Nicknamed “The Ocean State” and “Little Rhody” located in America’s New England region within the country’s northeastern area, Rhode Island shipped US$4.2 billion worth of exported products around the world in 2025.

That dollar amount represents a 44.1% increase from $2.89 billion four years earlier in 2022.

Year over year, the overall value of Rhode Islander exports accelerated by 34.6% compared to $3.1 billion during 2024.

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

The value of Rhode Island’s exports equals 0.2% of the United States’ overall exported products for 2025 ($2.178 trillion). That percentage exceeds the 0.1% share for 2024.

Rhode Island’s exported products represent 5% of the state’s total economic output or nominal Gross Domestic Product in 2025 ($84 billion).

Given Rhode Island’s population of 1.11 million people, its total US$4.2 billion in 2025 exports translates to roughly $3,750 for every resident in the Ocean State. That dollar metric surpasses the average $2,800 per capita in 2024.

Rhode Island’s unemployment rate was 4.3% at the end of July 2025, down 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 2025. 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. Immunological products (mixed): US$1.1 billion (26.3% of total Rhode Islander exports)
2. Miscellaneous precious metal scrap: $552.9 million (13.3%)
3. Imitation jewelry (precious metal): $181.4 million (4.4%)
4. Iron or steel scrap: $165.5 million (4%)
5. Gold compounds: $135.2 million (3.2%)
6. Immunological products (unmixed): $129.4 million (3.1%)
7. Silver powder: $120.2 million (2.9%)
8. Gold scrap: $107.8 million (2.6%)
9. Unwrought silver: $76.5 million (1.8%)
10. Electronic scrap for precious metal recovery: $76.2 million (1.8%)

Rhode Island’s top 10 exports generated almost two-thirds (63.4%) of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.

Posting the strongest gains from 2024 to 2025 were Rhode Island’s shipments of mixed immunological products via a 839.6% acceleration, ahead of exported unwrought silver (up 330.3%).

In third place were Rhode Islander exports of electronic scrap used for precious metal recovery (up 68.9% from 2024) versus exported imitation jewelry made with precious metals (up 56.3%) and gold compounds (54.9%).

Year over year, the decliners among Rhode Island’s top 10 exported products were unmixed immunological products (down -53.2% from 2024), gold scrap (down -34.8%) then iron or steel scrap (down -25.3%).

More Key Facts about Rhode Island’s International Trade

Rhode Island incurred an overall -US$7.1 billion deficit exporting and importing products during 2025. That dollar amount reflects a -11% reduction from -$8 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.

Overall imports bought by Rhode Island totaled US$11.3 billion during 2025.

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

1. Mid-sized automobiles (piston engine): US$2.4 billion (21.3% of total Rhode Islander imports)
2. Medical needles, catheters: $1.8 billion (16%)
3. Light petroleum oils (not biodiesel): $1.3 billion (11.4%)
4. Large automobiles (piston engine): $535.8 million (4.7%)
5. Medical, surgical or veterinarian instruments, appliances: $490.7 million (4.3%)
6. Processed petroleum oils (not biodiesel): $384.5 million (3.4%)
7. Vehicles powered by electric motor only: $331.2 million (2.9%)
8. Small automobiles (piston engine): $318.6 million (2.8%)
9. Iron or steel towers, masts: $230.1 million (2%)
10. Vehicles powered by spark ignition and electric motors: $220.9 million (2%)

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 more than three-quarters (78.8%) worth of the total value of products exported from Rhode Island during 2025.

1. Ireland: US$1.1 billion (26.2% of total Rhode Islander exports)
2. Canada: $595.7 million (14.3%)
3. Italy: $467 million (11.2%)
4. Mexico: $227.7 million (5.5%)
5. Dominican Republic: $199.9 million (4.8%)
6. Germany: $164.2 million (3.9%)
7. Japan: $145.1 million (3.5%)
8. Turkey: $142.4 million (3.4%)
9. mainland China: $134.4 million (3.2%)
10. United Kingdom: $114.7 million (2.8%)

Rhode Island’s top trade partners in North America (Canada and Mexico) consumed 19.8% of the overall value of exported goods from the Ocean State.

In comparison, exports from Rhode Island to major European importers was 44.1% (Ireland, Italy, Germany and the UK).

Another 10.1% went to leading customers in Asia (Japan, Turkey 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 July 11, 2026

Forbes, 2022 Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on July 11, 2026

GeoLounge, Fortune 1000 Companies List for 2022 , Fortune 1000 by State and Place. Accessed on July 11, 2026

IBIS World, Rhode Island Economic Profile (gross domestic product, population). Accessed on July 11, 2026

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on July 11, 2026

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on July 11, 2026

State Symbols USA, State Nicknames. Accessed on July 11, 2026

United States Census Bureau, QuickFacts: Rhode Island. Accessed on July 11, 2026

USA Trade Online, Official Source of Trade Statistics. Accessed on July 11, 2026

Wikipedia, List of Rhode Island Companies. Accessed on July 11, 2026

Wikipedia, List of U.S. states and territories by GDP. Accessed on July 12, 2026

Wikipedia, Rhode Island. Accessed on July 12, 2026

YCharts, Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Report. Accessed on July 12, 2026