In terms of the ratio of Chihuahua’s GDP and Exports, Chihuahua leads the nation.
In the first quarter of 2026—the most recent data available—Chihuahua exported more goods than any other state.
Its exports totaled $35,986 million, a year-over-year increase of 69%. With this, it achieved the fourth-highest growth rate, trailing Quintana Roo (764.7%), Guerrero (106.8%), and Jalisco (106.6%).
Chihuahua’s GDP and Exports
In the first quarter of 2026, the value of exports from all states totaled $158,118 million. Chihuahua accounted for 22.8% of total exports.
Chihuahua’s exports amounted to 107.8% of its GDP, 3.6 times the national average of 29.7%.
The following are the top three export categories for Chihuahua:
- Manufacture of computer, communication, and measuring equipment, and other electronic equipment, components, and accessories: $26,048 million.
- Manufacture of transportation equipment: $3,952 million.
- Other manufacturing industries: $2,029 million.
Manufacturing Platform
Mexico set a historic record by accounting for 36.8% of U.S. imports of computer equipment between January and July 2026. Its shipments totaled 90,834 million dollars, marking a year-over-year increase of 96.3%. However, this production lacks a solid network of local suppliers.
Overall, Chihuahua combines a border with the United States, a significant manufacturing base, and a leading export platform in Mexico. Furthermore, its specialization in key sectors embeds it deeply within North American value chains.
The state excels in electronics, transportation equipment, and medical devices. It also competes strongly in telecommunications and electrical components. This strength stems from its proximity to the U.S. market, the operation of maquiladoras, technical talent, and its industrial clusters.
However, the state faces significant challenges. Among these are its geographic concentration in the United States and its dependence on imported inputs. Challenges also persist regarding border logistics capacity, water availability, energy, security, and the integration of local suppliers.
Therefore, the economic outlook is favorable for the region. This will be the case if it leverages nearshoring to boost domestic content, engineering, automation, semiconductors, electromobility, and aerospace manufacturing.