America's Manufacturing Heartland: Where the Nation's Largest Factories in the US Create World-Class Products

The 2025 economic landscape tells a compelling story about American manufacturing resilience. As import prices climb due to recent trade policies, domestic production facilities are emerging as critical economic engines across the country. Here’s a comprehensive look at which states house some of the largest factories in the US and what they produce for global markets.

The Automotive Manufacturing Powerhouse

Several states have positioned themselves as automotive manufacturing hubs, attracting both domestic and international brands to establish major production operations.

Alabama and Tuscaloosa transformed into a global automotive center when Mercedes-Benz built a $400 million facility three decades ago. This flagship plant triggered a manufacturing cascade—Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, and Toyota followed, collectively generating billions in state revenue and cementing the region as one of the nation’s premier manufacturing corridors. Mercedes alone has poured over $7 billion into the state since 1993.

South Carolina became home to BMW’s largest global manufacturing operation. The Greer facility employs roughly 11,000 workers and consistently outproduces every other BMW plant worldwide, making it a showcase for international corporate commitment to American manufacturing.

Tennessee’s Smyrna location hosts one of Nissan’s most productive plants globally, churning out 640,000 vehicles annually while employing 8,000 residents. Similarly, West Virginia supports Toyota’s engine and transmission facility with over 2,000 employees producing critical automotive components.

Texas secured Tesla’s headquarters and its largest Gigafactory in Austin, employing 20,000 workers. Nevada mirrors this manufacturing scale with its Tesla Gigafactory in Sparks—a sprawling 13.6 million square-foot facility employing up to 7,000 residents.

Michigan remains the nation’s automotive parts epicenter, with Detroit’s legacy as “Motor City” continuing to generate billions in export revenue through thousands of component manufacturers.

Aerospace, Defense, and Advanced Manufacturing

The defense and aerospace sectors concentrate in specific regions, representing some of America’s most technologically sophisticated manufacturing operations.

Connecticut hosts Sikorsky (part of Lockheed Martin), which employs 7,500 workers in Stratford manufacturing helicopters for military and commercial markets. The division contributed $140 million to corporate revenue in 2024 alone.

Arizona emerged as an aerospace hub, with Boeing, Honeywell Aerospace, and Northrop Grumman operations generating over $3 billion annually. Washington State amplifies this presence with Boeing’s massive operations—approximately 43,000 employees across Everett and Renton facilities manufacturing commercial aircraft.

Arkansas entered the defense manufacturing sphere with General Dynamics’ facility in Camden, dedicated to 155mm high-explosive artillery projectile production for military applications. The operation created 185 jobs and plans to scale to 100,000 units monthly.

Arizona, New Mexico, and Idaho lead semiconductor and memory chip manufacturing. Idaho’s Boise serves as headquarters for Micron Technologies, which received $6 billion in CHIPS Act funding in 2024. New Mexico’s Rio Rancho Intel facility, operating since 1968, employs 1,200 workers producing flash memory and microchips. Arizona supports similar operations through its aerospace supply chain partnerships.

Food and Beverage Manufacturing Excellence

American agricultural states translate raw materials into globally recognized consumer products at the largest factories in the US food sector.

California commands 84% of the nation’s wine production—sufficient output that the state alone would rank as the world’s fourth-largest wine producer independently. Florida dominates citrus processing, generating over 98% of American orange juice.

Colorado’s Golden location houses the Coors Brewery, one of Earth’s largest breweries, producing over 20 million barrels annually. Kentucky supplies 95% of global bourbon, with nearly 70 distilleries creating millions of barrels yearly using the state’s unique limestone-filtered water and climate-optimized corn cultivation.

Georgia concentrates Frito-Lay’s largest North American production facility in Perry, supplemented by Atlanta, Augusta, and Brunswick operations. The recent $200 million expansion underscores continued investment in the state’s snack food manufacturing infrastructure.

