While overall credit union membership continued to grow, the median growth rate stood at negative 0.2%. Membership growth continued to be concentrated in larger credit unions. Overall, 52% of federally insured credit unions had fewer members at the end of the third quarter of 2015 compared to a year earlier. Credit unions with dwindling memberships tended to be small – about 75% had less than $50 million in assets. Alaska (3.9%) saw the highest median membership growth rate, followed by Idaho (3.4%). Median membership growth was negative in 23 states, with Pennsylvania (-2.2%) ranking the lowest.

Nationally, median outstanding loan growth equaled 4.1% during the third quarter of 2015, up from 3.5% during the third quarter of 2014.

In addition, the national annualized aggregate return on average assets at federally insured credit unions was 80 basis points during the first three quarters of 2015, down from 83 basis points a year earlier. The aggregate return on average assets was positive in every state during the first three quarters of 2015.

Utah saw the highest aggregate return, followed by Nevada at 139 basis points and 113 basis points. New Jersey and Connecticut posted the lowest aggregate returns on average assets at 22 and 34 basis points, respectively.

Median asset growth equaled 2.4% nationally as of the end of the third quarter of 2015, up from 1.4% one year earlier. Median asset growth was the highest in Idaho (6.3%) followed by New Hampshire (5.7%). The median level of assets grew in all states compared to last year, except for in New Jersey, where it remained unchanged.

Nationally, federally insured credit unions' median share and deposit growth rate equaled 2.3% as of the end of the third quarter of 2015, up from 1.1% for the same time period last year. The median share and deposit growth rate was the highest in Alaska and New Hampshire at 7.6% and 6.9%, respectively. The median share and deposit growth rate was negative in New Jersey (-0.6%) and Delaware (-0.2%).

The national median ratio of loans outstanding to total shares and deposits was 62% at the end of the third quarter of 2015, a rise from the 60% reported for the end of the third quarter of 2014. The median loan-to-share ratio was the highest among credit unions in Idaho (88%) and Vermont (82%). The median loan-to-share ratio was the lowest in Hawaii (43%) and Delaware (46%).

The median delinquency rate at federally insured credit unions was 0.8% nationally for the third quarter of 2015, down from 0.9% one year earlier. Five states – California, Colorado, North Dakota, Oregon and South Dakota – shared the lowest median delinquency rate (0.4%), while Delaware reported the highest median delinquency rate (1.5%). The District of Columbia and New Jersey followed, with both at 1.4%.