Nicknamed “The Volunteer State” located in America’s southeastern region, Tennessee shipped US$39.4 billion worth of exported products around the world in 2024.

That dollar amount results from a 13.4% increase from $34.8 billion four years earlier in 2021.

Year over year, the overall value of Tennessean exports grew by 2.5% compared to $38.4 billion one year prior.

Tennessee ranks as America’s 16th biggest exporters by state behind front-runners including Texas, California, New York state, Louisiana and Illinois.

The value of Tennessee’s exports equals 1.9% of the United States’ overall exported products for 2024, same as for 2023.

Based on research from Statista Tennessee’s exported products represent 7.2% of the state’s total economic output or nominal Gross Domestic Product ($549.7 billion).

Given Tennessee’s population of 7.194 million people, its total $39.4 billion in 2024 exports translates to roughly $5,450 for every resident in the Volunteer State. That dollar metric surpasses the average $5,300 per capita for 2023.

Tennessee’s unemployment rate was 3.6% at the end of July 2025, down from the 3.4% jobless rate in July 2024 per YCharts.

Tennessee’s Top 10 Exports

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

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

1. Medical, surgical, dental, veterinarian instruments: US$3.1 billion (7.8% of total Tennessean exports)
2. Computers including optical readers: $1.49 billion (3.8%)
3. Smartphones: $1.47 billion (3.7%)
4. Mid-sized automobiles (piston engine): $1.1 billion (2.7%)
5. Cotton (uncarded, uncombed): $898 million (2.3%)
6. Civilian aircraft, engines, other aircraft parts: $894.7 million (2.3%)
7. Large automobiles (piston engine): $880.9 million (2.2%)
8. Whiskies: $871.9 million (2.2%)
9. Miscellaneous unsaturated polyesters: $707.5 million (1.8%)
10. Vehicles powered by electric motor only: $698.7 million (1.8%)

Tennessee’s top 10 exports accounted for almost a third (30.6%) of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.

The fastest grower from 2023 to 2024 were Tennessee’s exports of miscellaneous unsaturated polyesters, expanding by 124.8%.

In second place were Tennessean exports of mid-sized automobiles powered by piston engine (up 78%), ahead of computers including optical readers (up 58.2%) and vehicles powered by electric motor only (up 48.7%).

Year over year, the double-digit percentage decliners among Tennessee top 10 export products were large automobiles powered by piston engine (down -41.7% from 2023) then uncarded and uncombed cotton via a -13.3% reduction from 2023.

More Key Facts about Tennessee’s International Trade

Tennessee recorded a total -US$81.1 billion trade deficit exporting and importing products during 2024. That dollar amount reflects an 18.2% expansion from -$68.6 billion in red ink in 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 Tennessee’s top 10 import products highlighting the state’s highest spending on foreign-made goods in 2024.

1. Miscellaneous medications: $13.6 billion (11.2% of total Tennessean imports)
2. Immunological products in measured doses: $13.3 billion (11%)
3. Mid-sized automobiles (piston engine): $6.5 billion (5.4%)
4. Smartphones: $5.9 billion (4.9%)
5. Smaller portable computers: $5.7 billion (4.7%)
6. Computers including optical readers: $5.1 billion (4.2%)
7. Small automobiles (piston engine): $2.7 billion (2.2%)
8. Modems, similar reception/transmission devices: $1.97 billion (1.6%)
9. Computer parts, accessories: $1.97 billion (1.6%)
10. Antibiotics: $1.7 billion (1.4%)

Tennessee has highly negative net exports in the international trade of miscellaneous medications, immunological products, smaller portable computers, and cell phones. In turn, these cashflows indicate Tennessee’s competitive disadvantages under those product categories.

Tennessee’s Most Valuable Trading Partners

The following list shows the top 10 customers that purchased approaching three-quarters (72.7%) worth of the total value of products exported from Tennessee during 2024.

1. Canada: $8 billion (20.3% of total Tennessean exports)
2. Mexico: $6.7 billion (17%)
3. mainland China: $3.6 billion (9%)
4. Netherlands: $2.9 billion (7.2%)
5. Japan: $1.9 billion (4.9%)
6. Belgium: $1.33 billion (3.4%)
7. Germany: $1.27 billion (3.2%)
8. Hong Kong: $1.19 billion (3%)
9. Singapore: $944.4 million (2.4%)
10. Brazil: $863.9 million (2.2%)

Tennessee’s top trade partners in North America–Canada and Mexico–bought almost two-fifths (37.3%) of the overall value of all goods exported from the Volunteer State.

In comparison, leading Tennessean customers in Asia (mainland China, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore) generated 19.3% of total export sales.

Another 13.8% went to the biggest importers in Europe (Netherlands, Belgium and Germany).

Tennessean Export Companies

Twenty-three of Tennessee-based corporations rank among Fortune 1000 Companies, a list that showcases America’s largest businesses. Selected examples are shown below.

• AutoZone (auto parts, accessories)
• Eastman Chemical Co. (chemicals, fibers, plastics)
• FedEx Corp. (worldwide delivery, freight forwarding, logistics)
• Genesco Inc (footwear, headwear, apparel)
• International Paper Co. (pulp, paper)
• Mueller Industries (copper, brass, aluminum, plastic products)

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

Tennessee’s capital is Nashville, a city nicknamed “Music City” and “Athens of the South”.

See also Ohio’s Top 10 Exports, Alabama’s Top 10 Exports, Florida’s Top 10 Exports and Louisiana’s Top 10 Exports

Research Sources:
FlagPictures.org, Flags of US States. Accessed on September 1, 2025

Forbes, Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on September 1, 2025

GeoLounge, Fortune 1000 Companies List for 2021 , Fortune 1000 by State and Place. Accessed on September 1, 2025

IBIS World, Tennessee Economic Overview (gross state product, population). Accessed on September 1, 2025

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on September 1, 2025

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on September 1, 2025

United States Census Bureau, QuickFacts: Tennessee. Accessed on September 1, 2025

USA Trade Online, Official Source of Trade Statistics. Accessed on September 1, 2025

Wikipedia, Tennessee. Accessed on September 1, 2025

Wikipedia, Category:Companies based in Tennessee. Accessed on September 1, 2025

Wikipedia, List of U.S. states and territories by GDP. Accessed on September 1, 2025

YCharts, Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Report. Accessed on September 1, 2025