Nicknamed the “Bluegrass State” although legally constituted as a commonwealth and located in America’s east south-central region, Kentucky shipped US$51.7 billion worth of exported products around the world in 2025.

That dollar amount results from a 47.9% advance from $34.9 billion four years earlier in 2022.

Year over year, the overall value of Kentucky’s exported goods grew by 7.6% compared to $48 billion starting in 2024.

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

The value of Kentucky’s exports equals 2.4% of the United States’ overall exported products for 2025 (US$2.178 trillion), up from 2.3% in 2024.

Kentucky’s exported products represent 16.8% of the state’s total economic output or nominal Gross Domestic Product in 2025 ($306.9 billion), up from 16.4% for the prior year.

Given Kentucky’s population of 4.55 million people, its total US$51.7 billion in 2025 exports translates to roughly $11,400 for every resident in the Bluegrass State. That dollar metric exceeds the average $10,450 per capita in 2024.

Kentucky’s unemployment rate was 4.3% at the end of April 2026, down from the 4.7% jobless rate for one year prior per YCharts.

Kentucky’s Top 10 Exports

The following export products represent the highest dollar value in Kentucky global shipments during 2025. 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, aircraft engines or other parts: US$22.9 billion (44.4% of total Kentuckian exports)
2. Antisera, other blood fractions: $2.1 billion (4.1%)
3. Trucks (diesel or semi-diesel): $1 billion (2%)
4. Larger automobiles (piston engine): $844.5 million (1.6%)
5. Miscellaneous medications packaged for retail: $835.4 million (1.6%)
6. Miscellaneous digital processing units: $797.5 million (1.5%)
7. Transmission shafts: $714.1 million (1.4%)
8. Larger automobiles (piston engine): $644.1 million (1.2%)
9. Reciprocating piston engines: $500.9 million (1%)
10. Non-agglomerated bituminous coal: $487.5 million (0.9%)

Kentucky’s top 10 exports was nearly three-fifths (59.9%) of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.

Recording the greatest increase were Kentucky’s miscellaneous medications packaged for retail sales, up by 52.7% compared to 2024.

In second place were miscellaneous digital processing units via a 38.6% gain.

Other double-digit percentage increases belonged to exported reciprocating piston engines (up 31.6% from 2024), then civilian aircraft, engines and other aircraft parts (up 22.3%).

The double-digit percentage decliners among Kentucky’s top 10 export products were non-agglomerated bituminous coal (down -29% from 2024) and transmission shafts (down -20.9%).

More Key Facts about Kentucky’s International Trade

Kentucky incurred an overall -US$45.3 billion trade deficit exporting and importing products during 2025. That dollar amount reflects a -2.3% slowdown from the -$46.4 billion in red ink for 2024.

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.

Kentuckian imports totaled $96.9 billion for 2025 up 2.8% from 2024.

Below are Kentucky’s top 10 import products highlighting the state’s highest spending on foreign-made goods in 2025.

1. Immunological products packaged for retail: US$12.9 billion (13.3% of total Kentuckian imports)
2. Miscellaneous medications packaged for retail: $10.5 billion (10.9%)
3. Computer parts, accessories: $9.4 billion (9.7%)
4. Machines for voice/image/data reception, transmission: $6.2 billion (6.4%)
5. Turbo-jet, turbo-propeller parts: $3.5 billion (3.6%)
6. Human medicine vaccines: $2.5 billion (2.6%)
7. Antisera, other blood fractions: $2.4 billion (2.5%)
8. Insulated wiring sets for vehicles, ships, aircraft: $1.6 billion (1.6%)
9. Compression ignition piston engines: $1.4 billion (1.4%)
10. Smaller portable computers: $1.2 billion (1.3%)

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 (78.8%) worth of the total value of products exported from Kentucky during 2025.

1. Canada: US$9.4 billion (18.2% of total Kentuckian exports)
2. United Kingdom: $5.4 billion (10.5%)
3. France: $5.3 billion (10.3%)
4. mainland China: $4.7 billion (9.1%)
5. Mexico: $4 billion (7.7%)
6. Brazil: $3.9 billion (7.6%)
7. Malaysia: $2.5 billion (4.8%)
8. Singapore: $2.2 billion (4.3%)
9. Netherlands: $1.9 billion (3.7%)
10. Austria: $1.4 billion (2.7%)

Kentucky’s top trade partners in North America (Canada and Mexico) purchased over one quarter (25.9%) of the overall value of goods exported from the Bluegrass State in 2025.

In comparison, 27.1% of Kentuckian exports were imported by top importers in Europe (United Kingdom, France, Netherlands and Austria).

Another 18.2% 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 June 19, 2026

Forbes, Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on June 19, 2026

GeoLounge, Fortune 1000 Companies List for 2019 , Fortune 1000 by State and Place. Accessed on June 19, 2026

IBIS World, Kentucky Economic Profile (gross domestic product, population). Accessed on June 19, 2026

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on June 19, 2026

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on June 19, 2026

United States Census Bureau, QuickFacts: Kentucky. Accessed on June 19, 2026

USA Trade Online, Official Source of Trade Statistics. Accessed on June 19, 2026

Wikipedia, Kentucky. Accessed on June 19, 2026

Wikipedia, List of Kentucky Companies. Accessed on June 19, 2026

Wikipedia, List of U.S. states and territories by GDP. Accessed on June 19, 2026

YCharts, Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Report. Accessed on June 19, 2026