Virginia has low union membership in both the public and private sectors: Private- and public-sector union density by state, full-time wage and salary workers ages 18–64, September 2020–August 2025
| State | Private sector | State & local govt. |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 5.8% | 24.6% |
| Alaska | 10.3% | 52.7% |
| Arizona | 3.5% | 19.0% |
| Arkansas | 3.9% | 9.8% |
| California | 10.5% | 62.4% |
| Colorado | 4.8% | 23.6% |
| Connecticut | 9.0% | 74.1% |
| Delaware | 5.2% | 39.4% |
| Washington D.C. | 5.9% | 37.9% |
| Florida | 3.4% | 27.7% |
| Georgia | 3.5% | 17.0% |
| Hawaii | 17.4% | 75.5% |
| Idaho | 4.0% | 18.7% |
| Illinois | 9.4% | 58.1% |
| Indiana | 7.6% | 31.0% |
| Iowa | 5.9% | 29.7% |
| Kansas | 8.0% | 26.8% |
| Kentucky | 8.5% | 22.6% |
| Louisiana | 3.6% | 14.9% |
| Maine | 7.8% | 59.0% |
| Maryland | 6.9% | 46.6% |
| Massachusetts | 8.2% | 66.3% |
| Michigan | 12.7% | 52.4% |
| Minnesota | 9.6% | 61.6% |
| Mississippi | 6.9% | 14.8% |
| Missouri | 8.6% | 25.8% |
| Montana | 7.6% | 45.5% |
| Nebraska | 5.5% | 34.4% |
| Nevada | 10.1% | 46.8% |
| New Hampshire | 5.2% | 56.6% |
| New Jersey | 10.4% | 70.1% |
| New Mexico | 5.4% | 26.0% |
| New York | 14.2% | 75.5% |
| North Carolina | 2.3% | 7.5% |
| North Dakota | 5.2% | 21.9% |
| Ohio | 8.7% | 53.4% |
| Oklahoma | 3.7% | 24.5% |
| Oregon | 9.2% | 60.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 8.6% | 61.4% |
| Rhode Island | 10.1% | 69.3% |
| South Carolina | 2.1% | 7.1% |
| South Dakota | 2.9% | 15.4% |
| Tennessee | 4.2% | 19.4% |
| Texas | 3.4% | 19.1% |
| Utah | 6.1% | 22.4% |
| Vermont | 8.3% | 59.5% |
| Virginia | 3.4% | 14.1% |
| Washington | 12.0% | 60.5% |
| West Virginia | 7.8% | 26.1% |
| Wisconsin | 6.8% | 24.7% |
| Wyoming | 4.7% | 15.4% |
Note: Union density is the share of full-time (35+ hour) wage and salary workers, ages 18–64, who belong to a union or are covered by a union contract.
Source: Union density is based on the authors’ analysis of U.S. Census Bureau Current Population Survey Outgoing Rotation Group microdata, September 2020–August 2025 (Flood et al. 2025).