Tariff Exposure for Trade Tools and Equipment, by State (2026)

Original research · U.S. Census Bureau state import data · BLS establishment counts · Last updated October 7, 2026

Data through: August 2026 imports. Establishments: BLS QCEW 2025 annual average. Refreshed monthly.

Texas, California and Michigan receive the most imported trade goods. From March through August 2026, $83.4 billion of the 65 products we track went to the 50 states and D.C. At each product’s national duty rate, that works out to roughly $10.3 billion in duties. Census does not publish duties by state, so state duty figures here are our estimates. Imports are counted where the goods are headed, which is often a distributor’s warehouse, not the contractor who uses them.

Key findings

• Texas leads with $15.6 billion in imported trade goods. California: $10.0 billion. Michigan: $7.4 billion. Estimated duties: $1.8 billion, $1.4 billion and $749 million. Estimate
• Electrical and trucking goods are the largest categories by value. U.S. totals: electrical $25.4 billion, trucking $23.4 billion, HVAC $11.3 billion, plumbing $8.5 billion.
• Estimated duty rates differ by state because the product mix differs. They range from 9.9% to 17.8%. States that import more from USMCA partners or more low-duty products come out lower.
• Five states take 51.0% of the total. Texas, California, Michigan, Georgia, Illinois. State of destination often reflects where an importer, distributor or factory is located, so some of these goods are resold or used in other states.

The 15 states receiving the most imported trade goods

Large states with big ports, distribution hubs or factories lead the list. “State of destination” is where the importer says the goods are going, so a national distributor’s warehouse state can show imports that are later sold across the country.

Imports and estimated duties for every state

Click a column header to sort. Trade columns show import value. The estimated duty and rate columns are modeled.

U.S. total for the 50 states and D.C.: $83.4 billion in imports, $10.3 billion in estimated duties. Puerto Rico, other territories and unassigned shipments are left out.

Estimated duties per trade business, by state

Estimated duties on each trade’s product basket ÷ that trade’s private establishments in the state (BLS QCEW, 2025 average), for March–August 2026. It’s a measure of scale, not a bill: the duty is paid by the importer, and some of these goods go to manufacturers, retailers or homeowners. Trucking is left out because its parts and trailers mostly go to fleets and dealers. Estimate

Which tariffs are in these estimates

Each product’s national rate includes all duties CBP calculated from March 2026 onward: regular duties, Section 232 metals and lumber, Section 301, and the temporary Section 122 surcharge until July 23. For rates by product, see tariff rates by trade.

1. Feb 20, 2026. The Supreme Court rules 6–3 in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump that IEEPA does not authorize tariffs. Executive Order 14389 ends collection of the IEEPA duties. (91 FR 9437)
2. Feb 24, 2026. A temporary 10% import surcharge under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 takes effect for up to 150 days, with listed exceptions. The stated purpose is to address the U.S. balance-of-payments deficit. (91 FR 9339 (Proclamation 11012))
3. Apr 6, 2026. Section 232 metals duties are restructured: 50% on steel, aluminum and most copper articles, 25% on listed derivative products, applied to the full customs value. (91 FR 18201 (Proclamation 11021))
4. Jun 8, 2026. Section 232 is adjusted again: agricultural equipment and some residential HVAC systems move to a temporary 15% derivative rate through Dec 31, 2027. (91 FR 34085 (Proclamation 11032))
5. Jul 24, 2026. USTR Section 301 tariffs replace the Section 122 surcharge: 10% or 12.5% on most goods from 60 economies, tied to forced-labor import rules. Goods covered by Section 232 are exempt, and USMCA-qualifying goods from Canada and Mexico are not covered. (91 FR 47318; presidential memorandum 91 FR 47717)

Still in force alongside these:

• Section 232 steel and aluminum raised to 50% (from 25%) effective June 4, 2025. (FR Doc. 2025-10524)
• July 2026 aluminum changes, including an incentive program for companies building new U.S. primary aluminum capacity. (91 FR 46635 (Proclamation 11045))
• Section 232 softwood lumber and timber, 10% (since Oct 14, 2025); kitchen cabinets and vanities 50% and upholstered furniture 30% since Jan 1, 2026. (90 FR 48127 (Proclamation 10976))
• Section 232 copper, 50% on semi-finished copper and copper-intensive derivatives (since Aug 1, 2025). Refined copper was not covered; the proclamation asked Commerce to report by Jun 30, 2026 on whether a phased 15% (2027) and 30% (2028) duty on refined copper is warranted. (90 FR 37727 (Proclamation 10962))
• Section 301 tariffs on many goods from China, in place since 2018–19 and continued by USTR on Oct 7, 2026. (FR Doc. 2026-20510)

How we did this

• State imports. Census international trade API, timeseries/intltrade/imports/statehs, six-digit HS, GEN_VAL_MO, March–August 2026. Pulled October 7, 2026.
• National rates. Census imports/hs, CAL_DUT_MO ÷ GEN_VAL_MO for each HS6 code over the same months.
• Estimated state duties. For each state and product: state import value × national effective rate. Summed by trade and state.
• Establishments. BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages, private ownership: NAICS 23821 (electrical contractors), 23822 (plumbing and HVAC contractors), 561730, 561720, 812111+812112, 722330+722511+722513.
• Products. The same 65 HS6 codes as our trade tariff rate page.

Caveats

• State duties are estimates. A state that imports more from Canada and Mexico (often duty-free under USMCA) or from China (higher Section 301 rates) will differ from the national rate.
• State of destination is reported by the importer and can reflect a company’s address rather than where goods are used.
• The trucking basket includes general vehicle-part codes (brakes, gearboxes, other parts) that also supply auto assembly plants, which is a big reason Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee and other auto states rank high.
• Electrical panels and wire also go to factories, data centers and utilities, so the per-electrician figure overstates what contractors buy.
• Some suppressed or unassigned state values are left out, so state totals are below the national total ($83.7 billion).

Census and BLS data are public domain. This page has no ads or affiliate links. Cite as: StartBusinessByState, “Tariff Exposure for Trade Goods by State,” updated October 7, 2026, https://startbusinessbystate.com/tariff-exposure-trades-by-state/

Related research

• Tariff rates on trade tools and equipment.
• Construction material prices since the tariffs: U.S. vs. world.
• Tariff refunds by state.
• HVAC Section 232 tariff scenarios.
• Small businesses raising prices, by state.
• Canada trade war exposure by state: how much each state sells to Canada, and what changed this year.

FAQ

Last updated October 7, 2026. Import data through August 2026.