Top Credit Unions in the U.S. By State

How We Select the Top Credit Union in Each State

We evaluate credit unions across five factors that matter most to everyday consumers, particularly those working to build or improve their credit:

Membership accessibility — We prioritize credit unions open to all state residents or with easy community-based eligibility, not just employees of a single employer.

NCUA insurance — All listed credit unions are federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration, the credit union equivalent of FDIC insurance.

Credit-building products — We look for institutions that offer credit builder loans, secured credit cards, or savings-secured personal loans.

Fee structure — We favor credit unions with low or no minimum balance requirements and no monthly maintenance fees.

Community reputation — We consider member ratings, award recognition, and longevity of service to the community.

This is a curated resource, not a comprehensive ranking. We encourage you to research each institution before opening an account.

Why Credit Unions Are Worth Considering When Building Credit

Credit unions are member-owned, not-for-profit financial institutions. That structure typically means lower fees, better rates, and more flexibility for members who are just starting their credit journey.

Credit builder loans — You make fixed monthly payments, and the funds are released to you at the end of the loan term. You build payment history while building savings simultaneously.

Secured credit cards — A deposit backs the card, making approval easier for members with no or limited credit history. On-time payments report to the credit bureaus and build your file over time.

Lower rates and fees — Because credit unions return profits to members rather than shareholders, they tend to charge less. That matters when you're getting started.

Financial counseling — Many credit unions offer free one-on-one financial coaching — an underrated resource if you're navigating credit for the first time.

Credit unions work well alongside other credit-building tools. Kikoff's Credit Account reports to all three major bureaus and builds revolving credit history — a different credit category than the installment history a credit builder loan creates. Using both can help diversify your credit mix.

Top Credit Union by State

Federal (Nationwide)

Navy Federal Credit Union — The largest U.S. credit union by assets. Offers credit builder loans and secured cards designed for members with limited credit history. Open to active and retired military, DoD civilians, and their family members.

Alabama

Redstone Federal Credit Union — One of the largest credit unions in the Southeast with a strong product suite including secured credit cards and share-secured loans. Open to employees and family members of qualifying employers in northern Alabama.

Alaska

Global Credit Union — The largest credit union in Alaska, with over $12 billion in assets and branches across Alaska, Arizona, California, Washington, and Idaho, plus locations on U.S. military installations in Italy. Open to Alaska residents, Department of Defense employees worldwide, and select employer groups. Formerly known as Alaska USA Federal Credit Union (rebranded April 2023).

Arizona

Desert Financial Credit Union — Largest Arizona-based credit union with a robust credit builder loan program and financial wellness resources. Open to anyone who lives or works in Arizona.

Arkansas

Arkansas Federal Credit Union — Largest credit union in Arkansas, NCUA-insured with a broad range of starter credit products and statewide branch access. Open to anyone who lives or works in Arkansas.

California

Golden 1 Credit Union — One of the largest credit unions in the U.S., serving over 1 million members with strong credit-building tools and financial literacy programs. Open to anyone who lives or works in California.

Colorado

Wings Credit Union — Formed through the January 2026 merger of Ent Credit Union and Wings Financial Credit Union, creating one of the nation's largest credit unions with nearly $20 billion in assets and approximately 1 million members across Colorado, Minnesota, and beyond. Open to anyone who lives or works in Colorado or the Twin Cities metro area.

Connecticut

American Eagle Financial Credit Union — Serves the greater Hartford area with accessible membership and solid entry-level credit products.

Delaware

Del-One Federal Credit Union — The largest credit union headquartered in Delaware. Open to anyone who lives, works, or worships in Delaware.

Florida

Suncoast Credit Union — Largest Florida-based credit union, highly rated for member satisfaction. Open to anyone who lives, works, or attends school in its 39-county service area.

Georgia

Delta Community Credit Union — Largest Georgia-based credit union with strong digital tools and competitive credit-building products. Open to Delta employees and Atlanta metro area residents.

Hawaii

Hawaii State Federal Credit Union — Largest credit union in Hawaii. Serves state and county government employees and their families statewide.

Idaho

Idaho Central Credit Union — Largest credit union in Idaho. Open to anyone in Idaho with a full suite of credit-building products and low-fee accounts.

Illinois

Alliant Credit Union — One of the best-known online credit unions in the country. Fully digital with an excellent credit builder loan and no geographic restrictions. Open to anyone who makes a small donation to Foster Care to Success.

Indiana

Indiana Members Credit Union — Serves Indiana residents statewide with accessible membership and a solid range of credit products including secured cards and credit builder loans.

Iowa

GreenState Credit Union — Largest credit union in Iowa. Open to Iowa residents with a strong credit builder loan program and low-fee accounts.

Kansas

Meritrust Credit Union — Serves Wichita and surrounding areas with accessible membership and strong financial education resources.

Kentucky

L&N Federal Credit Union — Serves Louisville and surrounding areas with accessible membership and competitive credit-building products.

Louisiana

Pelican State Credit Union — Open to all Louisiana residents. Known for credit builder loans and financial literacy programming.

Maine

Dirigo Federal Credit Union — Serves Maine residents with accessible membership and low-cost financial products.

Maryland

SECU (State Employees Credit Union of Maryland) — Serves Maryland state employees and their families with comprehensive credit-building products and low fees.

