Honey Production by State

By Caleb Dueck | Updated April 21, 2024

Caleb Dueck

Using the latest USDA data, here are up to date honey production numbers for every state. The percentages refer to a particular state's share of the U.S total (ex: South Dakota produced 13.3% of U.S. honey in 2023), unless representing a percentage change. Aside from just this year's honey production, we also looked at honey price, and noted the changes for both. Feel free to use the table of contents below to jump ahead.

What State Produces The Most Honey?

In 2023, North Dakota produced 38,325,000 pounds of honey, over 1/4th of the U.S. total honey production that year. This marks the 20th year in a row that North Dakota has claimed the number one spot among U.S.

But what makes North Dakota a prime location for honey production? As Mark Sperry put it in a 2016 interview with Minnesota Public Radio: "Warm days and cool nights are optimal for nectar secretion for a number of plants that honeybees visit."

Note: 11 states didn't produce enough honey to get reported by the USDA: Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode Island, and Oklahoma.

Honey Production by State (2023)

  1. North Dakota - 38,325,000 pounds - 27.7% (of total U.S. honey)
  2. South Dakota - 18,444,000 pounds - 13.3%
  3. California - 13,608,000 pounds - 9.8%
  4. Montana - 9,690,000 pounds - 7%
  5. Minnesota - 6,148,000 pounds - 4.4%
  6. Florida - 4,704,000 pounds - 3.4%
  7. Texas - 3,885,000 pounds - 2.8%
  8. Michigan - 3,850,000 pounds - 2.8%
  9. Oregon - 3,330,000 pounds - 2.4%
  10. Idaho - 2,944,000 pounds - 2.1%
  11. Wisconsin - 2,790,000 pounds - 2%
  12. Iowa - 2,640,000 pounds - 1.9%
  13. Georgia - 2,541,000 pounds - 1.8%
  14. New York - 2,378,000 pounds - 1.7%
  15. Washington - 2,241,000 pounds - 1.6%
  16. Wyoming - 2,106,000 pounds - 1.5%
  17. Nebraska - 1,584,000 pounds - 1.1%
  18. Louisiana - 1,440,000 pounds - 1%
  19. Arizona - 1,428,000 pounds - 1%
  20. Ohio - 1,300,000 pounds - 0.9%
  21. Pennsylvania - 1,100,000 pounds - 0.8%
  22. Colorado - 1,025,000 pounds - 0.7%
  23. Utah - 1,008,000 pounds - 0.7%
  24. Arkansas - 874,000 pounds - 0.6%
  25. Mississippi - 798,000 pounds - 0.6%
  26. South Carolina - 572,000 pounds - 0.4%
  27. New Jersey - 540,000 pounds - 0.4%
  28. North Carolina - 484,000 pounds - 0.3%
  29. Tennessee - 480,000 pounds - 0.3%
  30. Indiana - 477,000 pounds - 0.3%
  31. Illinois - 441,000 pounds - 0.3%
  32. Alabama - 400,000 pounds - 0.3%
  33. Missouri - 387,000 pounds - 0.3%
  34. West Virginia - 306,000 pounds - 0.2%
  35. Kentucky - 300,000 pounds - 0.2%
  36. Vermont - 294,000 pounds - 0.2%
  37. Kansas - 260,000 pounds - 0.2%
  38. Maine - 216,000 pounds - 0.2%
  39. Virginia - 195,000 pounds - 0.1%

Largest Increases/Decreases in Honey Production (1 Year, 2022-2023)

  1. South Dakota · +155.6% change · +11,229,000 pound difference
  2. Wyoming · +56% change · +756,000 pound difference
  3. Arizona · +38% change · +393,000 pound difference
  4. Montana · +29.1% change · +2,187,000 pound difference
  5. North Dakota · +22.8% change · +7,125,000 pound difference
  6. Kentucky · +19% change · +48,000 pound difference
  7. Minnesota · +18.2% change · +946,000 pound difference
  8. Missouri · +18% change · +59,000 pound difference
  9. California · +17.4% change · +2,018,000 pound difference
  10. Michigan · +14.5% change · +488,000 pound difference
  11. Tennessee · +13.5% change · +57,000 pound difference
  12. South Carolina · +12.8% change · 65,000 pound difference
  13. West Virginia · +12.1% change · +33,000 pound difference
  14. Idaho · 8% change · +218,000 pound difference
  15. Iowa · +7.8% change · +192,000 pound difference
  16. Nebraska · +5.9% change · +88,000 pound difference
  17. Vermont · +4.3% change · +12,000 pound difference
  18. Pennsylvania · +4% change · +42,000 pound difference
  19. Ohio · +3.7% change · +46,000 pound difference
  20. Alabama · 0% change · 0 pound difference
  21. Oregon · -2.2% change · -74,000 pound difference
  22. Wisconsin · -4.3% change · -125,000 pound difference
  23. North Carolina · -4.5% change · -23,000 pound difference
  24. Maine · -6.1% change · -14,000 pound difference
  25. Illinois · -6.2% change · -29,000 pound difference
  26. New Jersey · -13.5% change · -84,000 pound difference
  27. Utah · -15.7% change · -188,000 pound difference
  28. Indiana · -15.9% change · -90,000 pound difference
  29. New York · -16.9% change · -484,000 pound difference
  30. Washington · -18.6% change · -511,000 pound difference
  31. Colorado · -21.3% change · -277,000 pound difference
  32. Arkansas · -22% change · -246,000 pound difference
  33. Georgia · -22.9% change · -755,000 pound difference
  34. Virginia · -26.7% change · -71,000 pound difference
  35. Kansas · -30.1% change · -112,000 pound difference
  36. Florida · -36% change · -2,646,000 pound difference
  37. Louisiana · -43.8% change · -1,122,000 pound difference
  38. Texas · -53.3% change · -4,436,000 pound difference
  39. Mississippi · -60% change · -1,197,000 pound difference

