Nicknamed “The Hoosier State” and located in America’s Midwestern and Great Lakes regions, Indiana shipped US$60.2 billion worth of exported products around the world in 2024.

That dollar amount results from a 45.5% increase from $41.4 billion four years earlier in 2021.

Year over year, the overall value of Indiana’s exported goods grew 11% compared to $54.2 billion in 2023.

Indiana ranks as America’s 8th most lucrative exporter by state behind front-runners including Texas, California, New York state, Louisiana and Illinois.

The value of Indiana’s exports equals 2.9% of the United States’ overall exported products for 2024 compared to 2.8% one year earlier.

Indiana’s exported products represent 11.4% of the state’s total economic output or nominal Gross Domestic Product in 2024 ($527.4 billion).

Given Indiana’s population of 6.92 million people, its total $60.2 billion in 2024 exports translates to roughly $8,700 for every resident in the Hoosier State. That dollar metric exceeds the average $8,100 per capita in 2023.

Indiana’s unemployment rate was 3.6% at the end of July 2025, down from the state’s 4.3% jobless rate one year earlier per YCharts.

Indiana’s Top 10 Exports

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

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

1. Polypeptide protein and glycoprotein hormones: US$7.7 billion (12.8% of total Indianian exports)
2. Miscellaneous medications for retail: $5.3 billion (8.9%)
3. Immunological goods in measured doses for retail: $4.5 billion (7.6%)
4. Civilian aircraft, engines, other aircraft parts: $2.3 billion (3.8%)
5. Motor vehicle gear boxes: $2 billion (3.4%)
6. Passenger vehicles (both spark ignition/electric engines): $1.9 billion (3.1%)
7. Hormones (without antibiotics): $1.8 billion (3%)
8. Internal combustion piston engines: $1.22 billion (2%)
9. Blood fractions, antisera: $1.19 billion (2%)
10. Diagnostic or laboratory reagents: $1 billion (1.7%)

Indiana’s top 10 exports generated almost half (48.2%) of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.

Hormones not containing antibiotics represent the fastest grower among the top 10 export categories, up by 310.4% from 2023 to 2024.

In second place were Indiana’s exports of passenger vehicles powered by both spark ignition and electric engines (up 105.2%) trailed by polypeptide protein and glycoprotein hormones (up 88.5%).

There was a pair of decliners among Indiana’s top 10 export products, specifically internal combustion piston engines (down -12.7% from 2023) and miscellaneous medications packaged for retail sale (down -8.3%).

More Key Facts about Indiana’s International Trade

Indiana recorded a total -US$46.6 billion deficit exporting and importing products during 2024. That dollar amount reflects a 25.5% expansion from -$37.1 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 Indiana’s top 10 import products highlighting the state’s highest spending on foreign-made goods in 2024.

1. Polypeptide protein and glycoprotein hormones: US$15.4 billion (14.5% of total Indianian imports)
2. Immunological goods not in measured dosage: $11.7 billion (11%)
3. Miscellaneous medications for retail: $7.1 billion (6.6%)
4. Blood fractions, antisera: $4.1 billion (3.8%)
5. Hormones (without antibiotics): $3.2 billion (3.8%)
6. Smartphones: $2.5 billion (3%)
7. Heterocyclics with oxygen hetero-atoms: $2.2 billion (2.4%)
8. Artificial joints, parts, accessories: $1.23 billion (2%)
9. Motor vehicle gear boxes: $1.22 billion (1.1%)
10. Turbojet and turbopropeller parts: $1.1 billion (1.1%)

Indiana has negative net exports in the international trade of smartphones as well as miscellaneous hormones and immunological goods. In turn, these cashflows indicate Indiana’s competitive disadvantages under those product subcategories showing the strong impact of foreign goods on Indiana’s global balance sheet.

Indiana’s Major Trade Partners

The following list shows the top 10 customers that purchased over three-quarters (77.9%) worth of the total value of products exported from Indiana during 2024.

1. Canada: US$14.3 billion (23.7% of total Indianian exports)
2. Mexico: $7.5 billion (12.4%)
3. Italy: $6.5 billion (10.8%)
4. mainland China: $5.1 billion (8.4%)
5. Germany: $4.2 billion (6.9%)
6. Japan: $3.3 billion (5.4%)
7. United Kingdom: $1.7 billion (2.8%)
8. Netherlands: $1.6 billion (2.7%)
9. France: $1.42 billion (2.4%)
10. Australia: $1.42 billion (2.4%)

Indiana’s top trade partners in North America (Canada and Mexico) accounted for 36.1% of the overall value of exported goods from the Hoosier State, down from 40% for 2023.

In comparison, major importers in Europe (Italy, Germany, United Kingdom, Netherlands and France) generated 25.6% worth of Indiana’s total export sales.

The leading buyers in Asia (mainland China and Japan) bought 13.8% worth of Indiana’s exports.

Indianian Export Companies

Seventeen of Indiana-based corporations rank among Fortune 1000 Companies, a list that showcases America’s largest businesses. Selected examples are shown below.

• Allison Transmission Holdings (transmissions, other propulsion systems)
• Berry Global (plastic packaging products)
• Calumet Specialty Products (specialty oils, solvents, waxes)
• Cummins (engines, filtration, power products)
• Eli Lilly and Company (pharmaceuticals)
• Steel Dynamics (steel)
• Thor Industries (recreational vehicles)
• Wabash National (semi-trailers, liquid transportation products)
• Zimmer Biomet (medical devices, artificial limbs)

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

Indiana’s capital is Indianapolis, a city nicknamed “Indy”, “Circle City” and the “Crossroads of America”.

See also North Dakota’s Top 10 Exports, Nebraska’s Top 10 Exports, Wisconsin’s Top 10 Exports, Delaware’s Top 10 Exports and Vermont’s Top 10 Exports

Research Sources:
FlagPictures.org, Flags of US States. Accessed on September 10, 2025

Forbes, Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on September 10, 2025

GeoLounge, Fortune 1000 Companies List, Fortune 1000 by State and Place. Accessed on September 10, 2025

IBIS World, Indiana Economic Overview (gross domestic product, population). Accessed on September 10, 2025

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on September 10, 2025

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on September 10, 2025

United States Census Bureau, QuickFacts: Indiana. Accessed on September 10, 2025

USA Trade Online, Official Source of Trade Statistics. Accessed on September 10, 2025

Wikipedia, Category:Companies based in Indiana. Accessed on September 10, 2025

Wikipedia, Indiana. Accessed on September 10, 2025

Wikipedia, List of U.S. states and territories by GDP. Accessed on September 10, 2025

YCharts, Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Report. Accessed on September 10, 2025