NAICS 52

Finance and Insurance in Washington: 2026 Market Risk Report

Entry risk 55.5 (High), ranked #37 of 51 states. 10,639 establishments, 94,547 jobs.

Entry Risk Assessment

Entry Risk Score 55.5
Low 0-30
Moderate 30-42
Elevated 42-55
High 55+
High Risk

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national finance and insurance average.

⛔High Barrier to Entry

Washington's finance and insurance sector shows high establishment density (top 5 nationally) paired with firm retention in the bottom 15. This combination indicates elevated competitive pressure on new market entrants.

5-Year Firm Retention
21.6%
Percentile within industry
Rank #41 of 51 states
Growth Momentum
43.6
Scale of 0-100
Rank #16 of 51 states
Establishment Density
10.2
vs. national average
Rank #4 of 51 states
Market Volatility
8.8
Lower is more stable
Wage Pressure Index
73.3
Labor cost pressure

10,639 Establishments in Washington

10,639
Establishments
+1.9% YoY
94,547
Total Employment
-1.8% YoY
$134,546
Average Annual Wage
+6.3% YoY

Washington vs National Finance and Insurance Average

How Washington's finance and insurance market compares to the national average across all 51 states.

Metric WA National Difference
Entry Risk Score 55.5 51.9 +3.6
5-Year Retention 21.6% 51.0% -29.4
Growth Momentum 43.6 34.4 +9.2
Market Volatility 8.8 9.6 -0.8
Establishment Density 10.2 42.5 -32.3
Wage Pressure 73.3 66.8 +6.5

Green = favorable vs national average. Red = less favorable. Metrics are relative within finance and insurance only.

Washington Ranks #37 of 51 for Finance and Insurance

Washington ranks #37 out of 51 states for finance and insurance market entry conditions.

Finance and Insurance Entry Risk by State

Rank State Risk Score Classification
#1 Hawaii 37.0 moderate
#2 West Virginia 39.8 moderate
#3 Kentucky 40.0 moderate
#4 Rhode Island 41.9 moderate
#5 Maine 42.0 elevated
#37 Washington You 55.5 high
Entry Risk by State Alaska — 49.7 · #21 Alabama — 48.4 · #18 Arkansas — 44.7 · #7 Arizona — 52.6 · #29 California — 46.9 · #12 Colorado — 67.3 · #50 Connecticut — 73.7 · #51 District of Columbia — 47.9 · #13 Delaware — 57.7 · #44 Florida — 61.9 · #46 Georgia — 56.4 · #40 Hawaii — 37.0 · #1 Iowa — 54.3 · #35 Idaho — 56.2 · #39 Illinois — 46.2 · #10 Indiana — 45.4 · #9 Kansas — 57.0 · #42 Kentucky — 40.0 · #3 Louisiana — 42.0 · #6 Massachusetts — 48.2 · #15 Maryland — 52.6 · #30 Maine — 42.0 · #5 Michigan — 49.8 · #23 Minnesota — 46.6 · #11 Missouri — 57.7 · #43 Mississippi — 54.5 · #36 Montana — 59.0 · #45 North Carolina — 48.4 · #17 North Dakota — 52.1 · #28 Nebraska — 49.4 · #20 New Hampshire — 49.8 · #22 New Jersey — 53.2 · #32 New Mexico — 53.1 · #31 Nevada — 55.6 · #38 New York — 65.4 · #49 Ohio — 48.2 · #14 Oklahoma — 64.9 · #48 Oregon — 56.7 · #41 Pennsylvania — 48.8 · #19 Rhode Island — 41.9 · #4 South Carolina — 48.4 · #16 South Dakota — 50.1 · #24 Tennessee — 53.4 · #33 Texas — 50.4 · #25 Utah — 51.9 · #27 Virginia — 50.8 · #26 Vermont — 53.6 · #34 Washington — 55.5 · #37 Wisconsin — 45.3 · #8 West Virginia — 39.8 · #2 Wyoming — 62.0 · #47
Low Moderate Elevated High

Tap a state to view details

About Entry Risk Score: A weighted composite of firm retention, growth momentum, market volatility, establishment density, and wage pressure. Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Data period: 2024. Last updated: February 2026. Next refresh expected: Q2 2026 (BLS QCEW update).

Compare to Another State

How does Washington stack up against other states for finance and insurance?

Select a state above to see the comparison

Finance and Insurance in Neighboring States

How Washington's finance and insurance market compares to bordering states.

Idaho 56.2 #39/51 Oregon 56.7 #41/51

Other Industries in Washington

Construction → Healthcare and Social Assistance → Retail Trade → Accommodation and Food Services → Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services → Real Estate and Rental and Leasing → Administrative and Support Services → Information → Other Services →