Largest Increases/Decreases in Honey Production (20 Years, 2003-2023)

  1. New Jersey · +184.2% change · +350,000 pound difference
  2. Ohio · +73.3% change · +550,000 pound difference
  3. Tennessee · +71.4% change · +200,000 pound difference
  4. Indiana · +70.4% change · +197,000 pound difference
  5. Oregon · +55.5% change · +1,188,000 pound difference
  6. Iowa · +39.8% change · +752,000 pound difference
  7. South Carolina · +36.2% change · +152,000 pound difference
  8. South Dakota · +31.7% change · +4,444,000 pound difference
  9. North Dakota · +29.6% change · +8,745,000 pound difference
  10. Kentucky · +25% change · +60,000 pound difference
  11. North Carolina · +10% change · +44,000 pound difference
  12. Illinois · +5% change · +21,000 pound difference
  13. Montana · +1.3% change · +120,000 pound difference
  14. Virginia · -12.2% change · -27,000 pound difference
  15. Maine · -18.2% change · -48,000 pound difference
  16. Pennsylvania · -18.5% change · -250,000 pound difference
  17. West Virginia · -18.6% change · -70,000 pound difference
  18. Michigan · -20% change · -960,000 pound difference
  19. Utah · -23.1% change · -303,000 pound difference
  20. Georgia · -24.8% change · -839,000 pound difference
  21. Washington · -31% change · -1,007,000 pound difference
  22. Wyoming · -33.3% change · -1,053,000 pound difference
  23. Idaho · -36% change · -1,656,000 pound difference
  24. Minnesota · -38.3% change · -3,812,000 pound difference
  25. Mississippi · -44.9% change · -651,000 pound difference
  26. Vermont · -49.4% change · -287,000 pound difference
  27. Colorado · -50.3% change · -1,039,000 pound difference
  28. Arizona · -50.4% change · -1,452,000 pound difference
  29. New York · -50.7% change · -2,446,000 pound difference
  30. Wisconsin · -51% change · -2,908,000 pound difference
  31. Nebraska · -52.4% change · -1,746,000 pound difference
  32. Louisiana · -52.9% change · -1,620,000 pound difference
  33. Missouri · -57% change · -514,000 pound difference
  34. California · -57.7% change · -18,552,000 pound difference
  35. Texas · -58.6% change · -5,495,000 pound difference
  36. Alabama · -62.5% change · -666,000 pound difference
  37. Florida · -68.5% change · -10,206,000 pound difference
  38. Arkansas · -70.9% change · -2,126,000 pound difference
  39. Kansas · -71.5% change · -652,000 pound difference

Average Price Per Pound of Honey (2023)

  1. Virginia - $8.58
  2. New Jersey - $7.16
  3. Illinois - $7.05
  4. West Virginia - $6.35
  5. Kentucky - $6.21
  6. North Carolina - $6.02
  7. Tennessee - $6.00
  8. Alabama - $5.45
  9. Kansas - $5.41
  10. Ohio - $5.23
  11. Vermont - $5.09
  12. Pennsylvania - $4.96
  13. Missouri - $4.81
  14. New York - $4.59
  15. South Carolina - $4.53
  16. Maine - $4.46
  17. Indiana - $4.34
  18. Louisiana - $3.90
  19. Colorado - $3.69
  20. Georgia - $3.43
  21. Arkansas - $3.20
  22. Wisconsin - $3.02
  23. Mississippi - $3.02
  24. Texas - $3.01
  25. Iowa - $2.99
  26. Florida - $2.95
  27. Michigan - $2.84
  28. Oregon - $2.71
  29. Washington - $2.71
  30. California - $2.27
  31. Nebraska - $2.26
  32. Arizona - $2.23
  33. South Dakota - $2.02
  34. Montana - $2.00
  35. Minnesota - $1.99
  36. Utah - $1.92
  37. North Dakota - $1.77
  38. Wyoming - $1.64
  39. Idaho - $1.63

Largest Increase in Price per Pound of Honey (1 Year, 2022-2023)

