Sometimes things get into my head and won’t leave until I put them out in the world.

To wit:

Unfortunately, putting this out in the world had not stopped it from playing on a loop in my brain.

Ranked: The Top 10 U.S. States by Auto Manufacturing Jobs

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Automobile manufacturing continues to be a major source of employment across America, employing over a million people in 2025.

From Detroit’s “Motor City” heritage in Michigan to emerging plants in Southern states like Kentucky and Alabama, the U.S. has several vehicle manufacturing hubs.

This infographic ranks the top 10 U.S. states by total auto manufacturing jobs as of February 2025, using preliminary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics which only provides data for the top 10 states. It breaks down employment by vehicle manufacturing and assembly, body/trailer manufacturing, and vehicle parts manufacturing.

America’s Auto Manufacturing Hubs by Employees

Together, the top 10 states employ over 520,000 workers in auto manufacturing—making up more than half of the industry’s nationwide employment.

Here’s how the top 10 states stack up by auto manufacturing employment, as of February 2025:

States in the Midwest remain the centers of auto manufacturing in America.

Michigan leads the pack with 164,000 auto manufacturing jobs, accounting for over 15% of all such jobs in the country. Its dominance is driven by legacy automakers like Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis (previously Chrysler), who have significant manufacturing footprints in Detroit.

States like Indiana and Ohio are also heavily invested in parts production, with Indiana also leading in bodies and trailers manufacturing.

Meanwhile, Southern states are becoming increasingly important for vehicle manufacturing, with Kentucky and Alabama attracting investments from foreign automakers like Toyota, Hyundai, and Mercedes-Benz.

Overall, employment in U.S. auto manufacturing is down 12.7% from a year ago, with the parts manufacturing segment taking the biggest hit at -17.8%. California has seen the biggest decline in jobs in this segment, dropping 6.5% from February 2024 levels.

The State of the U.S. Auto Industry

The U.S. auto industry is facing speed bumps from the latest round of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, which include a 25% levy on imported auto parts and completely built up vehicles.

S&P Global forecasts that U.S. light vehicle sales will fall by 700,000 units in 2025, and North American production will decline by nearly 1.3 million units as a result of the new tariffs. Increased manufacturing costs from tariffs on auto parts are also likely to result in higher vehicle prices.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed this infographic, check out this graphic on the Favorite Car Brands of America’s Ultra-Wealthy, on the Voronoi app.

Earlier this year, I sat down in front of my brand-new day planner, excited to fill its crisp pages with my daily to-dos, upcoming appointments, and vacation plans. But when it came time to put pen to paper, I couldn’t bring myself to write. My Laurel Denise Mini Horizontal Weekly Planner, a top pick in Wirecutter’s planner guide, was just too pretty, and I didn’t want to ruin it with scratch-outs, misspelled words, and smudged ink.

Instead of rummaging through my junk drawer to find a stubby pencil to use, I turned to Wirecutter’s guide to the best pens to see what our experts had to say about erasable ink. Although the Pilot FriXion Clicker Erasable Retractable Gel Pen is not an official pick, it’s listed as the best option for anyone who’s too nervous to commit to writing in pen. I bought a pack almost immediately.

After years of using the Uni-ball Jetstream RT, Wirecutter’s top-pick pen, I’ve become a bit of a pen snob, so I didn’t expect to like using the FriXion pen. But desperate times called for desperate measures. If writing with an inferior pen meant that I could use my planner without getting a mini anxiety attack every time my plans changed, it would have to do.

But surprisingly, I’ve fallen head over heels in love with the FriXion erasable pen. Not only does it write beautifully, but it has also given me a type of freedom I’ve never known from a pen. It has helped me find more joy in writing, planning, and even making mistakes.