Where America Imports: The States Leading the Small Business Supply Chain Boom
As global supply chains reset and ecommerce continues to decentralize, small businesses are increasingly taking the reins on importing. The result? A quiet but powerful transformation across the U.S. economy—driven not by mega-retailers, but by scrappy, product-savvy businesses building direct relationships with overseas suppliers.
Recent data sheds new light on where this small business import movement is happening—and it’s not always where you’d expect.
The Big Picture: $868 Billion in Small Business Imports
According to recent figures, more than 242,000 small business importers are responsible for over $868 billion in goods brought into the U.S.—roughly one-third of all known imports. That’s not just a logistical detail... it’s a strategic shift. Small importers are shaping everything from packaging needs to port congestion to the demand for compliance and inventory management software.
But when you zoom in state by state, the picture gets even more interesting.
State-by-State: Who’s Leading the Charge?
Using data from the US Chamber, we can compare each state’s total number of businesses (based on NAICS 2024 estimates) against the number of identified importers, you get a useful metric: import penetration rate—a proxy for how deeply embedded importing is in that state’s economy.
Top States by Import Penetration Rate
| State | Penetration Rate (%) | SMB Import Value ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 4.38% | 42,380 |
| New York | 4.18% | 42,623 |
| Hawaii | 4.23% | 584 |
| California | 3.57% | 131,796 |
| Nevada | 3.42% | 5,465 |
| Utah | 3.47% | 4,895 |
These states combine import scale and density, with industries such as fashion, electronics, wellness, and CPG driving demand for overseas goods. New Jersey and New York, in particular, are punching well above their weight—thanks to a mix of port access, entrepreneurial density, and urban eCommerce ecosystems.
Scale Still Matters: Total Import Value by State
When we pivot to total estimated small business import value, the major economic engines rise to the top:
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California: $131.8B
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Texas: $110.9B
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New York: $42.6B
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New Jersey: $42.3B
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Georgia: $40.6B
These are the states where scale meets strategy. Texas, Georgia, and Florida may not have the same penetration rates, but they offer volume—massive numbers of small importers operating across diverse industries like consumer goods, automotive parts, homewares, and industrial supplies.
What This Means for You
If you're a small Shopify, Tik Tok, Etsy or other online business looking to expand your importing operation—whether by scaling product lines or opening a second office or fulfillment hub—consider targeting states with higher importer penetration rates. These regions often have a comparative advantage: stronger freight and customs infrastructure, more competitive 3PLs, knowledgeable compliance partners, and a deeper local talent pool familiar with international sourcing. Setting up in states like New Jersey, New York, California, or Nevada could streamline your supply chain, reduce landed costs, and plug you into ecosystems that already support thousands of businesses just like yours.
If you're in the business of supporting small importers—whether that’s through logistics, packaging, software, financing, or compliance—these insights offer clear direction:
Target High-Penetration States for Specialized Tools
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In places like New Jersey, New York, Hawaii, and Nevada, importing is woven into the DNA of small business.
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These are prime markets for import-specific solutions—like custom packaging, warehousing, landed-cost calculators, or freight optimization tools.
Design for Volume in High-Value States
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States like California and Texas offer huge opportunity for growth, even if penetration rates are slightly lower.
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The game here is scale: automation, shipping optimization, and affordable fulfillment matter more than anything else.
Create State-Specific Messaging
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Don’t just say “we help small importers”—say “we help 4,000+ Florida businesses cut import shipping costs by 30%.”
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Geo-targeted SEO, local partnerships, and regional landing pages can make a big difference in converting SMBs that are actively importing but underserved by national platforms.
Final Thought: Follow the Importers
In a landscape often dominated by stories of reshoring and supply chain disruption, this data tells a different story: small business importers are alive, well, and growing. They’re agile, tech-savvy, and globally minded.
Whether you're a policymaker, service provider, software platform, or logistics expert, the roadmap is clear: Go where the importers are. Serve them where they grow. And build tools that match their pace.
Because America’s next supply chain revolution isn’t coming from Fortune 500 boardrooms... it’s coming from Shopify shops, port warehouses, and Stripe dashboards in places like Jersey City, Long Beach, and Salt Lake City.