Politics

Mapped: The Top Trading Partner of Every U.S. State

Published

3 years ago

July 19, 2021

Avery Koop

Trading Partner of Every U.S. State

The Top Trading Partner of Every U.S. State

The U.S. is highly dependent—perhaps unsurprisingly—on Canada and Mexico for trade. The country’s top trading partner is Mexico, making up 14.8% of total trade.

However, the country’s neighbors to the north and south are not the only trade partners that U.S. states rely heavily upon. This map from HowMuch.net uses flags to show which country each U.S. state is importing the most from. Below, there is an additional graphic showing where each state is exporting the highest amount of goods and services to.

Who are the States Importing From?

The U.S. has a few natural and obvious trading partners, whether due to geographical closeness or strong economic ties.

The obvious candidates for top trading partners have already been mentioned, Canada and Mexico—and these two do show up at the state level as well. For example, Michigan gets 40.9% of its imports from Mexico, and Montana receives a whopping 87% of its imports from Canada.

Some other interesting trade partnerships stand out, like the Carolinas and Germany. Trade ties between Hawaii and Japan also make sense for historic reasons.

State	Top Country	Total State Import (Millions USD)	Share of Total State Imports
Alabama	🇲🇽 Mexico	$4,161	16.3%
Alaska	🇰🇷 South Korea	$836	35.0%
Arizona	🇲🇽 Mexico	$8,978	35.0%
Arkansas	🇨🇳 China	$3,160	36.6%
California	🇨🇳 China	$130,291	32.9%
Colorado	🇨🇦 Canada	$2,928	24.3%
Connecticut	🇨🇦 Canada	$4,031	22.4%
Delaware	🇨🇭 Switzerland	$1,927	21.1%
District of Columbia	🇨🇦 Canada	$74	13.7%
Florida	🇨🇳 China	$11,212	14.7%
Georgia	🇨🇳 China	$20,194	20.4%
Hawaii	🇯🇵 Japan	$291	15.1%
Idaho	🇨🇦 Canada	$1,195	21.7%
Illinois	🇨🇳 China	$48,324	31.0%
Indiana	🇮🇪 Ireland	$11,558	18.1%
Iowa	🇨🇦 Canada	$2,387	26.6%
Kansas	🇨🇳 China	$2,064	19.7%
Kentucky	🇲🇽 Mexico	$6,882	12.5%
Louisiana	🇷🇺 Russia	$2,611	12.6%
Maine	🇨🇦 Canada	$3,167	66.6%
Maryland	🇩🇪 Germany	$3,993	13.0%
Massachusetts	🇨🇦 Canada	$7,779	22.2%
Michigan	🇲🇽 Mexico	$47,473	40.9%
Minnesota	🇨🇳 China	$7,577	26.9%
Mississippi	🇨🇳 China	$3,938	24.9%
Missouri	🇨🇦 Canada	$4,500	24.0%
Montana	🇨🇦 Canada	$3,442	87.0%
Nebraska	🇨🇦 Canada	$876	23.5%
Nevada	🇨🇳 China	$4,108	31.8%
New Hampshire	🇨🇦 Canada	$1,394	20.1%
New Jersey	🇨🇳 China	$14,302	12.4%
New Mexico	🇨🇳 China	$1,493	32.6%
New York	🇨🇭 Switzerland	$33,126	21.5%
North Carolina	🇩🇪 Germany	$9,208	15.1%
North Dakota	🇨🇦 Canada	$1,781	62.3%
Ohio	🇨🇦 Canada	$10,624	16.2%
Oklahoma	🇨🇦 Canada	$4,355	40.2%
Oregon	🇨🇦 Canada	$2,951	17.0%
Pennsylvania	🇨🇳 China	$13,470	15.9%
Puerto Rico	🇮🇪 Ireland	$9,062	42.7%
Rhode Island	🇩🇪 Germany	$1,525	17.3%
South Carolina	🇩🇪 Germany	$6,220	15.5%
South Dakota	🇨🇦 Canada	$428	33.9%
Tennessee	🇨🇳 China	$20,305	24.3%
Texas	🇲🇽 Mexico	$88,726	35.8%
Utah	🇲🇽 Mexico	$4,294	27.6%
Vermont	🇨🇦 Canada	$1,677	63.5%
Virginia	🇨🇳 China	$6,566	22.7%
Virgin Islands	🇵🇹 Portugal	$174	27.7%
Washington	🇨🇦 Canada	$12,772	26.1%
West Virginia	🇨🇦 Canada	$1,025	35.2%
Wisconsin	🇨🇳 China	$5,554	20.7%
Wyoming	🇨🇦 Canada	$695	63.7%

However, one country in particular stands out on this map—China.

