Nicknamed “The Buckeye State” and located in the Great Lakes region within America’s midwest, Ohio shipped US$57.4 billion worth of exported products around the world in 2024.

That dollar amount results from a 12.8% increase from $50.8 billion back in 2021.

Year over year, the overall value of goods exported from Ohio rose by 2.2% compared to $56.1 billion for 2023.

Ohio rose to rank among America’s 10 most lucrative exporters by state, albeit well behind front-runners Texas, California, New York state and Louisiana. The value of Ohio’s exports equals 2.8% compared to the United States’ overall exported product sales for 2024 ($2.065 trillion).

Ohio’s exported products represent 6.2% of the state’s total economic output or nominal Gross Domestic Product ($927.7 billion) in 2024.

The most valuable products shipped from Ohio are civilian aircraft including engines or other parts, spark ignition piston engines, then mid-sized automobiles powered by reciprocating piston engines. Collectively, those major commodities generated 15.4% of Ohio’s total export sales during 2024.

Given Ohio’s population of 11.8 million people, its total $57.4 billion in 2024 exports translates to $4,850 for every resident in the Great Lakes region state. That dollar metric surpasses the average $4,730 per capita for 2023.

Ohio’s unemployment rate was 5% at the end of July 2025, up from the 4.3% jobless rate one year prior per YCharts.

Ohio’s Top 10 Exports

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

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

1. Civilian aircraft, aircraft engines, other parts: US$6 billion (10.5% of total Ohioan exports)
2. Spark-ignition piston engines: $1.9 billion (3.3%)
3. Mid-sized automobiles (reciprocating piston engine): $1 billion (1.7%)
4. Electric storage batteries parts: $927.1 million (1.6%)
5. Large automobiles (piston engine): $786.3 million (1.4%)
6. Vehicle body parts or accessories: $736.2 million (1.3%)
7. Soya beans: $684.3 million (1.2%)
8. Surface-active preparations for retail sale: $616.4 million (1.1%)
9. Motor vehicle gear boxes: $570.2 million (1%)
10. Automobile parts or accessories: $549.6 million (1%)

Ohio’s top 10 exports accounted for almost one-quarter (23.9%) of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.

Electric storage batteries parts represent the fastest grower among Ohio’s top 10 export categories, soaring 36,360% from 2023 to 2024.

In second place for improving export sales were spark-ignition piston engines, thanks to a 24.3% gain.

Civilian aircraft, aircraft engines and other parts shipped from Ohio posted the third-fastest gain in value up by 13.7%.

Posting the severest declines among Ohio’s top 10 export products were motor vehicle gear boxes (down -21.4% from 2023) which beat out exports of mid-sized automobiles with reciprocating piston engines (down -15.2%) then large automobiles powered by piston engine (down -10.7%).

More Key Facts about Ohio’s International Trade

Overall, Ohio racked up a -US$29.5 billion trade deficit exporting and importing products during 2024. That dollar amount reflects a 25.5% acceleration from -$23.5 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.

All told, Ohio imported US$86.8 billion worth of products from around the globe in 2024 up by 9.1% from one year prior.

Below are Ohio’s top 10 import products highlighting the state’s highest spending on foreign-made goods in 2024.

1. Immunological products in measured doses for retail sale: $4.5 billion (5.2% of total Ohioan imports)
2. Crude petroleum oils: $3.8 billion (4.4%)
3. Miscellaneous medications for retail sale: $2.8 billion (3.3%)
4. Automobile parts, accessories: $1.2 billion (1.4%)
5. Spark-ignition engine parts: $1.11 billion (1.3%)
6. Aluminum alloys (unwrought): $1.06 billion (1.2%)
7. Controls for electric appliances: $948.1 million (1.1%)
8. Large aircraft: $864.2 million (1.0%)
9. Motor vehicle gear boxes: $852.1 million (1.0%)
10. Vehicle body parts or accessories: $850.8 million (1.0%)

Historically, Ohio has highly negative net exports in the international trade of its international trade in crude oil and medicines packaged for retail sale. In turn, these cashflows indicate Ohio’s strong competitive disadvantages under pertinent product categories.

Ohio’s Major Trade Partners

The following list shows the top 10 customers that purchased over three-quarters (76.1%) worth of the total value of products exported from Ohio during 2024.

1. Canada: $20.8 billion (36.2% of total Ohioan exports)
2. Mexico: $9.6 billion (16.7%)
3. mainland China: $3 billion (5.2%)
4. Japan: $1.87 billion (3.3%)
5. United Kingdom: $1.84 billion (3.2%)
6. Brazil: $1.6 billion (2.8%)
7. Germany: $1.5 billion (2.6%)
8. France: $1.22 billion (2.1%)
9. Taiwan: $1.18 billion (2.1%)
10. Australia: $1.13 billion (2%)

Ohio’s top trade partners in North America (Canada and Mexico) consumed over half (52.9%) of the overall value of exported goods from The Buckeye State.

Ohioan Export Companies

Twenty-five of Ohio-headquartered corporations rank on the Fortune 500 listing of largest American businesses. Selected examples are presented below.

• American Electric Power (electricity distribution)
• FirstEnergy Corp (electricity distribution)
• Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (tire manufacturer)
• J.M. Smucker Company (fruit jams, beverages, toppings)
• L Brands (clothing, fashion accessories)
• Marathon Petroleum (oil, gas refiner)
• Owens-Illinois (glass containers)
• Parker Hannifin Corporation (motion or control technologies)
• Proctor & Gamble (consumer goods, personal care items)
• Sherwin-Williams (paints, other building materials)

Shown within brackets for each company is a summary of the international trade-related product category in which each company deals.
 

Ohio’s capital city is Columbus.

See also America’s Top 20 Export States, Alabama’s Top 10 Exports, Florida’s Top 10 Exports, Louisiana’s Top 10 Exports and Hawaii’s Top 10 Exports

Research Sources:
Columbus Business First, 25 Ohio companies make new Fortune 500 list… . Accessed on August 25, 2025

Department of Numbers, Ohio GDP (dollars shown in real terms). Accessed on August 25, 2025

FlagPictures.org, Flags of US States. Accessed on August 25, 2025

Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on August 25, 2025

IBIS World, State Economic Profile (including GDP). Accessed on August 25, 2025

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on August 25, 2025

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on August 25, 2025

United States Census Bureau, QuickFacts: Ohio. Accessed on August 25, 2025

USA Trade Online, Official Source of Trade Statistics. Accessed on August 25, 2025

Wikipedia, List of U.S. states and territories by GDP. Accessed on August 25, 2025

Wikipedia, Ohio. Accessed on August 25, 2025

Wikipedia, Category:Companies based in Ohio. Accessed on August 25, 2025

YCharts, Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Report. Accessed on August 25, 2025