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. Â
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
Source: Valerii Apetroaiei / iStock via Getty Images
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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Source: onurdongel / E+ via Getty Images
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
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Source: Davel5957 / iStock via Getty Images
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
Source: forplayday / iStock via Getty Images
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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Source: Jaskaran Kooner / iStock via Getty Images
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
Source: imaginima / E+ via Getty Images
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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Source: Polina-Petrenko / iStock via Getty Images
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
Source: felixmizioznikov / iStock via Getty Images
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
Source: franckreporter / E+ via Getty Images
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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Source: Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images
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
Source: kodda / iStock via Getty Images
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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Source: vkbhat / E+ via Getty Images
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
Source: Artem_Egorov / iStock via Getty Images
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
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
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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Source: Jasper Chamber / iStock via Getty Images
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
Source: TriggerPhoto / iStock via Getty Images
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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Source: Gabriele Maltinti / iStock via Getty Images
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
Source: felixmizioznikov / iStock via Getty Images
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
Source: Sushiman / iStock via Getty Images
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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Source: Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images
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
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
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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Source: Traimak_Ivan / iStock via Getty Images
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
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Source: Davel5957 / E+ via Getty Images
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
Source: peeterv / iStock via Getty Images
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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Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
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
Source: powerofforever / iStock via Getty Images
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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Source: ChrisBoswell / iStock via Getty Images
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
Source: photoquest7 / iStock via Getty Images
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
Source: photosoup / iStock via Getty Images
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
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
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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Source: ilbusca / iStock via Getty Images
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
Source: Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images
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
Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
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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Source: skodonnell / iStock via Getty Images
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
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
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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Source: krystiannawrocki / E+ via Getty Images
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
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
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
Source: Image Source / Image Source via Getty Images
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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Source: ScottNodine / iStock via Getty Images
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
Source: peeterv / iStock via Getty Images
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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Source: Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images
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
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
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
Source: ayala_studio / E+ via Getty Images
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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Source: haveseen / iStock via Getty Images
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
Source: Geber86 / E+ via Getty Images
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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Source: MarkHatfield / iStock via Getty Images
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
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
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
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
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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Source: DenisTangneyJr / E+ via Getty Images
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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