That dollar amount results from a 9% increase from $55.99 billion during 2019, and a 9.1% year-over-year expansion compared to $55.97 billion during 2021.
Michigan is among America’s 10 biggest exporters by state. It trails leaders including Texas, California, New York and Washington.
Michigan’s exported products represent 12.7% of the state’s total economic output or Gross Domestic Product in 2022 ($481.9 billion).
The most valuable products shipped from Michigan are cars, trucks and automotive parts or accessories..
Given Michigan’s population of 10.1 million people during 2022, its total $61.1 billion in 2022 exports translates to roughly $6,100 for every resident in the Great Lakes and Midwestern state. That dollar metric exceeds the average $5,600 per capita one year earlier during 2021.
Michigan’s unemployment rate was 4.3% in January 2023, down from 4.4% one year earlier per YCharts.
Michigan’s Top 10 Exports
The following export products represent the highest dollar value in Michigan’s global shipments during 2022. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Michigan.
Figures are shown at the more granular six-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level, for more precise product identification.
- Small trucks (piston engine): US$6.7 billion (10.9% of Michigan’s exports)
- Large automobiles (piston engine): $4.1 billion (6.6%)
- Motor vehicle gear boxes: $2.4 billion (3.9%)
- Motor vehicle body parts, accessories: $2.1 billion (3.4%)
- Natural gas in gaseous state: $1.9 billion (3.1%)
- Medium-sized automobiles (piston engine): $1.5 billion (1.5%)
- Human medicine vaccines: $1.3 billion (2.1%)
- Reciprocating piston engines: $1.16 billion (1.9%)
- Miscellaneous motor vehicle parts, accessories: $1.15 billion (1.9%)
- Vehicle rear-view mirrors: $1.04 billion (1.7%)
Michigan’s top 10 exports accounted for 38% of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.
Among Michigan’s above major exports, the fastest gainers were natural gas in gaseous state (up 91.7% from 2021), medium-sized automobiles powered by piston engine (up 54.8%), small trucks powered by piston engine (up 20.2%), and motor vehicle body parts or accessories (up 18.9%).
Year over year, there were no reported declines among Michigan’s top 10 export products.
More Key Facts about Michigan’s International Trade
Overall, Michigan incurred a -$91.8 billion deficit exporting and importing products during 2022. That dollar amount reflects a 21.1% year-over-year increase from -$75.8 billion in red ink in 2021.
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.
In a nutshell, net exports represent the amount by which foreign spending on a home country’s goods or services exceeds or lags the home country’s spending on foreign goods or services.
Goods imported into Michigan totaled $152.8 billion for 2022, up 16% from $131.8 billion during 2021.
Below are Michigan’s top 10 import products highlighting the state’s highest spending on foreign-made goods in 2022.
- Small automobiles (piston engine): US$12.9 billion (8.5% of Michigan’s imports)
- Small trucks (piston engine): $12.3 billion (8%)
- Mid-sized automobiles (piston engine): $8.6 billion (5.6%)
- Large automobiles (piston engine): $7.9 billion (5.2%)
- Small diesel-powered trucks: $7 billion (4.6%)
- Motor vehicle body parts, accessories: $5.1 billion (3.3%)
- Miscellaneous motor vehicle parts: $4.66 billion (3%)
- Crude oil: $4.6 billion (3%)
- Spark-ignition reciprocating piston engines: $4 billion (2.6%)
- Motor vehicle gear boxes: $3.3 billion (2.2%)
Michigan has billion-dollar negative net exports from its international trade of crude oil. This showing the strong impact of foreign-supplied energy on Michigan’s global balance sheet.
Michigan’s Major Trading Partners
The following list shows the top 10 customers that purchase four-fifths (80.5%) worth of the total value of products exported from Michigan during 2022.
- Canada: US$26.3 billion (43.1% of Michigan’s total exports)
- Mexico: $11.7 billion (19.2%)
- China: $2.6 billion (4.3%)
- Germany: $1.9 billion (3.1%)
- South Korea: $1.53 billion (2.5%)
- Japan: $1.45 billion (2.4%)
- Brazil: $999.6 million (1.6%)
- Australia: $939.8 million (1.5%)
- Belgium: $900.5 million (1.5%)
- United Arab Emirates: $783.1 million (1.3%)
Michigan’s trade partners in North America, Canada and Mexico, accounted for over three-fifths (62.3%) of the overall value of exported goods from the state.
In contrast, Michigan sold 10.4% worth of its exports to leading importers in Asia (mainland China, South Korea, Japan, United Arab Emirates) during 2022.
Michigan’s Export Companies
Five of Michigan-headquartered corporations rank among Forbes Global 2000. These are shown in the top positions listed below.
The other 5 leading companies headquartered in Michigan are leading American businesses according to the Fortune 500 ranking.
- General Motors (automobile manufacturer)
- Dow Chemical (diversified chemicals)
- Ford Motor (automobile manufacturer)
- Whirlpool (household appliances)
- Penske Automotive (automobile parts, accessories)
- Lear Corp (automotive seating, electrical)
- Kellogg’s (processed foods)
- Stryker Corporation (medical devices)
- DTE Energy (electricity, natural gas)
- BorgWarner (vehicle transmissions)
Shown within brackets for each company is a summary of the international trade-related product category which each company sells.
Michigan’s capital city is Lansing, nicknamed L-Town and the Heart of Michigan.
See also America’s Top 20 Export States, United States Top 10 Exports and Top United States Trade Balances
Research Sources:
FlagPictures.org, Flags of US States. Accessed on March 15, 2023
Forbes 2019 Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on March 15, 2023
IBIS World, State Economic Profile (including GDP). Accessed on March 15, 2023
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on March 15, 2023
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on March 15, 2023
United States Census Bureau, Foreign Trade (State by 6-Digit HS Code). Accessed on March 15, 2023
United States Census Bureau, QuickFacts: Michigan. Accessed on March 15, 2023
USA Trade Online, Official Source of Trade Statistics. Accessed on March 15, 2023
Wikipedia, List of Companies of Michigan. Accessed on March 15, 2023
Wikipedia, Michigan. Accessed on March 15, 2023
Wikipedia, List of U.S. states and territories by GDP. Accessed on March 15, 2023
World’s Capital Cities, Capital Facts for Lansing, United States. Accessed on March 15, 2023
YCharts, Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Report. Accessed on March 15, 2023
