The America’s Best-In-State Credit Unions published by Forbes for 2026 has been released, with credit unions continuing their strong reputation on member-first benefits, cooperative ownership, non-profit status, minimal fees, lower loan rates, and highly personalized service.
This advantage is backed up by J.D. Power’s 2026 U.S. Credit Union Satisfaction Study compiled from more than 10,000 member surveys, spotlighting that satisfaction remains higher for credit unions than for traditional commercial banks.
However, the 2026 study also highlights some emerging shifts in member satisfaction, brand loyalty, communication alignment, and consumer understanding of fee structures. Developed in partnership with market research firm Statista, this ninth annual ranking is based on a survey of 26,000 U.S. residents.
This annual report emphasizes the importance for consumers of choosing a local financial institution carefully, the Forbes’ article states. Survey participants rated institutions on five core criteria: trust, customer service, digital tools, the quality of financial advice given, and whether fees were transparent and reasonable.
“Additionally, Statista gathered more than 1.2 million publicly available reviews and ratings online about each bank and credit union written between February 2023 and March 2026,” the Forbes’ article states. “This research was incorporated into the analysis, accounting for 20% of each financial institution’s score, while the surveys accounted for 80%. The banks and credit unions with the highest overall scores made our rankings — with 228 unique banks and 246 unique credit unions recognized in one or more states.”
