Nicknamed “The Centennial State” located near continental America’s geographic center and encompassing a big part of the southern Rocky Mountains, Colorado shipped US$10.6 billion worth of exported products around the world in 2024.

That dollar amount results from a 16.3% increase from $9.1 billion four years earlier in 2021.

Year over year, the overall value of goods exported from Colorado slowed to a 1.7% gain compared to $10.4 billion in 2023.

Colorado ranks as America’s 34th most lucrative exporter by state well behind front-runners including Texas, California, New York state, Louisiana and Illinois.

The value of Colorado’s exports equals 0.5% of the United States’ overall exported products for 2024, same percentage as in 2023.

Based on research from Statista, Colorado’s exported products represent 1.9% of the state’s total economic output or nominal Gross Domestic Product in 2024 ($553.3 billion).

Given Colorado’s population of 5.96 million people, its total $10.6 billion in 2024 exports translates to roughly $1,775 for every resident in the Centennial State. That dollar metric outpaces the average $1,750 exports per capita for 2023.

Colorado’s unemployment rate was 4.5% at the end of July 2025, up from the state’s 4.3% jobless rate one year earlier per YCharts.

Colorado’s Top 10 Exports

The following export products represent the highest dollar value in Colorado global shipments during 2024. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Colorado.

Figures are shown at the more granular six-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level, for more precise product identification.

1. Beef (boneless, fresh/chilled): US$702 million (6.6% of total Coloradan exports)
2. Miscellaneous electronic integrated circuits: $541.3 million (5.1%)
3. Civilian aircraft, parts including engines: $487.7 million (4.6%)
4. Beef (boneless, frozen): $374.4 million (3.5%)
5. Gold (unwrought): $320 million (3%)
6. Corn not for seed: $180.2 million (1.7%)
7. Pork (bone-in, fresh or chilled): $179.2 million (1.7%)
8. Smaller capacity tanks: $170.2 million (1.6%)
9. Miscellaneous medication packaged for retail: $162 million (1.5%)
10. Instruments using optical radiations: $149.7 million (1.4%)

Colorado’s top 10 exports approached one-third (30.9%) of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.

Posting the strongest gains from 2023 to 2024 were Colorado’s exports of corn excluding corn used for seeding (up 262.4%), miscellaneous medication packaged for retail sale (up 72%), then smaller capacity tanks (up 29.3%).

Year over year, the decliners were frozen boneless beef pulled down by an -11.6% reduction from 2023 trailed by instruments that use optical radiations (down -3.9%).

More Key Facts about Colorado’s International Trade

Colorado incurred a -US$6.18 billion trade deficit exporting and importing products during 2024. That dollar amount reflects a -15.7% reduction from -$7.33 billion in red ink in 2023.

Another way of saying surplus or deficit is positive or negative net exports. In a nutshell, the term “net exports” quantifies the amount by which foreign spending on a state’s goods or services exceeds or lags that same state’s spending on foreign goods or services.

Below are Colorado’s top 10 import products highlighting the state’s highest spending on foreign-made goods in 2024.

1. Crude petroleum oils: $3.3 billion (19.6% of total Coloradan imports)
2. Large aircraft: $754.9 million (4.5%)
3. Hearing aids: $404.9 million (2.4%)
4. Miscellaneous electronic integrated circuits: $398 million (2.4%)
5. Footwear (rubber or plastic): $325.6 million (1.9%)
6. Electronic integrated circuits (processors, controllers): $288.9 million (1.7%)
7. Modems, similar reception/transmission devices: $232.2 million (1.4%)
8. Beef (boneless, frozen): $208.8 million (1.2%)
9. Beef (boneless, fresh/chilled): $197.5 million (1.2%)
10. Articles made from plastic: $180.6 million (1.1%)

Colorado has highly negative net exports in the international trade of crude petroleum oils. In turn, this cashflow indicates Colorado’s competitive disadvantage under this product category.

Colorado’s Major Trade Partners

The following list shows the top 10 customers that purchased over two-thirds (68.7%) worth of the total value of products exported from Colorado during 2024.

1. Mexico: $1.74 billion (16.4% of total Coloradan exports)
2. Canada: $1.7 billion (16.1%)
3. mainland China: $759.1 million (7.2%)
4. South Korea $626.5 million (5.9%)
5. Malaysia $547 million (5.2%)
6. Switzerland $536 million (5.1%)
7. Japan $474.3 million (4.5%)
8. Netherlands $305.5 million (2.9%)
9. Taiwan $295.6 million (2.8%)
10. Germany $286.6 million (2.7%)

Colorado’s trade partners in North America (Mexico and Canada) bought about one third (32.5%) of the overall value of goods exported from the Centennial State.

Colorado supplied 25.5% worth of its exports to leading trade partners in Asia (mainland China, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan and Taiwan), with 10.7% going to major buyers in Europe (Switzerland, Netherlands and Germany).

Coloradan Export Companies

Twenty-two of Colorado-based corporations rank among Fortune 1000 Companies, a list that showcases America’s largest businesses. Selected examples are listed below.

• Antero Resources Corp (oil, natural gas, ethane)
• DCP Midstream Partners (petroleum refinery, transportation)
• EchoStar Corp (satellite products, services)
• Molson Coors Brewing Co. (beer, wine, spirits, energy drinks)
• Newmont Mining Corp (gold, copper, silver)
• QEP Resources (oil, natural gas)
• Western Union (financial services, communications)
• WhiteWave Foods Co. (plant-based foods, beverages, dairy goods)
• Whiting Petroleum Corp (oil, natural gas)
• Woodward, Inc. (control systems, related components)

Shown within brackets for each company is a summary of the international trade-related products or services which each business sells.
 

Colorado’s capital is Denver, a city nicknamed “The Mile High City”.

See also Connecticut’s Top 10 Exports, South Dakota’s Top 10 Exports, West Virginia’s Top 10 Exports, Delaware’s Top 10 Exports and New Hampshire’s Top 10 Exports

Research Sources:
FlagPictures.org, Flags of US States. Accessed on September 4, 2025

Forbes, 2021 Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on September 4, 2025

GeoLounge, Fortune 1000 Companies List for 2021 , Fortune 1000 by State and Place. Accessed on September 4, 2025

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on September 4, 2025

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on September 4, 2025

State Symbols USA, State Nicknames. Accessed on September 4, 2025

Statista, Real gross domestic product of Colorado. Accessed on September 4, 2025

United States Census Bureau, QuickFacts: Colorado. Accessed on September 4, 2025

USA Trade Online, Official Source of Trade Statistics. Accessed on September 4, 2025

Wikipedia, Colorado. Accessed on September 4, 2025

Wikipedia, List of Colorado Companies. Accessed on September 4, 2025

Wikipedia, List of U.S. states and territories by GDP. Accessed on September 4, 2025

YCharts, Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Report. Accessed on September 4, 2025