Ohio’s International Trade Relationships

Where Do Ohioans Import Products from, and What Are They Buying?

Figure 2 shows the percentage of Ohio’s total imports from 2008 through 2024 by trading partner of origin. The figure’s inset table provides information on the US dollar value and percentage share of Ohio’s total imports by trading partner of origin in 2024. Both the figure and corresponding inset table are filtered to include only Ohio’s top four import partners (in descending order as of 2024): Canada, the European Union, Mexico, and China. In 2024, these four partners collectively accounted for more than two-thirds (67.5 percent) of Ohio’s total imports at a value of $58.5 billion.

Canada was the largest source of Ohio’s imports for most of the period from 2008 through 2024. Its decline in the mid-2010s coincided with an increase in US oil production following advancements in drilling technologies. As US oil production increased, Ohio imported less oil and gas from Canada, as reflected in the data shown in Figure 3. However, Ohio’s oil and gas imports from Canada bounced back somewhat starting in 2021, leading to a slight rebound in its overall imports from Canada.

Figure 3 shows the US dollar value of Ohio’s imported products from the largest North American Industry Classification System categories from 2008 through 2024. Both the figure and corresponding inset table are filtered to include only Ohio’s four biggest imported product categories (in descending order as of 2024): chemicals, transportation equipment, machinery (except electrical), and oil and gas. In 2024, these four categories accounted for $39.7 billion worth of Ohio’s imports, equal to almost half (45.7 percent) of the state’s total. Specifically, chemicals comprised the largest share of Ohio’s imports at 16 percent ($13.9 billion), with most of these being imports of pharmaceuticals and medicines, valued at $9.0 billion. Transportation equipment accounted for the second-largest share (13.2 percent) of Ohio’s imports at $11.5 billion, with motor vehicle parts representing 76.5 percent of these imports. Machinery (except electrical) accounted for the third-largest share of Ohio’s imports at $10.5 billion, with about $1.0 billion worth of imports from each of the following five manufacturing industry subgroups: (1) agriculture, construction, and mining machinery, (2) industrial machinery, (3) ventilation, heating, air-conditioning, and commercial refrigeration equipment, (4) metalworking machinery, and (5) engines, turbines, and power transmission equipment.

Where Do Ohio’s Exports Go, and What Products Does the State Sell?

Figure 4 shows that, from 2008 through 2024, Canada was Ohio’s largest export market; over one-third (36.2 percent) of the state’s 2024 exports were sent to Canada. By comparison, Ohio’s second-, third-, and fourth-largest export markets in 2024—Mexico, the European Union, and China, respectively—together comprised about one-third (33.2 percent) of total exports that year, collectively valued at $19.1 billion. From 2008 through 2024, the share of Ohio’s exports sent to Canada fell slightly, while the share sent to Mexico rose modestly.

Figure 5 shows that, from 2008 through 2024, Ohio’s largest export category was transportation equipment. In 2024, Ohio exported more transportation equipment than it imported based on US dollar value ($16.9 billion in exports and $11.5 billion in imports). Aerospace products and parts ($6.4 billion) and motor vehicle parts ($5.3 billion) together comprised about two-thirds of Ohio’s transportation equipment exports in 2024. Chemicals was the second-most-prominent export category in 2024, totaling $8.1 billion. Within this category, Ohio exported $1.0 billion worth of pharmaceuticals and medicines (well below its $9 billion worth of imports) and $2.5 billion worth of soaps, cleaning compounds, and toilet preparations.

Conclusion

From 2008 through 2024, Canada was the largest destination for Ohio’s exports and frequently the largest source of its imports. Mexico, the European Union, and China were Ohio’s next three largest trading partners. Transportation equipment was both a major import and export category for Ohio and is one industry in which Ohio exported more than it imported in 2024. By contrast, in chemicals, another key industry for Ohio trade, the state imported more than it exported in 2024. The gap between imports and exports was particularly pronounced for one category of chemicals products, namely pharmaceuticals and medicines.