Visualizing the Decline of U.S. Manufacturing, by Sector (2002-2022)
Between 2002 and 2022, the U.S. lost more than 45,000 manufacturing firms amid evolving global trade dynamics.
While the U.S. was the world’s leading manufacturer up to 2010, production has fallen $2.4 trillion behind China as of 2022. Factors such as trade liberalization, including the North American Free Trade Agreement, and China’s accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001, have contributed to a significant shift in the U.S. industrial base over the past few decades.
This graphic shows the decline in the number of manufacturing firms by sector over the last 20 years, based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau.