How big is manufacturing in North Carolina?

Manufacturing contributed $112B to North Carolina's economy in 2025, ranking #7 of 50 states and DC, per BEA state GDP data.

What share of North Carolina's economy is manufacturing?

Manufacturing is 12.4% of North Carolina's GDP in 2025. Nationally, manufacturing averages 9.5% of GDP, so North Carolina is more manufacturing-intensive than the country as a whole.

What is the largest manufacturing industry in North Carolina?

Food, Beverage, and Tobacco Products leads at $28.4B (2025), followed by chemical products ($28.3B) and machinery ($9.5B), per BEA state GDP by industry.

Is manufacturing in North Carolina growing?

North Carolina's manufacturing GDP is up 3.7% year over year in dollar terms and up 3.1% after inflation, per the latest BEA annual data (2025).

Does North Carolina make more durable or nondurable goods?

Nondurable goods lead in North Carolina: $68.8B versus $42.7B of value added in 2025.

Manufacturing Economy Monitor

Manufacturing in North Carolina

Manufacturing contributed $112B to North Carolina's economy in 2025 (12.4% of the state's GDP), ranking North Carolina #7 of 50 states and DC by manufacturing output, per the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Output rose 3.7% year over year (+3.1% after inflation). The state's largest manufacturing industry is food, beverage, and tobacco products ($28.4B in 2025).

Output and rank

Manufacturing GDP: $112B in 2025, #7 of 50 states and DC.
Share of the state economy: 12.4% of North Carolina's GDP.
Growth: +3.7% year over year (+3.1% after inflation).
Composition: $42.7B durable goods, $68.8B nondurable goods.

Largest manufacturing industries in North Carolina

Food, Beverage, and Tobacco Products: $28.4B (2025)
Chemical Products: $28.3B (2025)
Machinery: $9.5B (2025)

Frequently asked questions

How big is manufacturing in North Carolina? Manufacturing contributed $112B to North Carolina's economy in 2025, ranking #7 of 50 states and DC, per BEA state GDP data.
What share of North Carolina's economy is manufacturing? Manufacturing is 12.4% of North Carolina's GDP in 2025. Nationally, manufacturing averages 9.5% of GDP, so North Carolina is more manufacturing-intensive than the country as a whole.
What is the largest manufacturing industry in North Carolina? Food, Beverage, and Tobacco Products leads at $28.4B (2025), followed by chemical products ($28.3B) and machinery ($9.5B), per BEA state GDP by industry.
Is manufacturing in North Carolina growing? North Carolina's manufacturing GDP is up 3.7% year over year in dollar terms and up 3.1% after inflation, per the latest BEA annual data (2025).
Does North Carolina make more durable or nondurable goods? Nondurable goods lead in North Carolina: $68.8B versus $42.7B 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 2026-10-01.