Insights & Data
Data
The map combines multiple indicators — employment, federal contract obligations, economic output, and business presence — into a composite index scaled from 0 to 100, drawing on data collected annually from 2021 through 2025.
How to use the map:
Compare states using the color scale to quickly identify where defense manufacturing activity is most concentrated.
Filter by industry and metric to view specific defense industries (NAICS) or individual metrics such as jobs, contracts, or GDP instead of the composite score.
Hover over a state to explore the underlying data and key metrics contributing to its score.
Look for regional clusters of high-performing states to identify major defense manufacturing hubs.
Note that smaller states may score lower due to size, not because defense is less significant to their economies.
