How big is manufacturing in North Carolina?

Manufacturing contributed $103B to North Carolina's economy in 2025, ranking #8 of 51 states and DC, per BEA state GDP data.

What share of North Carolina's economy is manufacturing?

Manufacturing is 11.6% of North Carolina's GDP in 2025. Nationally, manufacturing averages 9.4% of GDP, so North Carolina is more manufacturing-intensive than the country as a whole.

What is the largest manufacturing industry in North Carolina?

Chemical Products leads at $26.6B (2024), followed by food, beverage, and tobacco products ($24.7B) and machinery ($8.6B), per BEA state GDP by industry.

Is manufacturing in North Carolina growing?

North Carolina's manufacturing GDP is down 0.5% year over year in dollar terms and up 0.1% after inflation, per the latest BEA annual data (2025).

Does North Carolina make more durable or nondurable goods?

Nondurable goods lead in North Carolina: $61.0B versus $42.4B of value added in 2025.

Manufacturing Economy Monitor

Manufacturing in North Carolina

Manufacturing contributed $103B to North Carolina's economy in 2025 (11.6% of the state's GDP), ranking North Carolina #8 of 51 states and DC by manufacturing output, per the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Output fell 0.5% year over year (+0.1% after inflation). The state's largest manufacturing industry is chemical products ($26.6B in 2024).

Output and rank

Manufacturing GDP: $103B in 2025, #8 of 51 states and DC.
Share of the state economy: 11.6% of North Carolina's GDP.
Growth: -0.5% year over year (+0.1% after inflation).
Composition: $42.4B durable goods, $61.0B nondurable goods.

Largest manufacturing industries in North Carolina

Chemical Products: $26.6B (2024)
Food, Beverage, and Tobacco Products: $24.7B (2024)
Machinery: $8.6B (2024)

Frequently asked questions

How big is manufacturing in North Carolina? Manufacturing contributed $103B to North Carolina's economy in 2025, ranking #8 of 51 states and DC, per BEA state GDP data.
What share of North Carolina's economy is manufacturing? Manufacturing is 11.6% of North Carolina's GDP in 2025. Nationally, manufacturing averages 9.4% of GDP, so North Carolina is more manufacturing-intensive than the country as a whole.
What is the largest manufacturing industry in North Carolina? Chemical Products leads at $26.6B (2024), followed by food, beverage, and tobacco products ($24.7B) and machinery ($8.6B), per BEA state GDP by industry.
Is manufacturing in North Carolina growing? North Carolina's manufacturing GDP is down 0.5% year over year in dollar terms and up 0.1% after inflation, per the latest BEA annual data (2025).
Does North Carolina make more durable or nondurable goods? Nondurable goods lead in North Carolina: $61.0B versus $42.4B of value added in 2025.

About this data

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (public domain). National quarterly values are seasonally adjusted annual rates. Corporate-profit industry detail reflects inventory valuation adjustment without capital consumption adjustment, per NIPA table 6.16D conventions.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.