To get an idea of how economically dependent the United States is on fossil fuels and motor vehicles, consider that in 16 states, including Massachusetts, Illinois, and Connecticut, crude oil or petroleum are the largest imports. In seven states, including Georgia, Florida, and Alabama, the top imports are motor vehicles or auto parts.
About 152 million Americans live in states where products related to fossil fuels or motor vehicles are the largest import categories, with a total import value of more than $170 billion. About a third of the value of all imports to Maryland are motor vehicles, while more than 43% of the value of all imports to Oklahoma is crude oil.
To determine the top import by state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on imports from the U.S. Census Bureau’s USA Trade Online platform. Products, as identified by the Harmonized System categorization method, were ranked based on their total import value, measured by state of destination, in 2021. (The Harmonized System comprises more than 5,000 commodity groups, each identified by a six digit code. We chose the 4-digit level of detail.)
The so-called repaired imports is the top import category for Arizona, Kansas, North Carolina, and North Dakota. This category includes goods like industrial equipment or other products that are shipped to a manufacturer for repair and return. Pharmaceuticals (noted as medicaments) are the top imports in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and three other states. (See also: Industries that will shrink the most over the next decade.)
The top import in Kentucky and Wisconsin is blood and plasma. In New York, it is diamonds. The value of the top import in 17 states represents less than 10% of the total value of imports, while in four states, the top import makes up at least 40% of the total value of imports, led by Montana’s imports of crude oil. (These are countries most dependent on the oil trade.)
Click here for the top imports by state
Alabama
> Top import: Motor vehicle parts
> Value of top import, 2021: $4.1 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 13.1%
> Other major imports: Crude oil, aircraft parts, insulated wire
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Alaska
> Top import: Petroleum
> Value of top import, 2021: $1.3 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 33.9%
> Other major imports: Office machine parts, unrecorded sound media, oscilloscopes
Arizona
> Top import: Repaired imports
> Value of top import, 2021: $2.6 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 9.3%
> Other major imports: Electronic integrated circuits, insulated wire, semiconductors
Arkansas
> Top import: Spacecraft
> Value of top import, 2021: $758.4 million
> Top import as share of all imports: 7.7%
> Other major imports: Repaired imports, toys, footwear
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California
> Top import: Automatic data processing machines
> Value of top import, 2021: $38.7 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 8.2%
> Other major imports: Motor vehicles, phone sets, crude oil
Colorado
> Top import: Crude oil
> Value of top import, 2021: $2.9 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 17.7%
> Other major imports: Electronic integrated circuits, automatic data processing machines, spacecraft
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Connecticut
> Top import: Petroleum
> Value of top import, 2021: $2.1 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 9.9%
> Other major imports: Silver, spacecraft, repaired imports
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Delaware
> Top import: Medicaments
> Value of top import, 2021: $2.6 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 23.2%
> Other major imports: Crude oil, nucleic acids, petroleum
Florida
> Top import: Motor vehicles
> Value of top import, 2021: $5.1 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 5.5%
> Other major imports: Repaired imports, phone sets, nucleic acids
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Georgia
> Top import: Motor vehicles
> Value of top import, 2021: $10.2 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 8.3%
> Other major imports: Prepared foods, blood, motor vehicle parts
Hawaii
> Top import: Crude oil
> Value of top import, 2021: $963.8 million
> Top import as share of all imports: 37.7%
> Other major imports: Petroleum, motor vehicles, petroleum gases
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Idaho
> Top import: Office machine parts
> Value of top import, 2021: $1.9 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 30.0%
> Other major imports: Electronic integrated circuits, unrecorded sound media, repaired imports
Illinois
> Top import: Crude oil
> Value of top import, 2021: $30.4 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 15.0%
> Other major imports: Phone sets, automatic data processing machines, repaired imports
Indiana
> Top import: Medicaments
> Value of top import, 2021: $11.1 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 14.3%
> Other major imports: Blood, hormones, motor vehicle parts
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Iowa
> Top import: Tractors
> Value of top import, 2021: $700.3 million
> Top import as share of all imports: 6.1%
> Other major imports: Aluminum, motor vehicle parts, machine parts
Kansas
> Top import: Repaired imports
> Value of top import, 2021: $1.2 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 9.8%
> Other major imports: Turbines, aircraft parts, self-propelled bulldozers
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Kentucky
> Top import: Blood
> Value of top import, 2021: $11.0 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 16.2%
> Other major imports: Medicaments, repaired imports, electronic integrated circuits
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Louisiana
> Top import: Petroleum
> Value of top import, 2021: $6.2 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 20.0%
> Other major imports: Crude oil, nitrogen fertilizers, other chemical fertilizers
Maine
> Top import: Petroleum
> Value of top import, 2021: $2.3 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 35.5%
> Other major imports: Repaired imports, wood, electric energy
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Maryland
> Top import: Motor vehicles
> Value of top import, 2021: $12.6 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 32.7%
> Other major imports: Phone sets, tin, aluminum
Massachusetts
> Top import: Petroleum
> Value of top import, 2021: $3.5 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 8.0%
