Ratio of outbound to inbound domestic shipments by value
An interconnected freight transportation network contributes to state economic growth by supporting resource development and expanding interstate commerce. A ratio of outbound to inbound shipments greater than 1.0 indicates that a state ships more goods to markets in other states than it receives from other states, whereas a ratio less than 1.0 indicates that a state imports more goods from other states than it exports.
In terms of value, North Dakota has the highest ratios of 2.24, indicating that the value of their goods exported to other states is over double the value of the goods they received from other states. Although North Dakota has a relatively small population, it is a major oil producer. Pipeline and rail are the primary modes for moving oil out of North Dakota.
California also exported more to other states than they imported. Electronics were the top outbound commodity from California, due in part to technology manufacturing in Silicon Valley.
Hawaii had the lowest ratio of interstate outbound-to-inbound shipments by value at 0.05 because of its distance location from the mainland and its resource dependency. DC, Nevada, and Montana also exported far less to other states than they imported, partly due to demographics and other factors.
