The state of Tamaulipas contributes 3,3% of the national Gross Domestic Product, mainly through the activities taking place in the commerce, restaurant and hotels sectors with 24%; the manufacturing industries with 20%, largely based on the production of automobiles, electronics and metallurgy; the services sector with 19%; and the transportation and storage services with 12%.

The six economic zones into which the state is organized, are a clear response to the productive diversity found throughout the state of Tamaulipas. The city of Nuevo Laredo represents nothing less than the most important terrestrial port for international trade anywhere across the American continent. With a first-world infrastructure, the World Trade Bridge, as it is known, serves thousands of trailers and train-wagons that cross the northern border into the United States every day.

In addition, the city of Nuevo Laredo also offers optimal conditions for the development of textile industries, and nowadays many major raw-material corporations of the field have built their factories across the area, such as Nien Hsing, Bonworth International, Bryan Industries, Glossy of Mexico, and Gulf Eldex, all of which provide high quality products to world-class brands like Levi's, Guess, Nike, and Victoria's Secret, among many others. By the year 2006, 363 of these factories were operating in the state.

Moving on to the foods sector, the fishing industry that takes place around the ports of Tampico and Altamira, stands out in the capture of gray-mullet, dogfish, crab, shrimp, and trout.

In Matamoros, the automotive industry hosts the assembly and accessories plants for brands such as General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, BMW and Mercedes Benz.

In the region of El Mante, agricultural tradition employs most of the population, and is nowadays considered national leader in the production of green henequen, soy, aloe vera, serrano hot peppers, and grain sorghum.