Nicknamed the “Bluegrass State” although legally constituted as a commonwealth and located in America’s east south-central region, Kentucky shipped US$40.2 billion worth of exported products around the globe in 2023.

That dollar amount reflects a 63.3% rise from $24.6 billion four years earlier in 2020.

Year over year, the overall value of Kentucky’s exported goods accelerated by 16.6% compared to $34.5 billion starting in 2022.

Kentucky ranks as America’s 15th biggest exporter by state behind front-runners including Texas, California, Louisiana, New York state and Illinois.

The value of Kentucky’s exports equals 2% of the United States’ overall exported products for 2023, up from 1.7% in 2022.

Based on research from IBIS World, Kentucky’s exported products represent 19.7% of the state’s total economic output or Gross Domestic Product in 2023 ($203.8 billion).

Given Kentucky’s population of 4.537 million people, its total $40.2 billion in 2023 exports translates to roughly $8,850 for every resident in the Bluegrass State. That dollar metric exceeds the average $7,600 per capita in 2022.

Kentucky’s unemployment rate was 4.6% at the end of April 2024, up from 4% from one year prior per YCharts.

Kentucky’s Top 10 Exports

The following export products represent the highest dollar value in Kentucky global shipments during 2023. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Kentucky.

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

1. Civilian aircraft, engines or other parts: US$13.3 billion (33% of Kentucky’s total exports)
2. Antisera, other blood fractions: $1.7 billion (4.2%)
3. Miscellaneous medications in doses for retail: $921.8 million (2.3%)
4. Large automobiles (piston engine): $892.2 million (2.2%)
5. Medium-size trucks (piston engine): $877.5 million (2.2%)
6. Transmission shafts: $671.5 million (1.7%)
7. Diagnostic or laboratory reagents: $629 million (1.6%)
8. Non-agglomerated bituminous coal: $600.9 million (1.5%)
9. Automobiles (piston engine plus electric motor): $486 million (1.2%)
10. Miscellaneous chemical industry products, residuals: $435.5 million (1.1%)

Kentucky’s top 10 exports accounted for 50.9% of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.

Recording the greatest increase was non-agglomerated bituminous coal exported from Kentucky, up by 286.9% compared to 2022.

In second place were miscellaneous chemical industry products and residuals via a 254.3% gain.

Other major increases belonged to large automobiles powered by piston engine (up 83.4% from 2022), miscellaneous medications in doses put up for retail sale (up 80.5%) then transmission shafts (up 61.3%).

The lone decliner among Kentucky’s top 10 export products were diagnostic or laboratory reagents, pulled down by a -34.4% reduction from international sales in 2022.

More Key Facts about Kentucky’s International Trade

Kentucky incurred an overall -US$32.2 billion deficit exporting and importing products during 2023. That dollar amount reflects a -7.8% decrease from the -$34.9 billion in red ink for 2022.

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 Kentucky’s top 10 import products highlighting the state’s highest spending on foreign-made goods in 2023.

1. Immunological products in doses for retail: US$14.7 billion (20.3% of Kentucky’s total imports)
2. Miscellaneous medications in doses for retail: $7.2 billion (10%)
3. Turbo-jet parts: $3.5 billion (4.8%)
4. Blood fractions including antisera: $1.9 billion (2.6%)
5. Video game consoles, machines: $1.68 billion (2.3%)
6. Machines for voice/image/data reception, transmission: $1.65 billion (2.3%)
7. Piston engines: $1 billion (1.4%)
8. Motor vehicle parts, accessories: $854.8 million (1.2%)
9. Unwrought aluminum (unalloyed): $776.8 million (1.1%)
10. Human medicine vaccines: $771.2 million (1.1%)

Kentucky has highly negative net exports in the international trade of immunological products and miscellaneous medications in dosage packaged for retail sale. In turn, these cashflows indicate Kentucky’s competitive disadvantages under those product categories.

Kentucky’s Major Trade Partners

The following list shows the top 10 customers that purchased over three-quarters (77.4%) worth of the total value of products exported from Kentucky during 2023.

1. Canada: US$9.1 billion (22.7% of Kentucky’s total exports)
2. United Kingdom: $3.84 billion (9.6%)
3. Mexico: $3.73 billion (9.3%)
4. France: $3.67 billion (9.1%)
5. mainland China: $2.9 billion (7.1%)
6. Brazil: $2.7 billion (6.8%)
7. Netherlands: $1.5 billion (3.7%)
8. Austria: $1.3 billion (3.3%)
9. Japan: $1.2 billion (3%)
10. Malaysia: $1.14 billion (2.8%)

Kentucky’s top trade partners in North America (Canada and Mexico) purchased almost a third (32%) of the overall value of goods exported from the Bluegrass State in 2023.

In comparison, 25.7% of Kentuckian exports were imported by top importers in Europe (United Kingdom, France, Netherlands and Austria).

Another 12.9% worth went to leading trade partners in Asia (mainland China, Japan and Malaysia).

Kentuckian Export Companies

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

• Ashland Inc (chemicals, plastics)
• Brown-Forman Corp (whiskies, wine, other liquors)
• General Cable Corporation (copper/aluminum/fiber optic cables)
• Lexmark International (laser printers, imaging products)
• Tempur Sealy International (mattresses, bedding products)

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

Kentucky’s capital is Frankfort, a city that was originally called “Frank’s Ford” due to its location at a Kentucky River crossing place.

See also Nevada’s Top 10 Exports, Idaho’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 May 22, 2024

Forbes, Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on May 22, 2024

GeoLounge, Fortune 1000 Companies List for 2019 , Fortune 1000 by State and Place. Accessed on May 22, 2024

IBIS World, Kentucky Economic Profile (gross domestic product, population). Accessed on May 22, 2024

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 22, 2024

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on May 22, 2024

United States Census Bureau, QuickFacts: Kentucky. Accessed on May 22, 2024

USA Trade Online, Official Source of Trade Statistics. Accessed on May 22, 2024

Wikipedia, Kentucky. Accessed on May 22, 2024

Wikipedia, List of Kentucky Companies. Accessed on May 22, 2024

Wikipedia, List of U.S. states and territories by GDP. Accessed on May 22, 2024

YCharts, Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Report. Accessed on May 22, 2024