Nebraska centers on Omaha Steaks, the premium beef distributor supported by 4.5 million cattle—exceeding the human population. Oklahoma hosts a major Tyson Foods plant in Broken Bow employing 1,700 workers, processing beef, chicken, and pork products for global distribution.

Louisiana and Alaska lead seafood production. Louisiana supplies 25% of American seafood, dominating shrimp and oyster markets. Alaska generates $5.2 billion annually from marine exports, with seafood accounting for over half of all export income despite the state’s oil, gas, and timber resources.

Hawaii uniquely produces coffee—the state’s exclusive coffee-growing territory generating the world-renowned Kona blend, considered among the planet’s rarest and most expensive varieties.

Consumer Goods and Specialized Manufacturing

Beyond heavy industry, states have developed distinctive manufacturing identities in consumer products and specialty goods.

Pennsylvania and Wisconsin share Harley-Davidson motorcycle production. Pennsylvania’s York facility spans 1.5 million square feet manufacturing CVO, Cruiser, Sportster, and Touring models plus LiveWire electric motorcycles. Wisconsin hosts the company’s Milwaukee headquarters, birthplace of the iconic brand.

Delaware’s ILC Dover manufactures NASA spacesuits—the identical suits that visited the moon six times, logged 3,000+ space exposure hours, and completed 250 space flights without incident.

Massachusetts claims Zildjian cymbal manufacturing—the world’s largest cymbal maker since 1623, now operating from Norwell since relocating from Constantinople.

Oregon’s Nike headquarters sprawls across 400 acres in Beaverton, employing nearly 8,000 residents. Maryland keeps Under Armour’s global operations centered in the state where it launched in 1997, while Maine retains L.L. Bean’s flagship operations and headquarters, generating $1.7 billion annually despite global distribution.

Illinois manufactures Rivian’s R1T trucks and R1S SUVs at the Normal facility, supporting the electric vehicle sector’s expansion.

Resource-Based Manufacturing and Specialty Production

Several states leverage unique natural resources or agricultural advantages into specialized manufacturing sectors.

Iowa’s Waterloo produces John Deere’s largest tractor series (9RX), reflecting the company’s enduring commitment to the agricultural heartland. Idaho produces memory chips, Indiana generates 50% of the world’s joint replacements from Warsaw—earning the city the “Orthopedic Capital of the World” distinction.

North Carolina manufactures Goodyear tires across multiple facilities. Vermont produces Ben & Jerry’s ice cream—despite founders’ New York origins, operations remain wholly Vermont-based. Utah’s Salt Lake City hosts Sweets Candy, operating since 1900 and serving a population with notably higher candy consumption rates.

Montana harvests Rocky Mountain huckleberries into Country Made Huckleberry Jam, New Jersey produces saltwater taffy in Atlantic City and Ocean City (a century-old Atlantic coast tradition), and Wyoming distills Wyoming Whiskey from local grains and water in Kirby.

North Dakota leads wind energy product manufacturing, supporting 4,000+ workers as the nation’s fifth-highest wind-generating state. Missouri exports delivery trucks valued at $3.3 billion annually—the state’s top manufacturing export.

Ohio headquarters Bath & Body Works in Columbus, employing nearly 5,000 residents. New York’s Poughkeepsie IBM facility processes 3,000 workers manufacturing data systems. Rhode Island’s Hasbro, based in Pawtucket for over a century, generates billions yearly despite recent profit fluctuations.

Minnesota’s Faribault Mill produces 100% virgin wool blankets, throws, and seasonal textiles. Virginia remains a major cigarette production center, with Phillip Morris’ Richmond facility manufacturing nearly 50% of American cigarettes. Mississippi generates $4.4 billion from petroleum and coal products manufacturing.

The Strategic Importance of Domestic Manufacturing

These facilities represent more than individual economic contributions—they form integrated clusters strengthening American competitiveness. From automotive supply chains to aerospace innovation corridors, the largest factories in the US create multiplier effects throughout regional economies, supporting thousands of indirect jobs and positioning America as a credible manufacturing alternative in a reshaping global trade environment.