NAICS 51

Information in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ

Metro Market Score 73.1 (Difficult), ranked #284 of 294 metros. 3,421 establishments, 36,698 jobs.

Metro Market Score 73.1

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Difficult

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national information average.

💰High-Cost Market

Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler scores 73.1 on the Metro Market Score for information, placing it in the bottom 10%. High wage costs, strong existing competition, or slowing growth contribute to tougher entry conditions compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration

86.7

LQ: 0.83

Rank #255 of 294 metros

Wage Competitiveness

90.1

$130,689 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 23.5

Employment growth index

Rank #226 of 294 metros

Wage Pressure

29.8

YoY wage change index

3,421 Information Firms in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler

3,421

Establishments

+0.3% YoY

36,698

Total Employment

-6.6% YoY

$130,689

Average Annual Wage

+13.9% YoY

0.83

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Arizona

#7 of 7

information metros in state

Arizona state rank

#41 of 51

for information entry risk

vs State Median

+43.6

worse than median (29.5)

Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler vs Arizona Statewide

How this metro's information market compares to Arizona overall. The state ranks #41/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler	AZ Statewide
Overall Score	73.1 Difficult	49.2 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#284 of 294 metros	#41 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler

Healthcare and Social Assistance 43.6 Other Services 49.6 Construction 55.5 Accommodation and Food Services 55.9 Retail Trade 58.7 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 60.1 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 62.3 Administrative and Support Services 66.5 Finance and Insurance 67.0

Information in Other Arizona Metros

Yuma 19.3 #17/294 Prescott Valley-Prescott 24.8 #36/294 Flagstaff 27.1 #49/294 Lake Havasu City-Kingman 29.5 #57/294 Sierra Vista-Douglas 29.9 #59/294 Tucson 64.1 #254/294

Information Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler's 73.1 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT 73.2 #285/294 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA 72.6 #283/294 Charleston-North Charleston, SC 73.8 #286/294 Raleigh-Cary, NC 74.2 #287/294 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA 71.5 #282/294 Fargo, ND 71.5 #281/294 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 71.4 #280/294 New Haven, CT 75.3 #288/294 Cedar Rapids, IA 70.9 #279/294 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR 70.7 #278/294

Information in States Bordering Arizona

State-level entry risk for information in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

Colorado 46.7 #31/51 Utah 47.4 #33/51 New Mexico 47.7 #34/51 Nevada 56.3 #50/51 California 56.6 #51/51

Browse Information in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for information across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler's information sector, the employment growth component (76.5) 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

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment