Manufacturing is an important part of every state economy. It is the largest sector in a quarter of the states across the country, from North Carolina to Oregon and from Michigan to Mississippi. In California, the $145 billion generated by the state’s manufacturing sector is larger than many states’ entire economies.
The five states with the largest manufacturing workforces are California, Texas, Ohio, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. Together, they are home to nearly one-third of all U.S. manufacturing employees. California’s manufacturing workforce of more than 1.5 million is almost twice the size of the next state in this lineup. It’s no surprise, then, that most states are concerned about the health of manufacturing within their borders.
At least five state manufacturing associations have commissioned reports on the health of industry and its contributions to gross state product. Their reports follow. |