NAICS 51

Information in Duluth, MN

Metro Market Score 30.9 (Favorable), ranked #64 of 294 metros. 109 establishments, 946 jobs.

Metro Market Score 30.9

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Favorable

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national information average.

Information wages in Duluth run well below the metro average (competitiveness index: 6.5), and year-over-year wage pressure is low at 19.8. For labor-intensive operations, this cost advantage could improve unit economics significantly.

Industry Concentration

38.1

LQ: 0.40

Rank #112 of 294 metros

Wage Competitiveness

6.5

$52,582 avg wage

Growth Trend

47.3

Employment growth index

Rank #156 of 294 metros

Wage Pressure

19.8

YoY wage change index

109 Information Firms in Duluth

109

Establishments

+0.0% YoY

946

Total Employment

-2.9% YoY

$52,582

Average Annual Wage

+2.7% YoY

0.40

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Minnesota

#1 of 5

information metros in state

Minnesota state rank

#22 of 51

for information entry risk

vs State Median

-23.4

better than median (54.3)

Duluth vs Minnesota Statewide

How this metro's information market compares to Minnesota overall. The state ranks #22/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Duluth	MN Statewide
Overall Score	30.9 Favorable	42.6 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#64 of 294 metros	#22 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 Duluth

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 30.6 Accommodation and Food Services 42.0 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 44.5 Retail Trade 48.9 Finance and Insurance 50.5 Other Services 57.5 Construction 65.2

Information in Other Minnesota Metros

Rochester 53.6 #206/294 Mankato 54.3 #212/294 St. Cloud 57.9 #226/294 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington 64.3 #256/294

Information Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Duluth's 30.9 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Ocala, FL 30.8 #63/294 Kennewick-Richland, WA 31.1 #65/294 Williamsport, PA 30.8 #62/294 Longview, TX 31.2 #66/294 Napa, CA 31.3 #67/294 Decatur, AL 31.4 #68/294 Gainesville, GA 31.6 #69/294 Columbus, GA 31.6 #70/294 Yakima, WA 30.0 #61/294 Iowa City, IA 30.0 #60/294

Information in States Bordering Minnesota

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

North Dakota 28.8 #1/51 South Dakota 33.6 #8/51 Wisconsin 38.1 #14/51 Iowa 38.3 #15/51

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 Duluth's information sector, the employment growth component (52.7) 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 Duluth, MN-WI MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment