Nicknamed the “Bluegrass State” although legally constituted as a commonwealth and located in America’s east south-central region, Kentucky shipped US$47.9 billion worth of exported products around the world in 2024.

That dollar amount results from a 60.8% advance from $29.8 billion four years earlier in 2021.

Year over year, the overall value of Kentucky’s exported goods accelerated by 19.1% compared to $40.2 billion starting in 2023.

Kentucky ranks as America’s 13th biggest exporter by state behind front-runners including Texas, California, New York state, Louisiana and Illinois.

The value of Kentucky’s exports equals 2.3% of the United States’ overall exported products for 2024, up from 2% in 2023.

Kentucky’s exported products represent 16.4% of the state’s total economic output or nominal Gross Domestic Product in 2024 ($293 billion).

Given Kentucky’s population of 4.588 million people, its total $47.9 billion in 2024 exports translates to roughly $10,450 for every resident in the Bluegrass State. That dollar metric exceeds the average $8,850 per capita in 2023.

Kentucky’s unemployment rate was 4.9% at the end of July 2025, down from the 5.1% jobless rate from one year prior per YCharts.

Kentucky’s Top 10 Exports

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

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

1. Civilian aircraft, engines, other aircraft parts: US$18.8 billion (39.1% of total Kentuckian exports)
2. Antisera, other blood fractions: $1.9 billion (4.1%)
3. Trucks (diesel or semi-diesel): $1 billion (2.2%)
4. Transmission shafts: $902.5 million (1.9%)
5. Larger automobiles (piston engine): $777.4 million (1.6%)
6. Non-agglomerated bituminous coal: $686.4 million (1.4%)
7. Automobiles (piston engine plus electric motor): $683.9 million (1.4%)
8. Gas turbine parts: $615.8 million (1.3%)
9. Miscellaneous digital processing units: $584.8 million (1.2%)
10. Miscellaneous medications in doses for retail: $547.1 million (1.1%)

Kentucky’s top 10 exports surpassed half (55.4%) of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.

Recording the greatest increase were parts for gas turbines exported from Kentucky, up by 1,013% compared to 2023.

In second place were miscellaneous digital processing units via a 155% gain.

Other major increases belonged to civilian aircraft, engines and other aircraft parts (up 41.2% from 2023), then automobiles powered by both piston engine and electric motor (up 39.5%).

The decliners among Kentucky’s top 10 export products were miscellaneous medications packaged for retail sale (down -40.6% from 2023) and larger automobiles powered by piston engine (down -11.3%).

More Key Facts about Kentucky’s International Trade

Kentucky incurred an overall -US$46.5 billion trade deficit exporting and importing products during 2024. That dollar amount reflects a 45.2% expansion from the -$32 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 Kentucky’s top 10 import products highlighting the state’s highest spending on foreign-made goods in 2024.

1. Immunological products in doses for retail: US$18.6 billion (19.7% of total Kentuckian imports)
2. Miscellaneous medications in doses for retail: $9.5 billion (10.1%)
3. Computer parts, accessories: $7.2 billion (7.6%)
4. Turbo-jet, turbo-propeller parts: $4.5 billion (4.8%)
5. Blood fractions including antisera: $2.4 billion (2.6%)
6. Machines for voice/image/data reception, transmission: $2.3 billion (2.4%)
7. Video game consoles, machines: $1.43 billion (1.5%)
8. Piston engines: $1.36 billion (1.4%)
9. Human medicine vaccines: $1.11 billion (1.2%)
10. Small portable computers: $1.1 billion (1.2%)

Kentucky has highly negative net exports in the international trade of immunological products and miscellaneous medications in dosage packaged for retail sale. In turn, these cashflows indicate Kentucky’s competitive disadvantages under those product categories.

Kentucky’s Major Trade Partners

The following list shows the top 10 customers that purchased over three-quarters (77.4%) worth of the total value of products exported from Kentucky during 2024.

1. Canada: US$9.5 billion (19.9% of total Kentuckian exports)
2. United Kingdom: $4.9 billion (10.3%)
3. France: $4.8 billion (9.9%)
4. mainland China: $4.3 billion (9%)
5. Mexico: $4.2 billion (8.7%)
6. Brazil: $3.7 billion (7.7%)
7. Netherlands: $1.72 billion (3.6%)
8. Malaysia: $1.71 billion (3.6%)
9. Germany: $1.5 billion (3.2%)
10. Singapore: $1.4 billion (2.9%)

Kentucky’s top trade partners in North America (Canada and Mexico) purchased over one quarter (28.6%) of the overall value of goods exported from the Bluegrass State in 2024.

In comparison, 27% of Kentuckian exports were imported by top importers in Europe (United Kingdom, France, Netherlands and Germany).

Another 15.5% worth went to leading trade partners in Asia (mainland China, Malaysia and Singapore).

Kentuckian Export Companies

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

• Ashland Inc (chemicals, plastics)
• Brown-Forman Corp (whiskies, wine, other liquors)
• General Cable Corporation (copper/aluminum/fiber optic cables)
• Lexmark International (laser printers, imaging products)
• Tempur Sealy International (mattresses, bedding products)

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

Kentucky’s capital is Frankfort, a city that was originally called “Frank’s Ford” due to its location at a Kentucky River crossing place.

See also Nevada’s Top 10 Exports, Idaho’s Top 10 Exports, Missouri’s Top 10 Exports, Pennsylvania’s Top 10 Exports and Mississippi’s Top 10 Exports

Research Sources:
FlagPictures.org, Flags of US States. Accessed on September 15, 2025

Forbes, Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on September 15, 2025

GeoLounge, Fortune 1000 Companies List for 2019 , Fortune 1000 by State and Place. Accessed on September 15, 2025

IBIS World, Kentucky Economic Profile (gross domestic product, population). Accessed on September 15, 2025

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on September 15, 2025

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on September 15, 2025

United States Census Bureau, QuickFacts: Kentucky. Accessed on September 15, 2025

USA Trade Online, Official Source of Trade Statistics. Accessed on September 15, 2025

Wikipedia, Kentucky. Accessed on September 15, 2025

Wikipedia, List of Kentucky Companies. Accessed on September 15, 2025

Wikipedia, List of U.S. states and territories by GDP. Accessed on September 15, 2025

YCharts, Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Report. Accessed on September 15, 2025