Nicknamed “The Ocean State” and “Little Rhody” located in America’s New England region within the country’s northeastern area, Rhode Island shipped US$3.1 billion worth of exported products around the world in 2024.

That dollar amount represents a 4.9% increase from $2.95 billion four years earlier in 2021.

Year over year, the overall value of Rhode Islander exports advanced by 2.9% compared to $3 billion during 2023.

Rhode Island ranks among America’s 10 smallest exporters by state albeit ahead of Montana, South Dakota, Wyoming, Vermont and Hawaii.

The value of Rhode Island’s exports equals 0.1% of the United States’ overall exported products for 2024.

Rhode Island’s exported products represent 3.8% of the state’s total economic output or nominal Gross Domestic Product in 2024 ($82.5 billion).

Given Rhode Island’s population of 1.112 million people, its total $3.1 billion in 2024 exports translates to roughly $2,800 for every resident in the Ocean State. That dollar metric surpasses the average $2,700 per capita in 2023.

Rhode Island’s unemployment rate was 4.6% at the end of July 2025, up from 4.4% one year prior per YCharts.

Rhode Island’s Top 10 Exports

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

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

1. Miscellaneous precious metal scrap: US$471.5 million (15.2% of total Rhode Islander exports)
2. Immunological products (unmixed): $276.3 million (8.9%)
3. Iron or steel scrap: $221.6 million (7.2%)
4. Gold scrap: $165.5 million (5.3%)
5. Immunological products (mixed): $116.4 million (3.8%)
6. Imitation jewelry (precious metal): $116.1 million (3.7%)
7. Silver powder: $102.2 million (3.3%)
8. Gold compounds: $87.3 million (2.8%)
9. Miscellaneous food preparations: $56.4 million (1.8%)
10. Vehicles with both spark ignition & electric motor: $47.7 million (1.5%)

Rhode Island’s top 10 exports generated over half (53.6%) of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.

Posting the strongest gains from 2023 to 2024 were Rhode Island’s shipments gold compounds via a 61.9% acceleration, shading exported vehicles with both spark ignition and electric motors (up 60.8%).

In third place were Rhode Islander exports of silver powder (up 45.6% from 2023) ahead of exported miscellaneous precious metal scrap (up 30.2%).

Year over year, the lone decliner among Rhode Island’s top 10 exported products was imitation jewelry made with precious metal (down -59.7% from 2023).

More Key Facts about Rhode Island’s International Trade

Rhode Island incurred an overall -US$8.05 billion deficit exporting and importing products during 2024. That dollar amount reflects a 13.4% expansion from -$7.1 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 Rhode Island’s top 10 import products highlighting the state’s highest spending on foreign-made goods in 2024.

1. Mid-sized automobiles (piston engine): US$3.5 billion (31.1% of total Rhode Islander imports)
2. Light petroleum oils (not biodiesel): $1.7 billion (15%)
3. Medical needles, catheters: $725.9 million (6.5%)
4. Large automobiles (piston engine): $590.4 million (5.3%)
5. Medical/surgical/veterinarian instruments, appliances: $471 million (4.2%)
6. Small automobiles (piston engine): $345.7 million (3.1%)
7. Vehicles powered by electric motor only: $333.4 million (3%)
8. Processed petroleum oils (not biodiesel): $303.2 million (2.7%)
9. Iron or steel towers, masts: $209 million (1.9%)
10. Artificial joints, parts, accessories: $117.1 million (1.1%)

Rhode Island has highly negative net exports in the international trade of automobiles and petroleum products. In turn, these cashflows indicate Rhode Island’s competitive disadvantages under those product categories.

Rhode Island’s Major Trade Partners

The following list shows the top 10 customers that purchased nearly three-quarters (74.3%) worth of the total value of products exported from Rhode Island during 2024.

1. Canada: US$525.9 million (17% of total Rhode Islander exports)
2. Italy: $416.4 million (13.4%)
3. Ireland: $263.4 million (8.5%)
4. Turkey: $213.4 million (6.9%)
5. Mexico: $187.7 million (6.1%)
6. Japan: $181.6 million (5.9%)
7. Dominican Republic: $172.8 million (5.6%)
8. Germany: $132.6 million (4.3%)
9. mainland China: $124.6 million (4%)
10. France: $81.9 million (2.6%)

Rhode Island’s top trade partners in North America (Canada and Mexico) consumed 23% of the overall value of exported goods from the Ocean State.

In comparison, exports from Rhode Island to major European importers was 28.9% (Italy, Ireland, Germany and France.

Another 16.8% went to leading customers in Asia (Turkey, Japan and mainland China).

Rhode Islander Export Companies

Eight Rhode Island-based corporations rank among Fortune 1000 Companies, a list that showcases America’s largest businesses. Selected examples are listed below.

• Hasbro (toys, games, sports equipment)
• Nortek (air conditioning goods, safety technology)
• Textron (aerospace, security, advanced techologies)
• United Natural Foods (natural, organic, specialty foods)

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

Rhode Island’s capital is Providence, a city nicknamed the “Creative Capital” and “Renaissance City”.

See also Oklahoma’s Top 10 Exports, North Carolina’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 18, 2025

Forbes, 2021 Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on September 18, 2025

GeoLounge, Fortune 1000 Companies List for 2021 , Fortune 1000 by State and Place. Accessed on September 18, 2025

IBIS World, Rhode Island Economic Profile (gross domestic product, population). Accessed on September 18, 2025

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on September 18, 2025

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on September 18, 2025

State Symbols USA, State Nicknames. Accessed on September 18, 2025

United States Census Bureau, QuickFacts: Rhode Island. Accessed on September 18, 2025

USA Trade Online, Official Source of Trade Statistics. Accessed on September 18, 2025

Wikipedia, List of Rhode Island Companies. Accessed on September 18, 2025

Wikipedia, List of U.S. states and territories by GDP. Accessed on September 18, 2025

Wikipedia, Rhode Island. Accessed on September 18, 2025

YCharts, Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Report. Accessed on September 18, 2025