Nicknamed “The Volunteer State” located in America’s southeastern region, Tennessee shipped US$38.1 billion worth of exported products around the world in 2023.

That dollar amount reflects a 35.2% increase from $28.2 billion four years earlier in 2020.

Year over year, the overall value of Tennessean exports flatlined via a -0.3% slowdown compared to $38.2 billion one year prior.

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

The value of Tennessee’s exports equals 1.9% of the United States’ overall exported products for 2023, same as for 2022.

Based on research from Statista Tennessee’s exported products represent 10.1% of the state’s total economic output or Gross Domestic Product ($375.8 billion).

Given Tennessee’s population of 7.194 million people, its total $38.1 billion in 2023 exports translates to roughly $5,300 for every resident in the Volunteer State. That dollar metric lags the average $5,400 per capita for 2022.

Tennessee’s unemployment rate was 3.2% at the end of March 2024, down from the 3.4% jobless rate at January 2023 per YCharts.

Tennessee’s Top 10 Exports

The following export products represent the highest dollar value in Tennessee global shipments during 2023. 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$2.81 billion (7.4% of Tennessee’s total exports)
2. Large automobiles (piston engine): $1.5 billion (3.9%)
3. Smartphones: $1.48 billion (3.9%)
4. Civilian aircraft, engines, other parts: $941.8 million (2.5%)
5. Computers including optical readers: $936.2 million (2.5%)
6. Whiskies: $914.5 million (2.4%)
7. Cotton (uncarded, uncombed): $831.6 million (2.2%)
8. Artificial joints, parts and accessories: $828.1 million (2.2%)
9. Smaller portable computers: $702.7 million (1.8%)
10. Sterile sutures: $632.4 million (1.7%)

Tennessee’s top 10 exports accounted for almost a third (30.4%) of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.

The fastest grower from 2022 to 2023 were Tennessee’s exports of computers including optical readers, up by 41.7%.

In second place were Tennessean exports of smaller portable computers (up 25.3%), ahead of artificial joints, parts and accessories (up 23.7%) and whiskies (up 19.4%).

Year over year, the lone decliner among Tennessee top 10 export products was uncarded and uncombed cotton via a -13.5% reduction from 2022.

More Key Facts about Tennessee’s International Trade

Tennessee recorded a total -US$68.8 billion trade deficit exporting and importing products during 2023. That dollar amount reflects a -3.5% reduction from -$71.3 billion in red ink in 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 Tennessee’s top 10 import products highlighting the state’s highest spending on foreign-made goods in 2023.

1. Miscellaneous medications: US$12.6 billion (11.8% of Tennessee’s total imports)
2. Immunological products in measured doses: $7.4 billion (7%)
3. Smaller portable computers: $6.9 billion (6.4%)
4. Mid-sized automobiles (piston engine): $4.9 billion (4.6%)
5. Smartphones: $4.3 billion (4%)
6. Small automobiles (piston engine): $2.6 billion (2.5%)
7. Computers including optical readers: $2.3 billion (2.2%)
8. Modems, similar reception/transmission devices: $1.7 billion (1.6%)
9. Large automobiles (piston engine): $1.49 billion (1.4%)
10. Antibiotics: $1.43 billion (1.3%)

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 (73.9%) worth of the total value of products exported from Tennessee during 2023.

1. Canada: US$8.85 billion (23.2% of Tennessee’s total exports)
2. Mexico: $6.1 billion (16%)
3. mainland China: $3 billion (7.8%)
4. Netherlands: $2.34 billion (6.2%)
5. Japan: $2.1 billion (5.5%)
6. Germany: $1.38 billion (3.6%)
7. Hong Kong: $1.32 billion (3.5%)
8. Belgium: $1.25 billion (3.3%)
9. Singapore: $959.8 million (2.5%)
10. United Kingdom: $933.2 million (2.4%)

Tennessee’s top trade partners in North America–Canada and Mexico–bought almost two-fifths (39.2%) 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 19.2% of total export sales.

Another 15.5% went to the biggest importers in Europe (Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and the UK).

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 May 6, 2024

Forbes, Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on May 6, 2024

GeoLounge, Fortune 1000 Companies List for 2020 , Fortune 1000 by State and Place. Accessed on May 6, 2024

IBIS World, Tennessee Economic Overview (gross state product, population). Accessed on May 6, 2024

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 6, 2024

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on May 6, 2024

United States Census Bureau, QuickFacts: Tennessee. Accessed on May 6, 2024

USA Trade Online, Official Source of Trade Statistics. Accessed on May 6, 2024

Wikipedia, Tennessee. Accessed on May 6, 2024

Wikipedia, Category:Companies based in Tennessee. Accessed on May 6, 2024

Wikipedia, List of U.S. states and territories by GDP. Accessed on May 6, 2024

YCharts, Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Report. Accessed on May 6, 2024