From a continental perspective, 45.3% of America’s total imports by value in 2021 were purchased from providers in Asia. Fellow North American trade partners supplied 25.7% of import sales to the U.S. while 22.7% worth originated from Europe.
At 4.3%, suppliers from Latin America excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean accounted for a smaller percentage of American import purchases. Even smaller amounts came from Africa (1.6%) and Oceania (0.6%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
Given America’s population of 330.7 million people, its total $2.937 trillion in 2021 imports translates to roughly $8,900 in yearly product demand from each U.S. resident.
United States Top 10 Imports
The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in America’s import purchases during 2021. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into the US.
- Machinery including computers: US$428.8 billion (14.6% of total imports)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $416 billion (14.2%)
- Vehicles: $283.1 billion (9.6%)
- Mineral fuels including oil: $223.9 billion (7.6%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $149.5 billion (5.1%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $106.2 billion (3.6%)
- Gems, precious metals: $96 billion (3.3%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $82.5 billion (2.8%)
- Furniture, bedding, lighting, signs, prefabricated buildings: $81.4 billion (2.8%)
- Organic chemicals: $64.4 billion (2.2%)
The above product categories account for almost two-thirds (65.8%) of total US imports during 2021.
America’s imports of mineral fuels including oil posted the fastest-growing increase in value among the top 10 product categories, up 71.4% from 2020 to 2021. In second place were plastics as a material plus items made from plastics (up 32.3%), furniture, bedding, lighting, signs and prefabricated buildings (up 24.3%), electrical machinery and equipment (up 21.1%) and machinery including computers (up 18.7%).
The lone decline was the -10.3% drop for gems and precious metals, weighed down by lower spending on gold and silver from international markets.
Note that the results listed above are at the categorized two-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level. For a more detailed view of imported goods at the four-digit HTS code level, see the section Searchable List of America’s Most Valuable Import Products further down near the bottom of this article or under the adjacent product folder tabs.
Major US Imports of Machinery Products Including Computers
In 2021, American importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.
- Computers, optical readers: US$118.2 billion (up 12.8% from 2020)
- Computer parts, accessories: $30.4 billion (up 28%)
- Turbo-jets: $19.7 billion (down -0.6%)
- Taps, valves, similar appliances: $15.7 billion (up 19%)
- Printing machinery: $15.4 billion (up 20.6%)
- Refrigerators, freezers: $14.2 billion (up 30.6%)
- Air or vacuum pumps: $13.7 billion (up 22%)
- Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $12.9 billion (up 23.4%)
- Liquid pumps and elevators: $11.6 billion (up 19%)
- Air conditioners: $11.6 billion (up 29.9%)
Among these import subcategories, US purchases of refrigerators and freezers (up 30.6%), air conditioners (up 29.9%) then computer parts or accessories (up 28%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery among U.S. businesses and consumers.
Major US Imports of Electronics Products
In 2021, American importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electronics equipment.
- Phone devices including smartphones: US$111.5 billion (up 17.6% from 2020)
- Integrated circuits/microassemblies: $41.3 billion (up 29.3%)
- TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $27.1 billion (up 21.9%)
- Insulated wire/cable: $24.9 billion (up 28.1%)
- Electrical converters/power units: $19 billion (up 17.8%)
- Unrecorded sound media: $17.1 billion (up 13.3%)
- Electric storage batteries: $15.2 billion (up 60.2%)
- Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $14.2 billion (up 14.7%)
- Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $13.4 billion (up 1.3%)
- Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $12.6 billion (up 25%)
Among these import subcategories, US purchases of electric storage batteries (up 60.2%), integrated circuits or microassemblies (up 29.3%) then insulated wire or cable (up 28.1%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported electronics among U.S. businesses and consumers.
Major US Imports of Vehicles Plus Related Products
In 2021, American importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles.
- Cars: US$148.1 billion (up 1.6% from 2020)
- Automobile parts/accessories: $74.1 billion (up 23.7%)
- Trucks: $31.1 billion (up 19.6%)
- Tractors: $13.1 billion (up 31.9%)
- Trailers: $5.2 billion (up 45%)
- Motorcycles: $3.6 billion (up 31.4%)
- Motorcycle parts/accessories: $2.2 billion (up 51.1%)
- Bicycles, other non-motorized cycles: $2.2 billion (up 43.5%)
- Special purpose vehicles: $884.3 million (down -2.3%)
- Automobile bodies: $595.7 million (down -10.6%)
Among these import subcategories, US purchases of motorcycle parts or accessories (up 51.1%), trailers (up 45%) then bicycles including other non-motorized cycles (up 43.5%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported vehicles among U.S. businesses and consumers.
Major US Imports of Mineral Fuels Plus Related Products
In 2021, American importers spent the most on the following subcategories of mineral fuels and related products.
