12 US States With the Largest Logistics and Warehousing Workforces

Ecommerce changed where Americans shop, but it did not remove geography from retail. Packages still move through ports, rail yards, airports, trucking terminals and warehouses. That physical network has created large logistics workforces in California, Texas, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Georgia, New Jersey, Florida and several other states.

The most important locations sit either next to huge consumer markets or at transfer points where freight changes mode. Southern California has both. Chicago remains a rail and trucking hub. Georgia is anchored by Atlanta and the Port of Savannah.

Ports create employment well beyond the waterfront

A container arriving in Los Angeles, Long Beach, Savannah or New York-New Jersey creates work in drayage, warehousing, customs, rail and regional distribution. Much of that employment appears dozens of miles inland rather than at the terminal itself.

Large distribution centres follow highway access and land prices, which is why inland logistics corridors can grow faster than the core port city.

Texas benefits from scale and the Mexican border

Texas combines major Gulf ports, border trade, interstate highways and a huge internal market. Dallas-Fort Worth is one of the country's largest distribution centres even though it is far from the coast.

Cross-border manufacturing with Mexico adds another layer of freight demand around Laredo and other border gateways.

Automation changes tasks before it removes the network

Warehouses are becoming more automated, but the sector still needs large numbers of workers in maintenance, transport, operations and inventory management. The mix of jobs is changing faster than the need for physical distribution itself.

For states, logistics remains a large employer and a critical piece of competitiveness for manufacturers and retailers.