Nicknamed “The Beaver State” and located in the Pacific Northwest region on America’s west coast, Oregon shipped US$27.7 billion worth of exported products around the globe in 2023.

That dollar amount results from a 4.2% increase from $26.6 billion back in 2020.

Year over year, the overall value of Oregonian exports shrank by -19.7% compared to $34.5 billion during 2022.

Oregon ranks 21st among America’s 25 most lucrative exporters by state well behind front-runners like Texas, California, Louisiana, New York state, and Illinois.

The value of Oregon’s exports equals 1.4% of United States’ overall exported products for 2023, down from 1.6% for 2022.

Oregon’s exported products represent 11.5% of the state’s total economic output or Gross Domestic Product ($240.4 billion in 2023).

The most valuable products shipped from Oregon are processors and controllers for electronic integrated circuits, machines for making semi-conductor devices, and potassium chloride. Collectively, those leading product categories generated two-fifths (39.7%) of Oregon’s overall export sales during 2023..

Given Oregon’s population of 4.3 million people, its total $27.7 billion in 2023 exports translates to roughly $6,500 for every resident in the Pacific Northwest state. That dollar metric lags the average $8,000 per capita one year earlier in 2022.

Oregon’s unemployment rate was 4.2% at the end of February 2024, up from 3.6% one year earlier per YCharts.

Oregon’s Top 10 Exports

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

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

1. Integrated circuits (processors/controllers): US$5.5 billion (19.8% of Oregon’s total exports)
2. Miscellaneous vehicle parts, accessories: $4 billion (14.4%)
3. Machinery for making semi-conductor devices: $1.5 billion (5.5%)
4. Semi-trailer road tractors: $696.2 million (2.5%)
5. Civilian aircraft, aircraft engines or other parts: $627.4 million (2.3%)
6. Potassium chloride: $603.6 million (2.2%)
7. Miscellaneous electronic integrated circuits: $522.6 million (1.9%)
8. Parts, accessories of machines to make semi-conductors: $472.9 million (1.7%)
9. New rubber tires for buses or trucks: $447.8 million (1.6%)
10. Wheat, meslin: $410.5 million (1.5%)

Oregon’s top 10 exports accounted for 53.3% of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.

Miscellaneous vehicle parts or accessories posted the strongest percentage gain, up by 259.5% from 2022 to 2023.

In second place for annual growth was civilian aircraft plus engines or other aircraft parts (up 41.4% from 2022) ahead of Oregonian exports of semi-trailer road tractors (up 29.6%) then new rubber tires for buses or trucks (up 25.6%).

The severest year-over-year decliners were Oregon’s exports of potassium chloride (down -71% from 2022), wheat and meslin (down -48.2%), then machinery to manufacture semi-conductor devices (down -45.5%).

More Key Facts about Oregon’s International Trade

Oregon generated an overall US$8.34 billion surplus exporting and importing products during 2023. That dollar amount reflects a 48.9% boost from $5.6 billion in black ink posted 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.

All told, Oregon spent a total $19.4 billion on goods imported during 2023 down -33% from $28.9 billion in spending for 2022.

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

1. Machinery for making semi-conductor devices: US$1.4 billion (7.2% of Oregon’s total imports)
2. Integrated circuits (processors/controllers): $1.14 billion (5.9%)
3. Miscellaneous semi-conductor devices: $851.7 million (4.4%)
4. Large automobiles (piston engine): $654.6 million (3.4%)
5. Potassium chloride: $654.2 million (3.4%)
6. Refined petroleum oils excluding biodiesel: $627 million (3.2%)
7. Parts, accessories of machinery for making semi-conductors: $578.3 million (3%)
8. Lithium ion batteries: $400 million (2.1%)
9. Vehicles with both spark-ignition plus electric motors: $393.8 million (2%)
10. Specialized machines, apparatus: $241.7 million (1.2%)

Oregon has positive net exports in the international trade of integrated circuits and, to a lesser degree, machinery for making semi-conductors. In turn, these cashflows indicate Oregon’s competitive advantages under both leading product categories which create a strong positive impact on Oregon’s global balance sheet.

Oregon’s Major Trading Partners

The following list shows the top 10 customers that purchased over four-fifths (81.6%) worth of the total value of products exported from Oregon during 2023.

1. Mexico: US$6.6 billion (23.7% of Oregon’s total exports)
2. China: $4 billion (14.5%)
3. Canada: $3.5 billion (12.6%)
4. Malaysia: $2.6 billion (9.5%)
5. Ireland: $1.26 billion (4.5%)
6. Japan: $1.2 billion (4.3%)
7. South Korea: $1.14 billion (4.1%)
8. Israel: $947.1 million (3.4%)
9. Taiwan: $708.1 million (2.6%)
10. Vietnam: $680.8 million (2.5%)

Oregon’s top trading partners located in Asia (mainland China, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, Israel, Taiwan and Vietnam) bought 37.4% of the overall value of exported goods from the state.

In comparison, Oregon sold 36.3% worth of its exported goods to customers located in North America (Mexico and Canada).

Oregonian Export Companies

Just two of Oregon-headquartered corporations rank among Fortune 500 companies as of February 2023, according to the State of Oregon’s Employment Department. These two revenue leaders are Nike, an athletic footwear and apparel multi-national supplier, and automotive retailer Lithia Motors.

Wikipedia identifies other large businesses with headquarters within Oregon States. One example is the world’s largest commercial firm specializing in the design and production of thermal imaging cameras, components and imaging sensors, namely FLIR Systems which is based in Wilsonville, Oregon.
Other large companies with their head offices in Oregon include the following.

• Columbia Sportswear (outerwear, sportswear, footwear)
• NW Natural (natural gas)
• Schnitzer Steel Industries (steel manufacturer, scrap metal recycler)

Shown within brackets for each company is a summary of the international trade-related product category in which each company conducts business.
 
Oregon’s capital city is Salem.

See also Ohio’s Top 10 Exports, Alabama’s Top 10 Exports, Top 10 Exports from Georgia State, Louisiana’s Top 10 Exports and Tennessee’s Top 10 Exports

Research Sources:
FlagPictures.org, Flags of US States. Accessed on March 30, 2024

Forbes 2022 Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on March 30, 2024

IBIS World, State Economic Profile (including GDP). Accessed on March 30, 2024

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on March 30, 2024

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on March 30, 2024

State of Oregon Employment Department, Oregon’s Company Headquarters: Strong Growth and High Wages. Accessed on March 30, 2024

United States Census Bureau, QuickFacts: Oregon. Accessed on March 30, 2024

USA Trade Online, Official Source of Trade Statistics. Accessed on March 30, 2024

Wikipedia, Oregon. Accessed on March 30, 2024

Wikipedia, List of Companies based in Oregon. Accessed on March 30, 2024

YCharts, Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Report. Accessed on March 30, 2024