That dollar amount results from an 8.4% increase from $56.8 billion five years back in 2020.
Year over year, the total value of Michiganian exports fell -5.5% compared to $65.1 billion during 2023.
Michigan ranked seventh among America’s 10 biggest exporters by state. It trails leaders including Texas, California, New York state, Louisiana, Illinois and Florida.
Michigan’s exported products represent 8.7% of the state’s total economic output or nominal Gross Domestic Product in 2024 ($706.6 billion).
The most valuable products shipped from Michigan continue to be cars, trucks and automotive parts or accessories..
Given Michigan’s population of 10.14 million people during 2024, its total $61.6 billion in 2024 exports translates to roughly $6,100 for every resident in the Great Lakes and Midwestern state. That dollar metric lags the average $6,500 per capita one year earlier during 2023.
Michigan’s unemployment rate was 5.5% in March 2025, up from 4.2% one year earlier per YCharts.
Michigan’s Top 10 Exports
The following export products represent the highest dollar value in Michigan’s global shipments during 2024. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Michigan.
Figures are shown at the more granular six-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level, for more precise product identification.
- Small trucks (piston engine): US$4.8 billion (7.8% of Michigan’s total exports)
- Large automobiles (piston engine): $3.1 billion (5.1%)
- Motor vehicle gear boxes: $2.9 billion (4.6%)
- Motor vehicle body parts, accessories: $2.2 billion (3.6%)
- Medium-sized automobiles (piston engine): $1.4 billion (2.3%)
- Lithium ion batteries: $1.4 billion (2.3%)
- Civilian aircraft, engines, other parts: $1.28 billion (2.1%)
- Miscellaneous motor vehicle parts, accessories: $1.26 billion (2%)
- Vehicle rear-view mirrors: $1.1 billion (1.8%)
- Vehicle drive axels: $797.3 million (1.3%)
Michigan’s top 10 export product categories accounted for nearly one-third (32.8%) of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.
Among Michigan’s above major exports, the gainers were lithium ion batteries (up 36.7% from 2023), medium-sized automobiles powered by piston engine (up 22.8%), then civilian aircraft, engines or other aircraft parts (up 18.4%).
There were 3 double-digit declines among Michigan’s top 10 export products year over year. These were small trucks powered by piston engine (down -34.3% from 2023), vehicle drive axels (down -17.3%), then large automobiles powered by piston engine (down -16.2%).
More Key Facts about Michigan’s International Trade
Overall, Michigan incurred a -US$111.6 billion deficit exporting and importing products during 2024. That dollar amount reflects a 5.3% expansion from -$106 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.
In a nutshell, net exports represent the amount by which foreign spending on a home country’s goods or services exceeds or lags the home country’s spending on foreign goods or services.
Goods imported into Michigan totaled $173.2 billion for 2024, up 1.2% from $171.2 billion during 2023.
Below are Michigan’s top 10 import products highlighting the state’s highest spending on foreign-made goods in 2024.
- Small automobiles (piston engine): $20.4 billion (11.8% of Michigan’s total imports)
- Small trucks (piston engine): $16.4 billion (9.5%)
- Mid-sized automobiles (piston engine): $9.4 billion (5.4%)
- Small diesel-powered trucks: $8 billion (4.6%)
- Motor vehicles with electric motor only: $6.3 billion (3.7%)
- Motor vehicle body parts, accessories: $5.5 billion (3.2%)
- Miscellaneous motor vehicle parts: $4.75 billion (2.7%)
- Large automobiles (piston engine): $4.67 billion (2.7%)
- Crude petroleum oil: $4 billion (2.3%)
- Spark-ignition reciprocating piston engines: $3.7 billion (2.1%)
Michigan has billion-dollar negative net exports from its international trade of motor vehicles powered by electric engine only. This shows the strong impact of foreign-supplied electric vehicles on Michigan’s global balance sheet.
Michigan’s Major Trading Partners
The following list shows the top 10 customers that purchase over four-fifths (82.1%) worth of the total value of products exported from Michigan during 2024.
- Canada: $23.3 billion (37.8% of Michigan’s total exports)
- Mexico: $17.1 billion (27.7%)
- mainland China: $2.1 billion (3.4%)
- Germany: $1.9 billion (3.1%)
- Japan: $1.5 billion (2.4%)
- Thailand: $1.05 billion (1.7%)
- Australia: $1.01 billion (1.6%)
- Brazil: $1 billion (1.6%)
- South Korea: $956.9 million (1.6%)
- United Kingdom: $701.9 million (1.1%)
Michigan’s North American trade partners, Canada and Mexico, generated almost two-thirds (65.6%) of the overall value of exported goods from the state.
In contrast, Michigan sold 9% worth of its exports to leading importers in Asia (mainland China, Japan, Thailand and South Korea) during 2024.
Michigan’s Export Companies
Five of Michigan-headquartered corporations rank among Forbes Global 2000. These are shown in the top positions listed below.
The other 5 leading companies headquartered in Michigan are leading American businesses according to the Fortune 500 ranking.
- General Motors (automobile manufacturer)
- Dow Chemical (diversified chemicals)
- Ford Motor (automobile manufacturer)
- Whirlpool (household appliances)
- Penske Automotive (automobile parts, accessories)
- Lear Corp (automotive seating, electrical)
- Kellogg’s (processed foods)
- Stryker Corporation (medical devices)
- DTE Energy (electricity, natural gas)
- BorgWarner (vehicle transmissions)
Shown within brackets for each company is a summary of the international trade-related product category which each company sells.
Michigan’s capital city is Lansing, nicknamed L-Town and the Heart of Michigan.
See also America’s Top 20 Export States, United States Top 10 Exports and Top United States Trade Balances
Research Sources:
FlagPictures.org, Flags of US States. Accessed on April 20, 2025
Forbes 2020 Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on April 20, 2025
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on April 20, 2025
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on April 20, 2025
United States Census Bureau, Foreign Trade (State by 6-Digit HS Code). Accessed on April 20, 2025
United States Census Bureau, QuickFacts: Michigan. Accessed on April 20, 2025
USA Trade Online, Official Source of Trade Statistics. Accessed on April 20, 2025
Wikipedia, List of Companies of Michigan. Accessed on April 20, 2025
Wikipedia, Michigan. Accessed on April 20, 2025
Wikipedia, List of U.S. states and territories by GDP. Accessed on April 20, 2025
YCharts, Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Report. Accessed on April 20, 2025