North Dakota’s #1 Import According To Report

Semi trucks and trains, and planes coming and going from the state of North Dakota constantly. Have you ever wondered what's inside them? What does North Dakota import the most?

A company called Visual Capitalist mapped out every state's number 1 import using census data. North Dakota's might not surprised you, but the dollar amount might.

(Also See: Discover the Rail Lines Still Powering Through North Dakota)

The source says North Dakota's biggest import is industrial machinery, and in 2024 alone, we imported 1.1 billion dollars worth of heavy machinery. The state's economy runs on agriculture and farming, so it makes sense that we need a lot of machinery. A lot of that hardware is coming from outside North Dakota's borders.

Highest Import in the U.S.?

Now, that we know what's coming into North Dakota in doves, let's zoom out and get the national picture too.

According to the the report the United states is importing cars and auto equipment the most; this is the top import in 14 states. Computers and electronics have the second highest import value in the U.S.

(Also See: Did You Know North Dakota Has 4 Different State Animals?)

South Dakota's Biggest Import

With all of the farmland, it makes sense that South Dakota also has industrial machinery as its number one import, though they import much less than North Dakota ---only $359 million.

So next time you're stuck behind a slow-moving train getting frustrated, or watching a line of semis roll down the interstate, remember those trucks and trains are helping North Dakota's economy.