- Crude oil: US$138.4 billion (up 69.1% from 2020)
- Processed petroleum oils: $64.1 billion (up 75.9%)
- Petroleum gases: $14.3 billion (up 90.8%)
- Electrical energy: $2.6 billion (up 36.6%)
- Petroleum oil residues: $1.9 billion (up 73.3%)
- Peat: $590.8 million (up 29.7%)
- Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $509.4 million (up 31.1%)
- Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $497.4 million (up 104.3%)
- Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $495.8 million (up 38.9%)
- Natural bitumen, asphalt, shale: $194.1 million (up 43.3%)
Among these import subcategories, US purchases of high temperature distilled coal tar oils (up 104.3%), petroleum gases (up 90.8%) then processed petroleum oils (up 75.9%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported pharmaceuticals among U.S. businesses and consumers.
Searchable List of America’s Most Valuable Import Products
The following searchable table displays 100 of America’s most in-demand imported goods during 2021. Shown beside each product label is its total import value then the percentage increase or decrease since 2020.
| Rank | US Import Product | 2021 Value (US$) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cars | $148,145,016,000 | +1.6% |
| 2 | Crude oil | $138,383,896,000 | +69.1% |
| 3 | Computers, optical readers | $118,181,595,000 | +12.8% |
| 4 | Phone devices including smartphones | $111,542,529,000 | +17.6% |
| 5 | Medication mixes in dosage | $84,496,717,000 | +4.9% |
| 6 | Automobile parts/accessories | $74,076,623,000 | +23.7% |
| 7 | Processed petroleum oils | $64,097,849,000 | +75.9% |
| 8 | Blood fractions (including antisera) | $58,237,949,000 | +10.7% |
| 9 | Integrated circuits/microassemblies | $41,251,253,000 | +29.3% |
| 10 | Miscellaneous furniture | $31,995,488,000 | +23.9% |
| 11 | Electro-medical equip (e.g. xrays) | $31,990,525,000 | +17.1% |
| 12 | Trucks | $31,093,314,000 | +19.6% |
| 13 | Computer parts, accessories | $30,432,591,000 | +28% |
| 14 | Seats (excluding barber/dentist chairs) | $29,620,362,000 | +27.7% |
| 15 | TV receivers/monitors/projectors | $27,083,255,000 | +21.9% |
| 16 | Insulated wire/cable | $24,886,596,000 | +28.1% |
| 17 | Diamonds (unmounted/unset) | $20,225,107,000 | +62.1% |
| 18 | Models, puzzles, miscellaneous toys | $19,680,481,000 | +37.1% |
| 19 | Turbo-jets | $19,674,080,000 | -0.6% |
| 20 | Electrical converters/power units | $18,972,203,000 | +17.8% |
| 21 | Platinum (unwrought) | $18,351,775,000 | +62.6% |
| 22 | Rubber tires (new) | $17,185,930,000 | +22.2% |
| 23 | Miscellaneous plastic items | $17,115,005,000 | +20.9% |
| 24 | Unrecorded sound media | $17,102,421,000 | +13.3% |
| 25 | Taps, valves, similar appliances | $15,656,660,000 | +19% |
| 26 | Jerseys, pullovers (knit or crochet) | $15,531,768,000 | +33.6% |
| 27 | Printing machinery | $15,435,476,000 | +20.6% |
| 28 | Electric storage batteries | $15,171,875,000 | +60.2% |
| 29 | Orthopedic appliances | $14,426,755,000 | +20.4% |
| 30 | Petroleum gases | $14,295,833,000 | +90.8% |
| 31 | Sawn wood | $14,262,993,000 | +68.9% |
| 32 | Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels | $14,242,553,000 | +14.7% |
| 33 | Refrigerators, freezers | $14,161,523,000 | +30.6% |
| 34 | Jewelry | $14,078,606,000 | +82.9% |
| 35 | Gold (unwrought) | $13,891,967,000 | -59.9% |
| 36 | Air or vacuum pumps | $13,714,741,000 | +22% |
| 37 | Solar power diodes/semi-conductors | $13,435,911,000 | +1.3% |
| 38 | Aircraft, spacecraft | $13,192,484,000 | -3% |
| 39 | Tractors | $13,088,550,000 | +31.9% |
| 40 | Sports equipment | $13,082,745,000 | +50% |
| 41 | Centrifuges, filters and purifiers | $12,888,679,000 | +23.4% |
| 42 | Lower-voltage switches, fuses | $12,617,816,000 | +25% |
| 43 | Table games, bowling equipment | $12,461,378,000 | +51.6% |
| 44 | Microphones/headphones/amps | $12,317,363,000 | +38.1% |
| 45 | Heterocyclics, nucleic acids | $12,227,219,000 | -4.7% |
