Credit union industry at-a-glance (4Q18)
Membership at U.S. credit unions increased 4.4% year-over-year and the average member relationship increased $542 in 2018. What else happened in the fourth quarter?
2018 was a great year for credit unions nationwide. On the back of a strong economy, with GDP up 2.8% over the year and unemployment levels at record lows, credit unions strengthened member relationships and expanded their balance sheets. In the current climate, cooperatives are reporting notable gains in income and loan but are increasingly facing liquidity pressures. Read on to dive into credit unions performance at the end of 2018.
Membership
Annual membership growth remained a cornerstone of credit union success in 2018. During the year, 5.1 million people joined a credit union and industry membership hit 117.5 million by Dec. 31. Annual membership growth increased 26 basis points year-over-year to 4.4% as of Dec. 31, 2018. In fact, year-end growth has been faster every year since 2010 as more people choose a member-focused, not-for-profit financial services provider.
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