Markets
The Largest Export of Every U.S. State in 2017
The Largest Export of Every U.S. State in 2017
Last year, the U.S. exported $2.3 trillion worth of goods to international customers.
The country’s main exports are exactly what one would expect, with categories like aircraft, refined petroleum, vehicles, vehicle parts, and computer chips constituting the biggest chunk of overall goods.
However, today’s infographic from HowMuch.net zooms down to the state level, where things get much more interesting. Some states tow the line by exporting one of the major U.S. goods, while others specialize in categories that you probably couldn’t ever guess.
Towing the Line
We’ll start by looking at dollar values for the states that have the single largest exports.
Here are the top 10 states:
Rank | State | Type of Good | 2017 Value |
---|---|---|---|
#1 | Washington | Airplanes | $41.8 billion |
#2 | Texas | Petroleum | $23.4 billion |
#3 | Louisiana | Petroleum | $13.4 billion |
#4 | New York | Diamonds | $12.2 billion |
#5 | Kentucky | Airplanes | $11.6 billion |
#6 | California | Airplanes | $7.1 billion |
#7 | Florida | Airplanes | $6.3 billion |
#8 | Nevada | Gold | $6.3 billion |
#9 | South Carolina | Airplanes | $6.3 billion |
#10 | Georgia | Airplanes | $5.8 billion |
Not surprisingly, some of the top national exports are represented here.
Airplanes dominate the list, and Boeing’s presence in particular is clearly felt. The company’s major factory in Everett, WA – the largest building in the world by volume – helps the state of Washington generate $41.8 billion in export sales from the aerospace sector. That said, airplanes are also the top export good for five other states in the above list.
The Gulf Coast is also well-represented with Texas and Louisiana as major refined oil exporters. New York (Diamonds) and Nevada (Gold) round out the list.
Keeping Exports Weird
The smaller the state, the better chance it has of specializing in a type of good that is outside of the norm.
Possibly the title of “Most Unusual Top State Export” can go to South Dakota, which sent $91 million of distillery dregs outside of the country in 2017. In case you were wondering, the U.S. Census Bureau’s full category title for this is as follows: BREWING OR DISTILLING DREGS AND WASTE, W/NT PELLET.
This spent grain is a byproduct of brewing or distilling processes, and is primarily sold for use in making animal feeds.
Other strange top exports?
The biggest state export of Wyoming is soda ash, which is used to manufacture of glass, paper, rayon, soaps, and detergents. In 2017, the state exported $842 million of soda ash, which is 10x larger than its second-biggest export category, which is also an uncommon one: rare gases.
Other interesting states include Rhode Island, which exported $187 million of iron and steel waste, as well as Maine – a state that shipped away $326 million of its famous lobsters.
Markets
Graphene: An Investor’s Guide to the Emerging Market
The market value of graphene could reach $3.75 billion by 2030. As the emerging industry shows fast growth, it also faces obstacles.


Graphene: An Investor’s Guide to the Emerging Market
Graphene is an atomic-scale “honeycomb” that is revolutionizing the world of materials and capturing investor attention.
Experts predict that its market value could reach the billion-dollar threshold by 2027 and soar to a staggering $3.75 billion by 2030.
In this infographic sponsored by HydroGraph, we dive into everything investors need to know about this exciting industry and where it’s headed.
Promising Properties
Graphene possesses several unique physical properties which contribute to its wide range of potential applications.
- 200 times stronger than steel
- Harder than diamonds
- 1,000 times lighter than paper
- 98% transparent
- Higher electrical conductivity than copper
- Heat conductivity: 5 times that of copper
- 2,630 m² of surface area per gram
Since its first successful isolation in 2004, graphene’s properties have opened the doors to a multitude of commercial applications and products.
Applications of Graphene
Graphene has permeated numerous sectors like electronics, energy, and healthcare because of its impressive array of end uses.
Industry | Revenue CAGR of Graphene Across Industries, 2022-2027 |
---|---|
Biomedical and Healthcare | 52% |
Electronics and Telecommunications | 34% |
Energy | 25% |
Aerospace and Defense | 16% |
Other End-User Industries | 17% |
Graphene’s antibacterial properties make it highly suitable for medical instruments and implants. Furthermore, it has shown remarkable potential in helping treat diseases such as cancer.
Another one of the material’s applications is its ability to emit high-speed light pulses, or to combine graphene’s thinness and high-conductivity to create the tiniest possible light sources.
All in all, it’s difficult to sum up graphene’s properties and potential applications in one place. The supermaterial has been covered and cited in thousands of academic journals, and comes up with over 2 million search results on Google Scholar.
Graphene Commercialization
Graphene has evolved from a scientific breakthrough to a commercial reality in less than two decades, putting it firmly on the radar of many future-focused investors.
But despite the strides the industry is making, it is still in its infancy, and therefore challenges exist on the path to widespread adoption. Here are the top five commercialization obstacles perceived by industry players.
Obstacle | % of survey respondents |
---|---|
Cost | 31% |
Production Methods, Scaling, and Distribution | 21% |
Material Quality/Consistency | 17% |
Lack of Knowledge/Awareness | 15% |
Dispersion/Handling | 14% |
When transitioning cutting-edge materials from the laboratory to consumer products, challenges like these can be expected. But one company is tackling them head-on.
By producing 99.8% pure graphene, and ensuring batch-to-batch consistency, HydroGraph is helping meet the growing demand for graphene products across industries while addressing challenges like cost, scale, and quality.

Interested in learning more? Explore investment opportunities with HydroGraph now.

-
Politics3 weeks ago
Charting the Rise of America’s Debt Ceiling
By June 1, a debt ceiling agreement must be finalized. The U.S. could default if politicians fail to act—causing many stark consequences.
-
Wealth3 weeks ago
Ranked: The World’s Top 50 Endowment Funds
Endowment funds represent the investment arms of nonprofits. See the worlds top 50, which collectively have over $1 trillion in assets.
-
Demographics3 weeks ago
Visualizing the American Workforce as 100 People
Reimagining all 200 million of the American workforce as 100 people: where do they all work, what positions they hold, and what jobs they do?
-
Markets1 month ago
Visualized: Real Interest Rates by Country
What countries have the highest real interest rates? We look at 40 economies to analyze nominal and real rates after projected inflation.
-
Markets2 months ago
Ranked: The Largest Bond Markets in the World
The global bond market stands at $133 trillion in value. Here are the major players in bond markets worldwide.
-
Markets2 months ago
Visualized: The Largest Trading Partners of the U.S.
Who are the biggest trading partners of the U.S.? This visual showcases the trade balances between the U.S. and its trading partners.
-
Batteries3 weeks ago
How EV Adoption Will Impact Oil Consumption (2015-2025P)
-
Demographics3 days ago
Comparing Population Pyramids Around the World
-
Wealth3 weeks ago
Ranked: The World’s Top 50 Endowment Funds
-
Green1 day ago
Ranked: The 20 Most Air-Polluted Cities on Earth
-
Politics3 weeks ago
Charting the Rise of America’s Debt Ceiling
-
Money4 weeks ago
Comparing the Speed of Interest Rate Hikes (1988-2023)
-
Misc3 weeks ago
Ranked: The Cities with the Most Skyscrapers in 2023
-
War4 weeks ago
Map Explainer: Sudan