Federally insured credit unions experienced continued improvement in nearly every category during the fourth quarter of 2016 even though at the median, membership declined 0.1%, the NCUA said Wednesday.

Nationally, median loan growth was 4% during the year ending in the fourth quarter, while median asset growth was 3.2%, the agency said. The median rate of growth in deposits and shares was 3.3%, down from 3.6% a year ago. The median loans-to-share ratio reached 64%.

Overall, 51% of federally insured credit unions had fewer members at the end of the fourth quarter than a year ago. Median membership dropped in 23 states. Three-quarters of the credit unions with declining membership had assets of less than $50 million.

Alaska had the highest median membership growth rate of 2.4%, while membership dropped the most in Washington, D.C., where it declined 1.9%.

At the median, shares and deposits rose in every state over the year ending with the fourth quarter of 2016. The median growth rate in shares and deposits was the highest in Washington state with 6.7%, and the lowest in Arkansas with 0.3%.

The median growth rate for loans outstanding was the highest in Oregon and Alaska, with 8.9% and the lowest in Connecticut which saw a 0.1% growth rate.

Nationally, 81% of federally insured credit unions had positive net income during 2016, up from 79% in 2015. At least half the credit unions in every state had positive net income during the year, with Idaho and North Dakota leading at 95%.

The median loan delinquency rate among federally insured credit unions was 81 basis points—unchanged from a year ago. At the end of the fourth quarter, the median delinquency rate was the lowest in North Dakota, 36 basis points, and the highest in New Jersey, at 168 basis points.

Instant Insights /

Half of CUs See Membership Dip in 2016, Shares & Deposits Grow in Q4: NCUA

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