  1. New Jersey · +68.1% change · +$2.90 difference per pound
  2. Ohio · +48.6% change · +$1.71 difference per pound
  3. Louisiana · +31.8% change · +$0.94 difference per pound
  4. Kansas · +24.7% change · +$1.07 difference per pound
  5. New York · +20.2% change · +$0.77 difference per pound
  6. Arkansas · +18.5% change · +$0.50 difference per pound
  7. Alabama · +13.5% change · +$0.65 difference per pound
  8. Illinois · +12.4% change · +$0.78 difference per pound
  9. Georgia · +11.4% change · +$0.35 difference per pound
  10. Colorado · +10.1% change · +$0.34 difference per pound
  11. Virginia · +8.1% change · +$0.64 difference per pound
  12. West Virginia · +7.4% change · +$0.44 difference per pound
  13. Tennessee · +6.2% change · +$0.35 difference per pound
  14. Kentucky · +1.5% change · +$0.09 difference per pound
  15. Iowa · -2.3% change · -$0.07 difference per pound
  16. Mississippi · -5.6% change · -$0.18 difference per pound
  17. Wisconsin · -6.2% change · -$0.20 difference per pound
  18. Michigan · -6.6% change · -$0.20 difference per pound
  19. Texas · -8% change · - $0.26 difference per pound
  20. Missouri · -8% change · -$0.42 difference per pound
  21. Indiana · -8.4% change · -$0.40 difference per pound
  22. South Carolina · -9.4% change · -$0.47 difference per pound
  23. Florida · -9.8% change · -$0.32 difference per pound
  24. Pennsylvania · -11.3% change · -$0.63 difference per pound
  25. North Carolina · -13.1% change · -$0.91 difference per pound
  26. Washington · -14.8% change · -$0.47 difference per pound
  27. California · -15.6% change · -$0.42 difference per pound
  28. Oregon · -17.1% change · -$0.56 difference per pound
  29. Arizona · -17.4% change · -$0.47 difference per pound
  30. South Dakota · -21.4% change · -$0.55 difference per pound
  31. Nebraska · -21.8% change · -$0.63 difference per pound
  32. Montana · -24.2% change · -$0.64 difference per pound
  33. Vermont · -24.6% change · -$1.66 difference per pound
  34. Minnesota · -28.7% change · -$0.80 difference per pound
  35. Maine · -30.3% change · -$1.94 difference per pound
  36. North Dakota · -31.9% change · -$0.83 difference per pound
  37. Utah · -36% change · -$1.08 difference per pound
  38. Wyoming · -38.1% change · -$1.01 difference per pound
  39. Idaho · -40.3% change · -$1.10 difference per pound

Largest Increases/Decreases in Average Price per Honey (20 Years, 2003-2023)

  1. Virginia · +246.2% change · +$6.89 per pound
  2. New Jersey · +215% change · +$5.59 per pound
  3. Alabama · +200.8% change · +$4.19 per pound
  4. Illinois · +185.7% change · +$5.32 per pound
  5. New York · +178.6% change · +$3.43 per pound
  6. Tennessee · +176.4% change · +$4.47 per pound
  7. Kentucky · +168.3% change · +$4.57 per pound
  8. Pennsylvania · +166.5% change · +$3.64 per pound
  9. Ohio · +160.5% change · +$3.80 per pound
  10. Kansas · +146.4% change · +$3.83 per pound
  11. Missouri · +145.6% change · +$3.40 per pound
  12. Maine · +132% change · +$3.06 per pound
  13. North Carolina · +130.9% change · +$4.12 per pound
  14. West Virginia · +130.4% change · +$4.34 per pound
  15. Louisiana · +129.5% change · +$2.66 per pound
  16. Indiana · +104.4% change · +$2.75 per pound
  17. Georgia · +101.4% change · +$2.15 per pound
  18. Colorado · +101.1% change · +$2.31 per pound
  19. Vermont · +99.7% change · +$3.17 per pound
  20. Arkansas · +91.8% change · +$1.93 per pound
  21. Mississippi · +82.1% change · +$1.74 per pound
  22. South Carolina · +79.9% change · +$2.58 per pound
  23. Florida · +71.6% change · +$1.60 per pound
  24. Oregon · +69.5% change · +$1.45 per pound
  25. Texas · +67.6% change · +$1.59 per pound
  26. Wisconsin · +66.3% change · +$1.58 per pound
  27. Iowa · +64.1% change · +$1.54 per pound
  28. Michigan · +56.3% change · +$1.37 per pound
  29. Washington · +47.3% change · +$1.19 per pound
  30. Arizona · +37.2% change · +$0.85 per pound
  31. California · +36.1% change · +$0.85 per pound
  32. Nebraska · +35% change · +$0.83 per pound
  33. Utah · +28.8% change · +$0.62 per pound
  34. South Dakota · +23.2% change · +$0.56 per pound
  35. Minnesota · +21.9% change · +$0.53 per pound
  36. Montana · +21.2% change · +$0.52 per pound
  37. North Dakota · +18.2% change · +$0.41 per pound
  38. Idaho · +12.5% change · +$0.28 per pound
  39. Wyoming · +10.4% change · +$0.24 per pound

Conclusion

I hope this resource was useful to you in some way. If you have any questions about these results, feel free to email me: caleb at sperryhoney.com... formatted that way to avoid spammers. This post is probably long enough, but we have further state data that I'm happy to share. Thanks for reading!

- Caleb