6 %Indiana9.6West Virginia: 9.1 %West Virginia9.1Kansas: 9 %Kansas9Nebraska: 8.5 %Nebraska8.5Iowa: 8.2 %Iowa8.2New Mexico: 7.9 %New Mexico7.9Utah: 7.8 %Utah7.8Wisconsin: 7.5 %Wisconsin7.5North Dakota: 7.4 %North Dakota7.4Mississippi: 7.3 %Mississippi7.3Oklahoma: 7.3 %Oklahoma7.3Alabama: 7.2 %Alabama7.2Wyoming: 7.2 %Wyoming7.2Colorado: 6.7 %Colorado6.7Virginia: 6.4 %Virginia6.4Florida: 6.2 %Florida6.2Georgia: 6.1 %Georgia6.1Texas: 5.8 %Texas5.8Tennessee: 5.7 %Tennessee5.7Louisiana: 5.5 %Louisiana5.5Idaho: 5.3 %Idaho5.3Arizona: 4.5 %Arizona4.5South Carolina: 4.1 %South Carolina4.1Arkansas: 3.5 %Arkansas3.5North Carolina: 3.1 %North Carolina3.1South Dakota: 3.1 %South Dakota3.1
%. Source: BLS, Union affiliation data from the Current Population Survey: represented by unions, percent of employed wage and salary workers, nation and states (LUU0204899700 and LUU02048997<state FIPS>). Retrieved 2026-10-18.

Full ranking

RankStates2025 (%)Change on 2024
1Hawaii26-1.5 pts
2New York22.5+0.6 pts
3Alaska20.7+1.2 pts
4Washington19.4+1.1 pts
5Rhode Island17.5+2.2 pts
6Connecticut17.2-0.6 pts
7Oregon16.9-0.6 pts
8California16.7+0.4 pts
9New Jersey16.1-1.3 pts
10Minnesota15.8+1 pts
11Massachusetts15.4-0.2 pts
12Maryland15+1.6 pts
13Vermont14.8-1 pts
14Nevada14.3+0.9 pts
15Michigan14.2-0.5 pts
16Maine14.1-1.2 pts
17Illinois14-0.2 pts
18Ohio12.8-0.5 pts
19Montana12.3-0.8 pts
20Pennsylvania11.7-0.7 pts
21Delaware11.5+2.6 pts
22Missouri11.2+1.9 pts
23District of Columbia10.7-1 pts
24Kentucky10.5-0.7 pts
25New Hampshire9.9-0.7 pts
26Indiana9.6-0.8 pts
27West Virginia9.1-0.9 pts
28Kansas9+1 pts
29Nebraska8.5+0.4 pts
30Iowa8.2-0.1 pts
31New Mexico7.9-0.9 pts
32Utah7.80 pts
33Wisconsin7.5+0.6 pts
34North Dakota7.4+1.1 pts
35Mississippi7.3-0.6 pts
35Oklahoma7.3+1.1 pts
37Alabama7.2-0.6 pts
37Wyoming7.2+0.5 pts
39Colorado6.7-1.3 pts
40Virginia6.4+0.7 pts
41Florida6.2-0.1 pts
42Georgia6.1+1.7 pts
43Texas5.8+0.4 pts
44Tennessee5.7+0.1 pts
45Louisiana5.5+0.5 pts
46Idaho5.3-0.6 pts
47Arizona4.50 pts
48South Carolina4.10 pts
49Arkansas3.5-0.9 pts
50North Carolina3.10 pts
50South Dakota3.1-0.6 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Wage and salary workers represented by unions, 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 LUU0204899700 for the nation).

Represented workers are union members plus workers who report no union affiliation but whose jobs are covered by a union or an employee association contract. 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.

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: represented by unions, percent of employed wage and salary workers, nation and states (LUU0204899700 and LUU02048997<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: represented by unions, percent of employed wage and salary workers, nation and states (LUU0204899700 and LUU02048997<state FIPS>) (US states by union representation rate, 2025) [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: represented by unions, percent of employed wage and salary workers, nation and states (LUU0204899700 and LUU02048997<state FIPS>), US states by union representation rate, 2025. 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-representation-rate/us-states. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Union affiliation data from the Current Population Survey: represented by unions, percent of employed wage and salary workers, nation and states (LUU0204899700 and LUU02048997<state FIPS>). US states by union representation rate, 2025. 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-representation-rate/us-states.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Union affiliation data from the Current Population Survey: represented by unions, percent of employed wage and salary workers, nation and states (LUU0204899700 and LUU02048997<state FIPS>), US states by union representation rate, 2025 [Dataset]. Available at: https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/lu/lu.data.1.AllData, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/union-representation-rate/us-states (Accessed: 18 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_us_states_by_union_2025,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Union affiliation data from the Current Population Survey: represented by unions, percent of employed wage and salary workers, nation and states (LUU0204899700 and LUU02048997<state FIPS>): US states by union representation rate, 2025}},
  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-representation-rate/us-states. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Union affiliation data from the Current Population Survey: represented by unions, percent of employed wage and salary workers, nation and states (LUU0204899700 and LUU02048997<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: represented by unions, percent of employed wage and salary workers, nation and states (LUU0204899700 and LUU02048997<state FIPS>): US states by union representation rate, 2025
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-representation-rate/us-states
Y2  - 2026/10/18
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/union-representation-rate/us-states.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Union affiliation data from the Current Population Survey: represented by unions, percent of employed wage and salary workers, nation and states (LUU0204899700 and LUU02048997<state FIPS>). https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/lu/lu.data.1.AllData. Retrieved 2026-10-18.
ER  -
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Questions

Which state has the highest union representation rate?

Hawaii, with 26% in 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which state has the lowest union representation rate?

South Dakota, with 3.1% in 2025.

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: represented by unions, percent of employed wage and salary workers, nation and states (LUU0204899700 and LUU02048997<state FIPS>). Retrieved 2026-10-18.

US states: more rankings