Massachusetts

Metro Credit Union — Largest credit union headquartered in Massachusetts. Open to residents of select eastern MA counties with strong credit builder loan offerings.

Michigan

Lake Michigan Credit Union — Among the largest Midwest credit unions, consistently praised for member satisfaction and accessible credit products. Open to anyone who lives or works in Michigan or Florida.

Minnesota

Wings Credit Union — Formed through the January 2026 merger of Wings Financial Credit Union and Ent Credit Union, creating a approximately $20 billion institution serving nearly 1 million members across Minnesota, Colorado, and beyond. Open to anyone who lives or works in the Twin Cities metro area or qualifying Colorado communities.

Mississippi

Keesler Federal Credit Union — Largest credit union in Mississippi. Serves military, federal employees, and their families with comprehensive credit-building products.

Missouri

Together Credit Union — Second largest credit union in Missouri, serving over 145,000 members. Open to residents of the St. Louis metro area (including St. Louis City/County, St. Charles, and Jefferson counties), Madison and St. Clair counties in Illinois, the Dallas TX metro area, and select Virginia communities.

Montana

Glacier Hills Credit Union — Community institution serving western Montana with accessible membership and low-fee accounts.

Nebraska

SAC Federal Credit Union — Serves the Omaha metro area with accessible membership and competitive credit-building tools.

Nevada

Greater Nevada Credit Union — Open to Nevada residents statewide with a strong suite of credit-building products and financial wellness tools.

New Hampshire

Service Credit Union — Serves military and civilian members across New England with competitive rates and strong credit-building products.

New Jersey

Affinity Federal Credit Union — New Jersey's largest state-chartered credit union with accessible membership and a strong range of credit products.

New Mexico

Nusenda Credit Union — Largest credit union in New Mexico. Open to all New Mexico residents with strong credit-building tools and financial education resources.

New York

Teachers Federal Credit Union — One of the largest credit unions in New York. Open to anyone who lives or works on Long Island or in New York City.

North Carolina

State Employees' Credit Union (SECU) — Second largest credit union in the U.S. by assets. Serves NC state employees and their families with low-cost credit-building tools.

North Dakota

Dakota West Credit Union — Serves western North Dakota communities with accessible membership and competitive rates on credit-building products.

Ohio

Wright-Patt Credit Union — Largest Ohio credit union by membership. Serves military and civilians in the Dayton area with comprehensive credit-building products.

Oklahoma

WEOKIE Federal Credit Union — One of the largest credit unions in Oklahoma, serving Oklahoma City and surrounding communities. Member-owned cooperative with a full range of financial products and strong community giving through the WEOKIE Foundation.

Oregon

OnPoint Community Credit Union — Largest Oregon-based credit union. Open to anyone who lives or works in select Oregon and Washington counties.

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania State Employees Credit Union — One of the largest credit unions in Pennsylvania. Serves state employees and their families with strong credit-building tools.

Rhode Island

Navigant Credit Union — Rhode Island's largest credit union with over $4 billion in assets. Open to Rhode Island residents with comprehensive credit-building products and strong member service. Ranked #1 in Rhode Island by Forbes seven times since 2017.

South Carolina

Allsouth Federal Credit Union — Columbia-based credit union with statewide reach and strong credit-building tools for members at all credit levels.

South Dakota

Black Hills Federal Credit Union — Largest credit union in South Dakota. Serves the Black Hills region and beyond with accessible membership and strong credit products.

Tennessee

ORNL Federal Credit Union — Serves east Tennessee with open community membership and a strong suite of credit-building tools.

Texas

Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union (RBFCU) — One of the largest credit unions in the country. Known for competitive rates, low fees, and comprehensive credit builder products. Open to anyone who lives or works in select Texas counties.

Utah

America First Credit Union — One of the largest credit unions in the country. Serves Utah and Nevada residents with comprehensive credit-building products and statewide branch access.

Vermont

Vermont Federal Credit Union — Serves Vermont residents statewide with accessible membership and competitive rates on credit-building products.

Virginia

Navy Federal Credit Union — Headquartered in Vienna, VA. The largest U.S. credit union by assets, serving military members and their families nationwide.

Washington

BECU (Boeing Employees Credit Union) — Largest credit union in Washington and one of the largest in the U.S. Highly rated for member value and low-cost credit products. Open to Washington state residents.

West Virginia

WV Members Choice Federal Credit Union — Serves West Virginia residents with accessible membership and competitive credit-building tools.

Wisconsin

UW Credit Union — Serves University of Wisconsin affiliates and Dane County residents with strong credit-building products and low fees.

Wyoming

WyHy Federal Credit Union — Serves Wyoming residents statewide with accessible membership and competitive rates on credit-building products.

About This Resource

This page is maintained by the Kikoff editorial team and updated periodically as new information becomes available. Our goal is to provide a useful, trustworthy starting point for people exploring credit union membership — not a substitute for doing your own research before opening an account.

If you represent a credit union and believe your institution should be included or updated on this page, please reach out to us.

Looking to build your credit score alongside a credit union membership? Kikoff's Credit Account reports to all three major credit bureaus and builds payment history, credit utilization history, and revolving credit mix simultaneously — often complementing what a credit builder loan from your credit union provides.