Nicknamed “The Constitution State” and “The Nutmeg State” located in America’s northeastern New England region, Connecticut shipped US$17.4 billion worth of products around the world in 2024.

That dollar amount reflects a 19.7% advance from $14.5 billion four years earlier in 2021.

Year over year, the overall value of goods exported from Connecticut rose by 9.2% compared to $15.95 billion for 2023.

Connecticut ranks as America’s 29th most lucrative exporters by state behind front-runners including Texas, California, New York state, Louisiana and Illinois.

The value of Connecticut’s exports equals 0.8% of the United States’ overall exported products for 2024, same as for 2023.

Connecticut’s exported products represent 4.8% of the state’s total economic output or nominal Gross Domestic Product in 2024 ($365.7 billion).

Given Connecticut’s population of 3.68 million people, its total US$17.4 billion in 2024 exports translates to roughly $4,750 for every resident in the Constitution State. That dollar metric represents an increase from the average $4,300 per capita for 2023.

Connecticut’s unemployment rate was 3.8% at the end of September 2025, up from the state’s average 3.2% jobless rate one year earlier per YCharts.

Connecticut’s Top 10 Exports

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

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

1. Civilian aircraft, full or engines or other parts: US$5 billion (28.8% of Connecticut’s total exports)
2. Parts for semi-conductor manufacturing machines: $896.8 million (5.1%)
3. Parts for airplanes, helicopters: $651.7 million (3.7%)
4. Turbo-jet parts: $197.8 million (1.1%)
5. Electric apparatus controls: $197.2 million (1.1%)
6. High-thrust turbojets: $182.5 million (1%)
7. Pipe taps, controls: $180.2 million (1%)
8. Air or gas pumps, compressors, fans: $140.2 million (0.8%)
9. Hydraulic power engines, motors: $132.8 million (0.8%)
10. Non-optical measuring instruments, machines: $128.1 million (0.7%)

Connecticut’s top 10 exports totaled 44.3% of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.

High-thrust turbojets represent the fastest grower among the top 10 export categories, up by 39.9% from 2023 to 2024.

In second place for improving exports sold by Connecticut were hydraulic power engines and motors which appreciated 36.9%.

Connecticut’s shipments of turbo-jet parts (up 27.5%) posted the third-fastest gain in value, ahead of exported non-optical measuring instruments and machines (up 23.2%) then pipe taps and controls (up 23%).

The sole decline among the listed commodities was the -1.3% year-over-year drop for exports of parts for airplanes and helicopters.

More Key Facts about Connecticut’s International Trade

Connecticut incurred a -US$5.42 billion deficit exporting and importing products during 2024. That dollar amount reflects a -10.1% trim from -$6 billion in red ink for 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 Connecticut’s top 10 import products highlighting the state’s highest spending on foreign-made goods in 2024.

1. Large aircraft: US$2 billion (8.8% of Connecticut’s total imports)
2. Unwrought silver: $1.95 billion (8.5%)
3. Light petroleum oils not biodiesel: $1.7 billion (7.6%)
4. Medium-size aircraft: $810.5 million (3.5%)
5. Refined petroleum oils not biodiesel: $680.8 million (3%)
6. Turbo-jet or turbo-propeller parts: $436.4 million (1.9%)
7. Unwrought gold: $340.1 million (1.5%)
8. Parts, accessories for semiconductor-making machinery: $298 million (1.3%)
9. Miscellaneous fans: $234.1 million (1%)
10. Medicines in measured doses for retail: $219.6 million (1%)

Connecticut has highly negative net exports in the international trade of petroleum oils and unrefined silver. In turn, these cashflows indicate Connecticut’s competitive disadvantages under those product categories.

Connecticut’s Major Trade Partners

The following list shows the top 10 customers that purchased over two-thirds (69.4%) worth of the total value of products exported from Connecticut during 2024.

1. Canada: US$2.4 billion (13.7% of Connecticut’s total exports)
2. Germany: $1.8 billion (10.3%)
3. Mexico: $1.7 billion (9.6%)
4. mainland China: $1.5 billion (8.4%)
5. Netherlands: $1.2 billion (7.1%)
6. United Kingdom: $1 billion (5.9%)
7. France: $830.8 million (4.8%)
8. Singapore: $737.3 million (4.2%)
9. Japan: $527.1 million (3%)
10. South Korea: $428.5 million (2.5%)

Connecticut’s top trade partners in Europe (Germany, Netherlands, United Kingdom and France) bought 28.1% of the overall value of exported goods from the Constitution State.

In contrast, 23.3% of Connecticut’s exported goods went to North American customers in Canada and Mexico.

Another 18.1% worth was delivered to major customer in Asia (mainland China, Singapore, Japan and South Korea).

Connecticuter Export Companies

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

• Amphenol Corp (electronics, fiber optic goods, cables)
• Cenveo (print-related products)
• Crane Co. (industrial products, vending machines)
• Harman International Industries (industrial/technical items)
• Hubbell Inc. (electrical products, electronics, lighting)
• Pitney Bowes (postage machinery, global technologies)
• Praxair (industrial gases)
• Silgan Holdings (consumer goods packaging)
• Terex Corp (cranes, work platforms)
• XPO Logistics (freight brokerage, transportation, e-fulfillment services)

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

Connecticut’s capital is Hartford, a city nicknamed “The Insurance Capital of the World” and “New England’s Rising Star”.

See also Wyoming’s Top 10 Exports, South Dakota’s Top 10 Exports, West Virginia’s Top 10 Exports, Colorado’s Top 10 Exports and New Hampshire’s Top 10 Exports

Research Sources:
FlagPictures.org, Flags of US States. Accessed on January 26, 2026

Forbes, Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on January 26, 2026

GeoLounge, Fortune 1000 Companies List for 2021 , Fortune 1000 by State and Place. Accessed on January 26, 2026

IBIS World, Connecticut Economic Profile(gross domestic product, population). Accessed on January 26, 2026

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on January 26, 2026

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on January 26, 2026

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on January 26, 2026

State Symbols USA, State Nicknames. Accessed on January 26, 2026

United States Census Bureau, QuickFacts: Connecticut. Accessed on January 26, 2026

USA Trade Online, Official Source of Trade Statistics. Accessed on January 26, 2026

Wikipedia, Connecticut. Accessed on January 26, 2026

Wikipedia, List of Connecticut Companies. Accessed on January 26, 2026

Wikipedia, List of U.S. states and territories by GDP. Accessed on January 26, 2026

YCharts, Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Report. Accessed on January 26, 2026