Metro Milwaukee exports increased 14.6% in the first quarter, outpacing the total for Midwest metros tracked by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Companies across Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee and Washington counties exported $2.33 billion in goods during the first three months of the year, up from $2 billion.
The bureau releases metro-level export data for select metros, including Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Indianapolis, Cleveland, St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbus, Ohio and Peoria, Illinois. Including metro Milwaukee, that group saw an 11.6% increase in exports for the quarter.
The Midwest was the region with the most improvement for exports in the quarter. The Northeast was up 9.6%, the South increased 5.3% and the West was down 1.6%.
Milwaukee’s export total did outpace the Midwest, but the region’s growth figure was weighed down by a 5.5% decline in exports from Chicago, which accounts for nearly 30% of total for the selected metros.
Excluding Chicago, the other nine Midwest metros combined for a 20% increase.
Columbus led the way with a 51% increase, followed by Indianapolis at 39% and St. Louis at nearly 28%.
In addition to Chicago, Milwaukee only outpaced Cleveland, which was up almost 12%, and Minneapolis-St. Paul with a 5% increase.
