Dhubri's economy is primarily driven by trade, commerce, and agricultural processing. Because of its location near the borders of West Bengal, Meghalaya, and Bangladesh, it functions as a critical transit and wholesale market for the surrounding rural districts.
Historically, the city was a thriving industrial hub with the presence of the Western India Match Company (WIMCO) factory, which was once Asia's largest match factory before its closure in the late 1990s. Today, the economy relies on inland water transport, retail markets, and the agricultural output of the surrounding district.
Efforts to revive cross-border riverine trade via National Waterway 2 (on the Brahmaputra) are viewed as a major catalyst for Dhubri's future economic development.
