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Welcome back to Data Detective, where we walk step by step through public data to uncover what’s really happening in Illinois’ economic landscape.
This month, we’re digging into the trade numbers available for latest full year of data. The Illinois Economic Development Corporation claims the state is a manufacturing powerhouse, but do we have the numbers to back up this claim?
To answer this question, we’ll turn to the U.S. Census Bureau’s USA Trade Online, the federal government’s source for state-level export data.
Step 1: Navigating USA Trade Data
Start at the USA Trade Online. The site recently went through a user interface overhaul, so the steps to grab the data are brand new. From the homepage, select “Build a Report”, and in the top right corner, select “NAICS State Level Data – Exports”.
For this analysis, we’ll examine several commodity groups commonly associated with advanced manufacturing:
- All Commodities
- 325 Chemicals
- 3254 Pharmaceuticals & Medicines
- 333 Machinery Except Electrical
- 3331 Ag & Construction & Machinery
- 334 Computer & Electronic Products
- 3342 Communications Equipment
- 3345 Navigational/Measuring/Medical/Control Instruments
- 335 Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components
Under Countries, select “All Geographic Regions”, under State, select “Total State” and “Individual State”, and under Time, select 2025. The measure will default to “Total Exports Value ($US)”.
Then, generate the report.
Step 2: Understand the Dataset
Commodities are classified using NAICS-based product codes at the 3-, and 4-digit level, allowing users to compare broad manufacturing sectors and more specialized product categories.
Download the dataset and filter the commodities to “All Commodities” and sort “Exports Value” column in descending order. In 2025, Illinois exported $80.2 billion in goods to the world, ranking 5th in the U.S. and #1 in the Midwest.
Step 3: Sort Nationally
Filtering the manufacturing sectors individually, Illinois consistently ranks among the nation’s export leaders. One category sees Illinois standing above the rest: Agriculture & Construction & Machinery. In 2025, Illinois exported $5.8 billion in Agriculture & Construction & Machinery exports, ranking #1 in the entire nation. In Agriculture & Construction & Machinery, Illinois’ exports rank slightly ahead of Texas and are more than double any other state in the country.
Here’s how Illinois stacks up for other commodities:
- Machinery, Except Electrical: #3 in the nation ($12.5 B)
- Pharmaceuticals & Medicines: #4 in the nation ($8.6 B)
- Communications Equipment: #4 in the nation ($4.5 B)
- Electrical Equipment, Appliances, & Components: #4 in the nation ($4.0B)
- Navigational/Measuring/Medical/Control Instruments: #4 in the nation ($3.5 B)
- Chemicals: #5 in the nation ($15.5 B)
- Computer & Electronic Products: #7 in the nation ($11.0 B)
Step 4: Confirm the Picture
Taken together, these rankings paint a clear picture. With one #1 finish and six additional top-5 finishes nationally across distinct manufacturing product categories, Illinois has a diverse and technically sophisticated manufacturing export base. Illinois leads every other state in the Midwest region in five separate categories:
- Machinery, Except Electrical
- Computer & Electronic Products
- Communications Equipment
- Navigational/Measuring/Medical/Control Instruments
- Agriculture & Construction & Machinery
Key Takeaway
The 2025 export data is clear: Illinois’ advanced manufacturing export base is not tied to a single flagship commodity or company. Illinois is a top-5 state across diverse manufacturing commodities and the Midwest’s largest overall exporter. For companies evaluating advanced manufacturing capacity, supplier depth, and export infrastructure that already exists at scale, the answer is a no- brainer—the numbers point to Illinois.
Get Curious
What data would you like our Research Team to tackle next? Let us know, and we’ll dive in.
Until next time!
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