According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, union membership in the private sector in the U.S. in 2018 was 6.4%, down from 6.5% in 2017. Membership was highest in Hawaii (23.2%) and New York (22.3%); the lowest was in North Carolina (2.7%) and South Carolina (2.7%). Unionized workers tended to be older (ages 55 to 64).