NAICS 51

Information in Akron, OH

Metro Market Score 60.9 (Difficult), ranked #240 of 294 metros. 408 establishments, 2,992 jobs.

Metro Market Score 60.9

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Difficult

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national information average.

Akron's information sector saw employment decline over the past year (growth trend: 14.3). That contraction, combined with a 60.9 market score, puts this metro in the bottom quartile for market conditions. Understand why the local market is shrinking before committing.

Industry Concentration

54.1

LQ: 0.50

Rank #159 of 294 metros

Wage Competitiveness

66.7

$89,269 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 14.3

Employment growth index

Rank #253 of 294 metros

Wage Pressure

24.7

YoY wage change index

408 Information Firms in Akron

408

Establishments

+0.0% YoY

2,992

Total Employment

-9.1% YoY

$89,269

Average Annual Wage

+8.2% YoY

0.50

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Ohio

#9 of 9

information metros in state

Ohio state rank

#26 of 51

for information entry risk

vs State Median

+16.1

worse than median (44.8)

Akron vs Ohio Statewide

How this metro's information market compares to Ohio overall. The state ranks #26/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Akron	OH Statewide
Overall Score	60.9 Difficult	44.4 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#240 of 294 metros	#26 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 Akron

Other Services 35.4 Accommodation and Food Services 43.9 Healthcare and Social Assistance 46.4 Construction 49.8 Administrative and Support Services 52.1 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 52.8 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 55.3 Retail Trade 56.7 Finance and Insurance 67.2

Information in Other Ohio Metros

Mansfield 20.0 #20/294 Sandusky 22.0 #26/294 Canton-Massillon 40.0 #115/294 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek 44.2 #147/294 Toledo 44.8 #151/294 Springfield 47.9 #177/294 Cleveland 51.7 #199/294 Youngstown-Warren 57.3 #224/294

Information Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Akron's 60.9 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 61.6 #241/294 Ann Arbor, MI 61.6 #242/294 Providence-Warwick, RI 61.6 #243/294 Lansing-East Lansing, MI 61.6 #244/294 Pittsburgh, PA 61.7 #245/294 Jacksonville, FL 61.7 #246/294 Monroe, LA 60.0 #239/294 Waterbury-Shelton, CT 59.9 #238/294 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN 59.9 #237/294 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA 59.7 #235/294

Information in States Bordering Ohio

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

Pennsylvania 31.8 #4/51 Kentucky 32.6 #6/51 West Virginia 37.3 #11/51 Indiana 40.2 #19/51 Michigan 47.2 #32/51

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 Akron's information sector, the employment growth component (85.7) 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 Akron, OH MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment