NAICS 51

Information in Ann Arbor, MI

Metro Market Score 61.6 (Difficult), ranked #242 of 294 metros. 297 establishments, 3,909 jobs.

Metro Market Score 61.6

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Difficult

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national information average.

💰High-Cost Market

Market conditions for information in Ann Arbor are tougher than average. The 61.6 market score reflects a combination of high labor costs, mixed growth signals, and an already crowded field. Rank: #242 of 294 metros.

Industry Concentration

91.5

LQ: 0.96

Rank #269 of 294 metros

Wage Competitiveness

92.2

$137,029 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 61.6

Employment growth index

Rank #114 of 294 metros

Wage Pressure

20.8

YoY wage change index

297 Information Firms in Ann Arbor

297

Establishments

-13.9% YoY

3,909

Total Employment

-0.2% YoY

$137,029

Average Annual Wage

+3.8% YoY

0.96

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Michigan

#13 of 15

information metros in state

Michigan state rank

#32 of 51

for information entry risk

vs State Median

+24.8

worse than median (36.9)

Ann Arbor vs Michigan Statewide

How this metro's information market compares to Michigan overall. The state ranks #32/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Ann Arbor	MI Statewide
Overall Score	61.6 Difficult	47.2 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#242 of 294 metros	#32 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 Ann Arbor

Other Services 41.2 Healthcare and Social Assistance 42.4 Construction 42.6 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 44.3 Finance and Insurance 52.0 Retail Trade 52.6 Administrative and Support Services 54.2 Accommodation and Food Services 59.3 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 81.1

Information in Other Michigan Metros

Battle Creek 9.4 #1/294 Monroe 15.5 #9/294 Niles 20.3 #22/294 Midland 22.9 #31/294 Jackson 26.9 #44/294 Flint 31.9 #72/294 Bay City 36.2 #91/294 Traverse City 36.9 #95/294 Muskegon-Norton Shores 38.8 #106/294 Kalamazoo-Portage 43.7 #143/294

+ 4 more metros. View all in Michigan →

Information Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Ann Arbor's 61.6 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Providence-Warwick, RI 61.6 #243/294 Lansing-East Lansing, MI 61.6 #244/294 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 61.6 #241/294 Pittsburgh, PA 61.7 #245/294 Jacksonville, FL 61.7 #246/294 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL 62.1 #247/294 Rochester, NY 62.4 #248/294 Akron, OH 60.9 #240/294 Urban Honolulu, HI 62.5 #249/294 Medford, OR 62.5 #250/294

Information in States Bordering Michigan

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

Wisconsin 38.1 #14/51 Indiana 40.2 #19/51 Ohio 44.4 #26/51

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 Ann Arbor's information sector, the wage competitiveness component (92.2) 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 Ann Arbor, MI MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment