Nicknamed “The Land of Lincoln” and “Prairie State” located in America’s Midwestern region, Illinois shipped US$78.85 billion worth of export products around the globe in 2023.

That dollar amount represents a 48% increase from $53.3 billion four years earlier in 2020.

Year over year, the overall value of goods exported from Illinois flatlined via a -0.1% decline compared to $78.95 billion during 2022.

Illinois ranks among America’s top 5 biggest exporters by state logging only front-runners California and Texas. The value of Illinois’ exports equals 3.9% of the United States’ overall exported products sold in 2023, up from 3.8% one year earlier.

Based on research from Statista, Illinois’ exported products represent 9% of the state’s total economic output or real Gross Domestic Product in 2023 ($875.6 billion in real dollars). That percentage exceeds the 9% one year earlier.

Given Illinois’ population of 12.55 million people, its total $78.85 billion in 2023 exports translates to roughly $6,300 for every resident in the Land of Lincoln state. That dollar metric exceeds the average $6,200 per capita in 2022.

Illinois’ unemployment rate was 6.2% in July 2024, up from 4.7% one year earlier per YCharts.

Illinois’ Top 10 Exports

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

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

Illinois’ most valuable export in 2023 are showcased below.

1. Miscellaneous medications: US$3.63 billion (4.6% of Illinois’ total exports)
2. Modems, similar reception/transmission devices: $2.74 billion (3.5%)
3. Antisera, other blood fractions: $2.14 billion (2.7%)
4. Soya beans: $2.1 billion (2.6%)
5. Corn: $2 billion (2.6%)
6. Dumpers for off-highway use: $1.93 billion (2.5%)
7. Electro-diagnostic apparatus, parts: $1.16 billion (1.5%)
8. Automotive parts or accessories: $1.15 billion (1.5%)
9. Civilian aircraft, aircraft engines or other parts: $1.05 billion (1.3%)
10. Light petroleum oils: $976.5 million (1.2%)

Illinois’ top 10 exports represent almost one-quarter (23.9%) of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.

The fastest-growing export category from Illinois from 2022 to 2023 was modems and similar reception or transmission devices, propelled by a 56.5% advance.

Other top year-over-year improvements were for Illinoisan exports of corn (up 38.5%), civilian aircraft and related products (up 29.3%), automotive parts or accessories (up 25.5%), then dumpers designed for off-highway use (up 15%).

The year-over-year decliners among Illinois’ top 10 export products were light petroleum oils (down -73% from 2022) and blood fractions including antisera (down -2.6%).

More Key Facts about Illinois’ International Trade

Illinois incurred a total -US$146 billion deficit exporting and importing products during 2023. That dollar amount reflects a -11.8% decrease from -$146 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 Illinois’ top 10 import products highlighting the state’s highest spending on foreign-made goods in 2023.

1. Crude petroleum oils: US$46 billion (20.4% of Illinois’ total imports)
2. Smartphones: $20 billion (8.9%)
3. Miscellaneous medications: $11.2 billion (5%)
4. Small portable digital computers: $10.2 billion (4.6%)
5. Modems, similar reception/transmission devices: $7.8 billion (3.5%)
6. Malt beer: $5.2 billion (2.3%)
7. Unwrought gold: $4.9 billion (2.2%)
8. Immunological products in measured doses: $4 billion (1.8%)
9. Miscellaneous precious metals articles: $2.95 billion (1.3%)
10. Video game consoles and machines: $1.8 billion (0.8%)

Illinois has highly negative net exports in the international trade of crude petroleum oils and smartphones. In turn, these cashflows indicate Illinois’ competitive disadvantages under these product categories.

Major Illinoisan Trade Partners

The following list shows the top 10 customers that purchased roughly three-quarters (74.5%) worth of the total value of products exported from Illinois during 2023.

1. Canada: US$20.8 billion (26.3% of Illinois’ total exports)
2. Mexico: $12.9 billion (16.4%)
3. Germany: $4.5 billion (5.7%)
4. mainland China: $4.41 billion (5.6%)
5. Australia: $4.38 billion (5.6%)
6. United Kingdom: $2.689 billion (3.4%)
7. Brazil: $2.685 billion (3.4%)
8. Japan: $2.6 billion (3.3%)
9. Netherlands: $2.4 billion (3.1%)
10. Singapore: $1.4 billion (1.8%)

Illinois’ top trade partners in North America (Canada and Mexico) bought 42.7% of the overall value of exported goods from Illinois.

In comparison, top importers of Illinoisan exports in Europe (Germany, UK and the Netherlands) accounted for 12.2% of the total.

Another 10.6% was bought by leading importers in Asia (mainland China, Japan and Singapore).

Illinoisan Export Companies

Sixty-nine of Illinois-based corporations rank among Fortune 1000 Companies, a list that showcases America’s largest businesses. Selected examples are listed below.

• Abbott Laboratories (generic drugs, medical devices, nutritional products)
• AbbVie (biopharmaceuticals, small molecule drugs)
• Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. (processed food, feeds, beverages)
• Caterpillar Inc. (heavy machinery, engines)
• Deere & Company (heavy machinery, engines, vehicles)
• Illinois Tool Works (fasteners, specialty products)
• Mondelez International (confectionery, food, beverages)
• Navistar International Corp (trucks, buses, engines, parts)
• The Boeing Company (aircraft, rockets, satellites)
• US Foods (packaged foods, frozen foods, fresh produce)

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

The capital of Illinois is Springfield, a city nicknamed “Flower City”.

See also Alabama’s Top 10 Exports, Florida’s Top 10 Exports, California’s Top 10 Exports and Louisiana’s Top 10 Exports

Research Sources:
Department of Numbers, Illinois GDP (dollars shown in real terms). Accessed on September 4, 2024

FlagPictures.org, Flags of US States. Accessed on September 4, 2024

Forbes, Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on September 4, 2024

GeoLounge, Fortune 1000 Companies List for 2019 , Fortune 1000 by State and Place. Accessed on September 4, 2024

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on September 4, 2024

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on September 4, 2024

State Symbols USA, State Nicknames. Accessed on September 4, 2024

Statista, Real gross domestic product of Illinois. Accessed on September 4, 2024

United States Census Bureau, QuickFacts: Illinois. Accessed on September 4, 2024

USA Trade Online, Official Source of Trade Statistics. Accessed on September 4, 2024

Wikipedia, Illinois. Accessed on September 4, 2024

Wikipedia, List of Illinois Companies. Accessed on September 4, 2024

YCharts, Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Report. Accessed on September 4, 2024