While the USMCA trade agreement has created an easy gateway for necessary goods and services to flow across North America, no country—not even the U.S.—can escape the need for mass imports from the world’s top exporter.

China and the U.S. have an imbalanced trade relationship, with China buying much fewer goods from the U.S. than the U.S. buys from them. In fact, China’s monthly trade surplus with the country sat at $31.8 billion as of May 2021.

Who are the States Exporting to?

After looking at the top import partners by state, let’s dive in to where the U.S. states are exporting the most.

us states trading partners

One thing that is noticeable is that China shows up much less on this map, further exemplifying the trade imbalance. In other words, while many states’ top import partner is China, they are not reciprocating as the country’s top export partner.

The only states that export their largest shares to China are:

Oregon – 38.1%
Alaska – 25.5%
Washington – 22.1%
Alabama – 18.1%
Louisiana – 18.1%

The majority are exporting to their North American neighbors. For example, North Dakota sends 84.6% of its exports just across the northern border.

State	Top Country	Total State Export (Millions USD)	Share of total State Exports
Alabama	🇨🇳 China	$3,102	18.1%
Alaska	🇨🇳 China	$1,176	25.5%
Arizona	🇲🇽 Mexico	$36	35.5%
Arkansas	🇨🇦 Canada	$1,148	22.1%
California	🇲🇽 Mexico	$24,078	15.4%
Colorado	🇨🇦 Canada	$1,278	15.4%
Connecticut	🇩🇪 Germany	$2,189	15.9%
Delaware	🇨🇦 Canada	$619	15.8%
D.C.	🇶🇦 Qatar	$899	32.4%
Florida	🇧🇷 Brazil	$3,538	7.7%
Georgia	🇨🇦 Canada	$5,146	13.3%
Hawaii	🇦🇺 Australia	$51	15.8%
Idaho	🇨🇦 Canada	$1,184	34.8%
Illinois	🇨🇦 Canada	$13,261	24.8%
Indiana	🇨🇦 Canada	$11,080	31.4%
Iowa	🇨🇦 Canada	$3,460	27.4%
Kansas	🇲🇽 Mexico	$2,078	20.0%
Kentucky	🇨🇦 Canada	$6,550	26.5%
Louisiana	🇨🇳 China	$10,779	18.1%
Maine	🇨🇦 Canada	$1,229	52.8%
Maryland	🇨🇦 Canada	$1,581	12.5%
Massachusetts	🇨🇦 Canada	$2,746	11.0%
Michigan	🇨🇦 Canada	$17,341	39.4%
Minnesota	🇨🇦 Canada	$4,828	24.0%
Mississippi	🇨🇦 Canada	$2,082	20.3%
Missouri	🇨🇦 Canada	$4,453	34.9%
Montana	🇨🇦 Canada	$544	37.9%
Nebraska	🇲🇽 Mexico	$1,639	23.5%
Nevada	🇨🇭 Switzerland	$2,256	21.8%
New Hampshire	🇩🇪 Germany	$751	13.8%
New Jersey	🇨🇦 Canada	$7,229	19.0%
New Mexico	🇲🇽 Mexico	$2,197	59.5%
New York	🇨🇦 Canada	$13,773	22.3%
North Carolina	🇨🇦 Canada	$5,881	20.7%
North Dakota	🇨🇦 Canada	$4,388	84.6%
Ohio	🇨🇦 Canada	$17,273	38.4%
Oklahoma	🇨🇦 Canada	$1,452	27.0%
Oregon	🇨🇳 China	$9,522	38.1%
Pennsylvania	🇨🇦 Canada	$9,699	25.9%
Puerto Rico	🇳🇱 Netherlands	$2,889	17.2%
Rhode Island	🇨🇦 Canada	$410	17.1%
South Carolina	🇩🇪 Germany	$4,082	13.5%
South Dakota	🇨🇦 Canada	$524	38.0%
Tennessee	🇨🇦 Canada	$5,818	20.7%
Texas	🇲🇽 Mexico	$89,046	31.9%
Utah	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	$8,906	50.3%
Vermont	🇨🇦 Canada	$918	38.3%
Virginia	🇨🇦 Canada	$2,717	16.5%
Virgin Islands	🇳🇱 Netherlands	$90	15.2%
Washington	🇨🇳 China	$9,126	22.1%
West Virginia	🇨🇦 Canada	$1,283	28.1%
Wisconsin	🇨🇦 Canada	$6,226	30.4%
Wyoming	🇨🇦 Canada	$225	19.3%

Trade Going Forward

The trade war that started during the tenure of former U.S. president Donald Trump is still ongoing and tariffs set by the U.S. are not expected to be lifted by president Joe Biden, as tensions have expanded beyond just trade issues.

