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Exhibit 1
Exhibit 2
Export and Import Values, the Port of Hidalgo, 2003-2024 (in billions)
Exhibit 3
Exhibit 4
Exhibit 5
Exhibit 6Border Crossings through the Port of Hidalgo, 2022-2024
Port of Entry: HidalgoImpact to the Texas Economy, 2024
Texas ports of entry accounted for more than $1 trillion in international trade in 2024.1 Texas has 32 official ports of entry that serve as critical gateways to global trade. Each port — whether an airport, land port or seaport — serves many domestic and international economic activities across multiple industries. Each port also plays a distinctive role in the state’s transportation network and contributes to state and local economies.
Of Texas’ total international trade, $547.9 billion in goods, or 51.5 percent, traveled across the state’s border crossings with Mexico, with the Port of Hidalgo accounting for 8.5 percent of land port trade, or about $46.4 billion . Each Texas land port is unique, facilitating the movement of people and goods between the neighboring countries through rail, commercial and personal vehicles and pedestrian traffic.
Economic Contribution of Trade
Based on the Comptroller’s estimate, the Port of Hidalgo in 2024 resulted in nearly 92,000 net jobs and contributed $9.3 billion to Texas’ gross domestic product (GDP) (Exhibit 1).
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Total direct trade value | $46.4 billion |
| Gross domestic product | $9.3 billion |
| Total employment | 91,959 |
Notes: “Gross domestic product” refers to the total value of all final goods and services produced in Texas; “Total employment” refers to both direct and indirect employment.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau: Economic Indicators Division, USA Trade Online; Regional Economic Models Inc. model for Texas; Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts analysis.
Port of Hidalgo Trade
The Port of Hidalgo’s several border crossings form one of 11 land ports with international trade data along Texas’ 1,254-mile border with Mexico. Total trade through the port rose by 205 percent between 2003 and 2024. the Port of Hidalgo was a net importer by trade value in 2024, seeing $31.1 billion in imports and $15.3 billion in exports (Exhibit 2).
Data for Exhibit 2
| Year | Exports | Imports | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | $6.3 | $8.9 | $15.2 |
| 2004 | $6.7 | $10.6 | $17.3 |
| 2005 | $7.6 | $11.6 | $19.2 |
| 2006 | $8.3 | $12.8 | $21.1 |
| 2007 | $9.0 | $14.0 | $23.0 |
| 2008 | $9.9 | $13.7 | $23.6 |
| 2009 | $8.6 | $12.3 | $20.9 |
| 2010 | $8.8 | $15.9 | $24.6 |
| 2011 | $9.7 | $15.8 | $25.5 |
| 2012 | $10.1 | $16.7 | $26.8 |
| 2013 | $10.8 | $17.6 | $28.5 |
| 2014 | $11.4 | $19.2 | $30.6 |
| 2015 | $10.8 | $19.3 | $30.1 |
| 2016 | $10.4 | $20.2 | $30.6 |
| 2017 | $11.7 | $21.9 | $33.7 |
| 2018 | $12.5 | $22.8 | $35.3 |
| 2019 | $13.0 | $23.4 | $36.4 |
| 2020 | $11.4 | $21.4 | $32.9 |
| 2021 | $16.5 | $25.1 | $41.6 |
| 2022 | $19.0 | $27.6 | $46.5 |
| 2023 | $17.1 | $28.8 | $45.9 |
| 2024 | $15.3 | $31.1 | $46.4 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau: Economic Indicators Division, USA Trade Online.
The top export commodities by value from the Port of Hidalgo in 2024 were mineral fuels ($3.5 billion), followed by electric machinery and equipment ($3.2 billion) and machinery and mechanical appliances ($2.0 billion). These commodities accounted for 56.9 percent of the port’s total exports. Top imports to the port included electric machinery and equipment ($12 billion), fruits and nuts ($4.7 billion) and machinery and mechanical appliances ($3.6 billion) (Exhibit 3).
| Commodity | Value (in millions) |
|---|---|
| Mineral Fuels | $3,510.5 |
| Electric Machinery and Equipment | $3,185.9 |
| Machinery and Mechanical Appliances | $1,994.8 |
| Plastic Products | $1,167.6 |
| Meats | $912.6 |
| Total All Commodities | $15,279.4 |
| Commodity | Import Value (in millions) |
|---|---|
| Electric Machinery and Equipment | $12,017.6 |
| Fruits and Nuts | $4,746.9 |
| Machinery and Mechanical Appliances | $3,616.7 |
| Optical and Photographic Instruments | $2,590.1 |
| Vegetables | $1,960.3 |
| Total All Commodities | $31,107.7 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau: Economic Indicators Division, USA Trade Online.
The value of exports from the Port of the Port of Hidalgo to its top five recipient countries was $15.3 billion in 2024, or 99.9 percent of its total. Mexico was the leading destination for exported goods, receiving almost all exported commodities from the port (Exhibit 4).
| Country | Exports Value (in millions) | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | $15,255.1 | 1008% |
| United Kingdom | $7.9 | 0% |
| China | $4.7 | 0% |
| Guatemala | $4.7 | 0% |
| Brazil | $1.9 | 0% |
| Other | $5.1 | 0% |
| Total | $15,279.4 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau: Economic Indicators Division, USA Trade Online.
The Port of Hidalgo’s top five import trading partners accounted for 98.5 percent of its $31.1 billion in imports in 2024, with Mexico comprising 94.5 percent of all imports (Exhibit 5).
| Country | Imports Value (in millions) | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | $29,387.1 | 94.5% |
| Japan | $490.9 | 1.6% |
| China | $449.8 | 1.4% |
| Malaysia | $197.0 | 0.6% |
| Korea, South | $110.4 | 0.4% |
| Other | $472.5 | 1.5% |
| Total | $31,107.7 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau: Economic Indicators Division, USA Trade Online.
Border Crossings
In 2024, the Port of Hidalgo handled northbound border-crossing traffic of about 721,489 trucks, an increase of over 7.1 percent from 2022. Additionally, the Hidalgo port of entry saw an increase in car and passenger and pedestrian foot traffic over 2022 and 2023 levels (Exhibit 6).2
Data for Exhibit 6
| Description | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pedestrians | 2,069,123 | 2,343,170 | 2,423,877 |
| Vehicle Passengers | 8,553,408 | 9,390,166 | 9,953,205 |
| Personal Vehicles | 4,166,070 | 4,603,301 | 4,818,746 |
| Trucks | 673,836 | 708,726 | 721,489 |
Source: U.S. Dept. of Transportation – Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
- U.S. Census Bureau: USA Trade Online – U.S. Import and Export Merchandise trade statistics. ↳
- U.S. Dept. of Transportation – Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Query Tool – Border Crossing Entry Data (2022, 2023 and 2024), (Last visited June 30, 2025).