| 46 | Electric water heaters, hair dryers | $12,225,681,000 | +21.8% |
| 47 | Aircraft parts | $12,190,877,000 | -14.5% |
| 48 | TV receiver/transmit/digital cameras | $11,973,238,000 | +9.3% |
| 49 | Lamps, lighting, illuminated signs | $11,905,479,000 | +19.5% |
| 50 | Liquid pumps and elevators | $11,639,737,000 | +19% |
| 51 | Air conditioners | $11,615,151,000 | +29.9% |
| 52 | Aluminum (unwrought) | $11,538,566,000 | +65.7% |
| 53 | Cases, handbags, wallets | $11,529,439,000 | +37.5% |
| 54 | Electrical machinery | $11,500,533,000 | +38.6% |
| 55 | Electric motors, generators | $11,365,881,000 | +20.7% |
| 56 | Crustaceans (including lobsters) | $10,940,756,000 | +42.1% |
| 57 | Footwear (leather) | $10,931,159,000 | +29.1% |
| 58 | Piston engines | $10,886,139,000 | +7.8% |
| 59 | Clothing, accessories (vulcanized rubber) | $10,852,602,000 | +134.1% |
| 60 | Alcohol (including spirits, liqueurs) | $10,696,431,000 | +20.3% |
| 61 | Piston engine parts | $10,438,204,000 | +35.1% |
| 62 | Miscellaneous machinery | $10,354,237,000 | +22.6% |
| 63 | Machinery parts | $10,133,242,000 | +36% |
| 64 | Transmission shafts, gears, clutches | $10,041,524,000 | +22.9% |
| 65 | Other precious metal items | $9,786,029,000 | -62.8% |
| 66 | Plastic packing goods, lids, caps | $9,736,186,000 | +19.8% |
| 67 | Footwear (textile) | $9,507,924,000 | +33.3% |
| 68 | Miscellaneous heterocyclics | $9,260,090,000 | -9.2% |
| 69 | Pneumatic hand tool | $9,131,676,000 | +29.6% |
| 70 | Machinery for making semi-conductors | $9,042,604,000 | +11.3% |
| 71 | Women's clothing (not knit or crochet) | $9,029,365,000 | +18% |
| 72 | Base metal mountings, fittings | $8,752,440,000 | +24.5% |
| 73 | Refined copper, unwrought alloys | $8,657,676,000 | +105% |
| 74 | Plastic tableware, kitchenware, toiletry | $8,548,095,000 | +28.5% |
| 75 | Bread, biscuits, cakes, pastries | $7,817,109,000 | +21.3% |
| 76 | Physical/chemical analysis tools | $7,592,393,000 | +16.2% |
| 77 | Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers) | $7,583,819,000 | +35.9% |
| 78 | Linens | $7,568,371,000 | +37.8% |
| 79 | Men's suits, trousers (not knit or crochet) | $7,512,890,000 | +30.8% |
| 80 | Miscellaneous articles, dress patterns | $7,510,681,000 | -63.5% |
| 81 | Fish fillets, pieces | $7,472,339,000 | +22.5% |
| 82 | Other food preparations | $7,413,250,000 | +12.7% |
| 83 | T-shirts, vests (knit or crochet) | $7,378,077,000 | +44.9% |
| 84 | Wine | $7,375,681,000 | +25.5% |
| 85 | Women's clothing (knit or crochet) | $6,928,804,000 | +39.5% |
| 86 | Coffee | $6,920,018,000 | +21.9% |
| 87 | Silver (unwrought) | $6,687,742,000 | +13% |
| 88 | Malt beer | $6,626,085,000 | +10.9% |
| 89 | Iron and steel screws, bolts, nuts, washers | $6,587,396,000 | +30.2% |
| 90 | Electrical lighting/signaling equpment, defrosters | $6,586,575,000 | +19.8% |
| 91 | Miscellaneous engines, motors | $6,574,574,000 | +3.1% |
| 92 | Temperature-change machines | $6,479,854,000 | +22.3% |
| 93 | Plastic plates, sheets, film, tape, strips | $6,468,261,000 | +22.9% |
| 94 | Miscellaneous iron or steel items | $6,409,544,000 | +28.7% |
| 95 | Other diagnostic/lab reagents | $6,362,888,000 | +18.9% |
| 96 | Footwear (rubber or plastic) | $6,351,326,000 | +36.4% |
| 97 | Miscellaneous iron and steel structures | $6,263,476,000 | +15.6% |
| 98 | Hand-drawn paintings, drawings | $6,165,868,000 | +67.9% |
| 99 | Ethylene polymers | $6,143,829,000 | +67.5% |
| 100 | Mechano-therapy appliances | $6,098,755,000 | +11.2% |
These 100 imported goods were worth a subtotal of US$1.942 trillion or about two-thirds (66.1%) by value for all products imported into the United States during 2021.
See also United States Top 10 Exports, America’s Top Trading Partners, Top United States Trade Balances and America’s Top 20 Export States and United States Top 10 Major Export Companies
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profiles. Accessed on March 10, 2022
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on March 10, 2022