These tariffs, however, have not helped to rectify the significant trade imbalance between the two countries. The states are still extremely reliant on imports from China, and it is not a reciprocal relationship.

Related Topics:china us imports US Trade china trade us china trade war states trade us exports usmca us canada trade us mexico trade

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The Bloc Effect: International Trade with Geopolitical Allies on the Rise

Rising geopolitical tensions are shaping the future of international trade, but what is the effect on trading among G7 and BRICS countries?

The Bloc Effect: International Trade with Allies on the Rise

International trade has become increasingly fragmented over the last five years as countries have shifted to trading more with their geopolitical allies.

This graphic from The Hinrich Foundation, the first in a three-part series covering the future of trade, provides visual context to the growing divide in trade in G7 and pre-expansion BRICS countries, which are used as proxies for geopolitical blocs.

Trade Shifts in G7 and BRICS Countries

This analysis uses IMF data to examine differences in shares of exports within and between trading blocs from 2018 to 2023. For example, we looked at the percentage of China’s exports with other BRICS members as well as with G7 members to see how these proportions shifted in percentage points (pp) over time.

Countries traded nearly $270 billion more with allies in 2023 compared to 2018. This shift came at the expense of trade with rival blocs, which saw a decline of $314 billion.

Country	Change in Exports Within Bloc (pp)	Change in Exports With Other Bloc (pp)
🇮🇳 India	0.0	3.9
🇷🇺 Russia	0.7	-3.8
🇮🇹 Italy	0.8	-0.7
🇨🇦 Canada	0.9	-0.7
🇫🇷 France	1.0	-1.1
🇪🇺 EU	1.1	-1.5
🇩🇪 Germany	1.4	-2.1
🇿🇦 South Africa	1.5	1.5
🇺🇸 U.S.	1.6	-0.4
🇯🇵 Japan	2.0	-1.7
🇨🇳 China	2.1	-5.2
🇧🇷 Brazil	3.7	-3.3
🇬🇧 UK	10.2	0.5

All shifts reported are in percentage points. For example, the EU saw its share of exports to G7 countries rise from 74.3% in 2018 to 75.4% in 2023, which equates to a 1.1 percentage point increase.

The UK saw the largest uptick in trading with other countries within the G7 (+10.2 percentage points), namely the EU, as the post-Brexit trade slump to the region recovered.

Meanwhile, the U.S.-China trade dispute caused China’s share of exports to the G7 to fall by 5.2 percentage points from 2018 to 2023, the largest decline in our sample set. In fact, partly as a result of the conflict, the U.S. has by far the highest number of harmful tariffs in place.

The Russia-Ukraine War and ensuing sanctions by the West contributed to Russia’s share of exports to the G7 falling by 3.8 percentage points over the same timeframe.

India, South Africa, and the UK bucked the trend and continued to witness advances in exports with the opposing bloc.

Average Trade Shifts of G7 and BRICS Blocs

Though results varied significantly on a country-by-country basis, the broader trend towards favoring geopolitical allies in international trade is clear.

Bloc	Change in Exports Within Bloc (pp)	Change in Exports With Other Bloc (pp)
Average	2.1	-1.1
BRICS	1.6	-1.4
G7 incl. EU	2.4	-1.0

Overall, BRICS countries saw a larger shift away from exports with the other bloc, while for G7 countries the shift within their own bloc was more pronounced. This implies that though BRICS countries are trading less with the G7, they are relying more on trade partners outside their bloc to make up for the lost G7 share.

A Global Shift in International Trade and Geopolitical Proximity

The movement towards strengthening trade relations based on geopolitical proximity is a global trend.

The United Nations categorizes countries along a scale of geopolitical proximity based on UN voting records.

According to the organization’s analysis, international trade between geopolitically close countries rose from the first quarter of 2022 (when Russia first invaded Ukraine) to the third quarter of 2023 by over 6%. Conversely, trade with geopolitically distant countries declined.

The second piece in this series will explore China’s gradual move away from using the U.S. dollar in trade settlements.

Visit the Hinrich Foundation to learn more about the future of geopolitical trade

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