> Other major imports: Medical instruments, electronic integrated circuits, crustaceans
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Michigan
> Top import: Motor vehicles
> Value of top import, 2021: $26.3 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 20.0%
> Other major imports: Trucks, motor vehicle parts, repaired imports
Minnesota
> Top import: Crude oil
> Value of top import, 2021: $6.0 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 18.6%
> Other major imports: Orthopedic apparel, medical instruments, petroleum gases
Mississippi
> Top import: Crude oil
> Value of top import, 2021: $1.5 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 8.1%
> Other major imports: Petroleum, electronic integrated circuits, motor vehicle parts
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Missouri
> Top import: Crude oil
> Value of top import, 2021: $3.1 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 12.5%
> Other major imports: Electric motors, spacecraft, motor vehicle parts
Montana
> Top import: Crude oil
> Value of top import, 2021: $4.3 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 65.4%
> Other major imports: Repaired imports, scrap metal, wood
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Nebraska
> Top import: Nucleic acids
> Value of top import, 2021: $452.7 million
> Top import as share of all imports: 9.7%
> Other major imports: Heterocyclic compounds, medicaments, harvest machines
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Nevada
> Top import: Phone sets
> Value of top import, 2021: $1.3 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 7.9%
> Other major imports: Electronic integrated circuits, batteries, spacecraft
New Hampshire
> Top import: Turbines
> Value of top import, 2021: $2.0 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 24.6%
> Other major imports: Petroleum, repaired imports, footwear
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New Jersey
> Top import: Medicaments
> Value of top import, 2021: $17.2 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 10.9%
> Other major imports: Petroleum, motor vehicles, crude oil
New Mexico
> Top import: Office machine parts
> Value of top import, 2021: $1.4 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 22.6%
> Other major imports: Medical instruments, phone sets, repaired imports
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New York
> Top import: Diamonds
> Value of top import, 2021: $18.8 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 12.2%
> Other major imports: Repaired imports, precious metals, jewelry
North Carolina
> Top import: Repaired imports
> Value of top import, 2021: $8.5 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 11.5%
> Other major imports: Blood, automatic data processing machines, medicaments
North Dakota
> Top import: Repaired imports
> Value of top import, 2021: $322.7 million
> Top import as share of all imports: 9.6%
> Other major imports: Scrap metal, rapeseeds, motor vehicle parts
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Ohio
> Top import: Medicaments
> Value of top import, 2021: $5.0 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 6.6%
> Other major imports: Motor vehicle parts, repaired imports, medical instruments
Oklahoma
> Top import: Crude oil
> Value of top import, 2021: $7.0 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 43.4%
> Other major imports: Repaired imports, turbines, liquid pumps
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Oregon
> Top import: Electronic integrated circuits
> Value of top import, 2021: $2.5 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 11.2%
> Other major imports: Motor vehicles, semiconductors, repaired imports
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Pennsylvania
> Top import: Medicaments
> Value of top import, 2021: $11.2 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 11.4%
> Other major imports: Blood, phone sets, crude oil
Rhode Island
> Top import: Motor vehicles
> Value of top import, 2021: $3.8 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 40.6%
> Other major imports: Petroleum, medical instruments, spectacles
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South Carolina
> Top import: Motor vehicle parts
> Value of top import, 2021: $5.2 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 10.3%
> Other major imports: Hand tools, rubber tires, radioactive elements
South Dakota
> Top import: Prepared meat
> Value of top import, 2021: $293.2 million
> Top import as share of all imports: 17.0%
> Other major imports: Wood, engine parts, automatic data processing machines
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Tennessee
> Top import: Automatic data processing machines
> Value of top import, 2021: $11.0 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 11.7%
> Other major imports: Medicaments, motor vehicles, blood
Texas
> Top import: Crude oil
> Value of top import, 2021: $24.1 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 7.7%
> Other major imports: Phone sets, motor vehicles, automatic data processing machines
Utah
> Top import: Gold
> Value of top import, 2021: $3.1 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 17.0%
> Other major imports: Repaired imports, phone sets, motor vehicle parts
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Vermont
> Top import: Electric energy
> Value of top import, 2021: $489.7 million
> Top import as share of all imports: 14.7%
> Other major imports: Petroleum, chocolate, electronic integrated circuits
Virginia
> Top import: Printing machines
> Value of top import, 2021: $3.0 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 8.7%
> Other major imports: Automatic data processing machines, aircraft parts, furniture parts
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Washington
> Top import: Crude oil
> Value of top import, 2021: $6.6 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 10.6%
> Other major imports: Motor vehicles, petroleum gases, repaired imports
West Virginia
> Top import: Turbines
> Value of top import, 2021: $434.6 million
> Top import as share of all imports: 11.8%
> Other major imports: Motor vehicle parts, repaired imports, electric motor parts
Wisconsin
> Top import: Blood
> Value of top import, 2021: $3.4 billion
> Top import as share of all imports: 9.4%
> Other major imports: Medicaments, hand tools, tractors
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Wyoming
> Top import: Crude oil
> Value of top import, 2021: $842.4 million
> Top import as share of all imports: 49.5%
> Other major imports: Repaired imports, acyclic hydrocarbons, electrical machines
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