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Washington's share of U.S. apple production and crop value, 2000-2025

Washington's share of U.S. commercial apple utilized production and of its value each year, from USDA NASS estimates.

Credit: FactHub analysis of USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service data

Node: chart:wa-apple-share-of-us-production

Line chart, 2000 to 2025. Washington's share of U.S. utilized apple production stays between 52 and 72 percent, lowest in 2003 and highest in 2012, and is about 67 percent in 2025. Its share of crop value runs between 57 and 75 percent and is usually above the volume share. A reference line at 50 percent sits below both lines in every year. — Washington produced more than half of U.S. commercial apples in each of the 26 years from 2000 to 2025, according to USDA NASS. Its share of utilized production ranged from 52.3 percent in 2003 to 72.3 percent in 2012 and was 66.8 percent in 2025. Its share of crop value ranged from 56.8 to 74.9 percent. Since 2018 the U.S. total covers only seven states, which raises the share by about 3 to 4 points.

What this chart asks

Has Washington grown more than half of U.S. commercial apples every year since 2000, and how has its share of volume and value changed?

Why it is shown this way

A line per measure shows the year-to-year swings and the long-run level together; 26 annual points read clearly as lines.
The y-axis starts at zero so the distance above the 50 percent line is not exaggerated.
Volume and value are shown together because the value share is usually higher, which matters for claims about economic importance.

Chart annotations

These markers provide relevant context for interpreting the chart. Their timing or position does not, by itself, establish causation.

50% = half of U.S. production

Threshold: 50

Reference line for the claim that Washington grows most U.S. apples.

Why this is marked: The claim being tested is whether Washington grows a majority; 50 percent is the threshold for most.

NASS estimates 7 states from 2018

2018

The U.S. total after this point covers seven states, which raises Washington's share by about 3 to 4 points.

Data and accessibility

Download chart data · Open accessible table · Download PNG · Download SVG

Dataset wa-apple-production-share, analysis wa-share-series

Sources

This chart draws on the sources of the dataset versions it visualizes.

Washington's Share of U.S. Commercial Apple Production, 2000-2025

USDA NASS Quick Stats: apples, survey program, state and national, annual (query source_desc=SURVEY&sector_desc=CROPS&group_desc=FRUIT & TREE NUTS&commodity_desc=APPLES&statisticcat_desc=PRODUCTION&statisticcat_desc=AREA BEARING&agg_level_desc=STATE&agg_level_desc=NATIONAL&freq_desc=ANNUAL&reference_period_desc=YEAR) Primary data, 2007-2025 estimates and 2026 forecast
Retrieved October 9, 2026. Public domain (U.S. government work). Unrestricted; U.S. federal government data are not subject to copyright.
USDA NASS Quick Stats: apples, Census of Agriculture, state and national (query source_desc=CENSUS&sector_desc=CROPS&group_desc=FRUIT & TREE NUTS&commodity_desc=APPLES&agg_level_desc=STATE&agg_level_desc=NATIONAL&freq_desc=ANNUAL&reference_period_desc=YEAR) Primary data, all-farm apple acreage 2002-2022
Retrieved October 9, 2026. Public domain (U.S. government work). Unrestricted; U.S. federal government data are not subject to copyright.
USDA NASS, Noncitrus Fruits and Nuts 2002 Summary (Fr Nt 3-1 (03)), July 8, 2003 Primary data, 2000-2002 estimates
Retrieved October 9, 2026. Public domain (U.S. government work). Unrestricted; U.S. federal government data are not subject to copyright.

Archived copy captured October 9, 2026
USDA NASS, Noncitrus Fruits and Nuts 2005 Summary, July 6, 2006 Primary data, 2003-2004 estimates
Retrieved October 9, 2026. Public domain (U.S. government work). Unrestricted; U.S. federal government data are not subject to copyright.

Archived copy captured October 9, 2026
USDA NASS, Noncitrus Fruits and Nuts 2007 Summary (revised), July 8, 2008 Primary data, 2005-2006 estimates; cross-check for 2007
Retrieved October 9, 2026. Public domain (U.S. government work). Unrestricted; U.S. federal government data are not subject to copyright.

Archived copy captured October 9, 2026
USDA NASS, Noncitrus Fruits and Nuts 2025 Summary, May 2026 Cross-check for 2023-2025 and definition of commercial orchards
Retrieved October 9, 2026. Public domain (U.S. government work). Unrestricted; U.S. federal government data are not subject to copyright.

Archived copy captured September 26, 2026
USDA ERS, Fruit and Tree Nuts Outlook: September 2026 (FTS-386), September 24, 2026 External comparison: Washington share of fresh-market apples; 2026 forecast context
Retrieved October 9, 2026. Public domain (U.S. government work). Unrestricted; U.S. federal government data are not subject to copyright.

Archived copy captured October 9, 2026

Limitations

From 2018 NASS estimates only seven states, and the U.S. total it publishes is their sum; a sensitivity analysis in the dataset puts the 2018-2025 share about 3 to 4 points lower against a full national total (57.1-63.7 percent instead of 60.8-67.5).
Covers commercial orchards of 100 or more bearing trees.
Value is nominal and reflects NASS price estimates.
Single-year peaks and dips reflect crop failures and alternate bearing in individual states (for example 2012, when the Michigan crop fell by about 88 percent), not changes in Washington alone.

Articles and datasets using this chart

Article Washington grows about 60 to 67 percent of America's commercial apples.

Version details

The exact citing versions, and the version of this chart each cites.

Article washington-grows-most-us-apples — version 3 (published) cites version 1
Article washington-grows-most-us-apples — version 2 (published) cites version 1