NAICS 72

Accommodation and Food Services in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI

Metro Market Score 37.3 (Moderate), ranked #39 of 298 metros. 3,448 establishments, 65,016 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 37.3
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Moderate

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national accommodation and food services average.

📈Rapid Growth🌱Emerging Market

Milwaukee-Waukesha ranks in the top quartile for accommodation and food services market conditions, driven by above-average employment growth. With a market score of 37.3, conditions are relatively favorable compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration
22.8
LQ: 0.88
Rank #68 of 298 metros
Wage Competitiveness
42.6
$23,747 avg wage
Growth Trend
↑ 75.8
Employment growth index
Rank #73 of 298 metros
Wage Pressure
68.6
YoY wage change index

3,448 Accommodation and Food Services Firms in Milwaukee-Waukesha

3,448
Establishments
+4.7% YoY
65,016
Total Employment
+1.8% YoY
$23,747
Average Annual Wage
+2.7% YoY
0.88
Location Quotient
Below national avg

Milwaukee-Waukesha vs Wisconsin Statewide

How this metro's accommodation and food services market compares to Wisconsin overall. The state ranks #5/51 for entry risk.

Measure Milwaukee-Waukesha WI Statewide
Overall Score 37.3 Moderate 28.2 Low
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #39 of 298 metros #5 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Milwaukee-Waukesha

Retail Trade 39.2 Construction 49.1 Other Services 51.0 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 53.9 Administrative and Support Services 54.5 Healthcare and Social Assistance 58.5 Information 67.4 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 67.5 Finance and Insurance 74.4

Accommodation and Food Services in Other Wisconsin Metros

Wausau 16.5 #1/298 Oshkosh-Neenah 22.7 #2/298 La Crosse-Onalaska 24.4 #3/298 Fond du Lac 26.7 #8/298 Sheboygan 26.8 #9/298 Eau Claire 27.7 #10/298 Racine-Mount Pleasant 31.7 #17/298 Appleton 32.0 #19/298 Janesville-Beloit 34.6 #29/298 Madison 40.3 #50/298

+ 1 more metros. View all in Wisconsin →

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Milwaukee-Waukesha's accommodation and food services sector, the wage pressure component (68.6) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.