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Updated Statistics: 2008

Blake Bowden

Administrator
Staff Member
ALABAMA* *
30,122
29,775
347
ALASKA***
1,982
2,003
-21
ARIZONA**
9,315
9,642
-327
ARKANSAS
16,094
16,524
-430
CALIFORNIA**
63,497
66,127
-2,630
COLORADO
11,421
12,645
-1,224
CONNECTICUT
13,926
14,185
-259
DELAWARE* *
5,260
5,111
149
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
4,434
4,552
-118
FLORIDA**
48,658
49,964
-1,306
GEORGIA
45,736
46,914
-1,178
HAWAII** x
1,733
1,733
0
IDAHO****
4,225
4,412
-187
ILLINOIS
68,562
69,703
-1,141
INDIANA
67,777
68,759
-982
IOWA
23,140
23,960
-820
KANSAS
25,115
26,171
-1,056
KENTUCKY
48,408
48,955
-547
LOUISIANA*
22,006
22,707
-701
MAINE
20,363
21,659
-1,296
MARYLAND
17,054
17,608
-554
MASSACHUSETTS**
36,848
37,777
-929
MICHIGAN
41,185
42,737
-1,552
MINNESOTA
15,782
16,262
-480
MISSISSIPPI
20,493
21,248
-755
MISSOURI
51,500
51,775
-275
MONTANA
6,605
6,985
-380
NEBRASKA
13,498
13,988
-490
NEVADA**
4,390
4,504
-114
NEW HAMPSHIRE
7,156
7,279
-123
NEW JERSEY**
27,297
28,579
-1,282
NEW MEXICO
5,211
5,579
-368
NEW YORK*****
49,082
50,580
-1,498
NORTH CAROLINA
46,300
47,137
-837
NORTH DAKOTA**
3,269
3,385
-116
OHIO**
110,250
114,661
-4,411
OKLAHOMA***
27,723
28,713
-990
OREGON
10,330
10,736
-406
PENNSYLVANIA**
117,584
120,502
-2,918
RHODE ISLAND
4,183
4,490
-307
SOUTH CAROLINA
41,597
42,463
-866
SOUTH DAKOTA
6,372
6,527
-155
TENNESSEE
46,828
48,677
-1,849
TEXAS**
95,289
98,398
-3,109
UTAH
1,963
1,944
19
VERMONT**
6,823
7,019
-196
VIRGINIA
39,839
40,052
-213
WASHINGTON** *
17,682
16,372
1,310
WEST VIRGINIA
22,557
22,947
-390
WISCONSIN
14,134
14,600
-466
WYOMING****
4,225
4,424
-199
TOTAL
1,444,823
1,483,449
-38,626
 

ljlinson1206

Premium Member
Premium Member
Maybe we should contact a Brother in washington and ascertain how they are obtaining members in such large numbers.

Does anyone know any Brothers there?
 

Zack

Registered User
Wasn't it just a few years ago that Ohio was raising several thousand in one day in the whole state????
Interesting to note the losses that have occurred there.

I'll stand by quality over quantity.
 

JBD

Premium Member
I have been to Alabama and I know what they are doing - making Masonry fun, vital and interesting. That said, they also have a different memory requirement. Not easier, not lesser, just different.

They grew about 12% according to these numbers.

PA also have lesser requirements for memory work, surprised they didnt grow.

Texas lost 3.2% of its Masons compared to a National average 2.6% It would be interesting to know two things - why people quit and why they do not join in the first place. Then we could stop the handringing and deal with the issues, just these two issues and Masonry will grow.

What would intersting is to compare population in general to these Masonic numbers. What is the average age of Masons in each state.
What is the average age of the Gen Pop in each state
Did overall population increase or decrease.
 

Blake Bowden

Administrator
Staff Member
In my neck of the woods, it's simply the older Brothers are passing faster than we are growing. I think many Lodges are stagnant because they offer nothing. You join a Lodge for the sole purpose of working your butt off and fundraising to keep the lights on. When you take Brotherly love and activities out of the Lodge, you'll loose members.
 
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Skogie

Registered User
I am the Secretary of a small Lodge with 94 members. The peak membership in 31 years has been 105 with the average staying at 95, the lowest point being 86. We have raised as many that have passed on. We have broke pretty even with those that demit to other lodges after moving away, both in and out of state and those that affiliate from other lodges or jurisdictions when they move here. (Including Texas) :)

Not bad for a small town of 15,000 located 2 hours away from "civilization" in any direction. Definition: Civilization meaning shopping malls, heavy traffic, Interstates and drive-by shootings.

The potential membership to draw upon is limited to the retired persons. We get a lot of military. The younger crowd completes High School and leaves town immediately for a job or College.

Those few that stay have to struggle to make a living and survive. They simply do not have the time or money to become involved.

We attract members by being very visible in our charities. One of best programs we have done to attract new members is the Child Identification Program.

Not only has it energized the membership and promoted fellowship within the Lodge, the side benefits have been in increased interest in Masonry by those who have seen what we have been doing first hand. We gained several new members as a result.

A Lodge that is active with several programs on-going will always survive.

One of the more interesting programs has been our own in-house Research Lodge. Brothers that meet seperately from the Stated Meeting and discuss various articles about Masonry or books that they have read. Very lively discussions, challenging and provactive. No subject being taboo. (Politics, Religion, etc.) Very popular. This allows us to take the time for expression of opinions that would extend a normal Stated Meeting for hours on end. We even invite non-masons to these meetings and have gained some new members as a result.
 

Hippie19950

Premium Member
Another reason we may be losing, is dues.. Our Lodge had paid for those who did not pay for some time. There was a W.M. who started it, and it was continued until the last couple of years. We just don't have the money to carry them anymore, and I am sure there have been many other Lodges who have done this. I will take care of a few Brothers who I know are having a hard time, but I don't feel the lodge should continue to carry those who do not show up to meetings, functions, or contribute to the fund raisers etc. If they are older, or their health has diminished to the point they are not able to attend or help, then I have no problem helping them out. At this point, I feel we should be visiting them a lot more often, to see if there is anything we can do for them. I try to make other contributions as I can to help out, but we need more members, activities, and be able to show why it is a good reason to be a Mason. We are having a few Brothers return to Lodge, as we are letting them know what we are doing. We are using those who have time to contribute to help out with some of our programs. This alone is pretty exciting. I am hoping we can get a few folks to ask more about who we are, and what we do, and then get them to petition. I am open to all suggestions, to pass along to the W.M., and others. 3 of our members are now members here. I passed out a list of internet sites with Masonic info to the Brothers at our last meeting. Some were not aware of the GLoT site, let alone any of the others. By the way, I listed ours right below the GLoT :) then several others I felt they might enjoy looking at. I have an album on my Facebook page with Freemasonry pictures. These are related to the things we have recently completed at the Lodge. As Brother LJ Linson has stated, there will be a Christmas Party, and I plan to make a note or two on there, as we are wanting to involve some others in it. I don't think "General Conversation" is advertising, or asking, but maybe a subtle way to get the word out. As I've said many times, "I'm still real excited about Masonry", and really do enjoy it, just wish it was as contagious as the "Pig Flu" is reported to be.......
 
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