NAICS 51

Information in Washington: 2026 Market Risk Report

Entry risk 55.7 (High), ranked #49 of 51 states. 8,497 establishments, 162,414 jobs.

Entry Risk Assessment

Entry Risk Score 55.7
Low 0-30
Moderate 30-42
Elevated 42-55
High 55+
High Risk

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national information average.

Labor cost dynamics in Washington information are elevated, with wage pressure at 82.7. This contributes to the state's overall entry risk ranking of #49 out of 51.

5-Year Firm Retention
19.6%
Percentile within industry
Rank #42 of 51 states
Growth Momentum
46.2
Scale of 0-100
Rank #13 of 51 states
Establishment Density
20.1
vs. national average
Rank #36 of 51 states
Market Volatility
18.0
Lower is more stable
Wage Pressure Index
82.7
Labor cost pressure

8,497 Establishments in Washington

8,497
Establishments
+7.8% YoY
162,414
Total Employment
-3.1% YoY
$313,103
Average Annual Wage
+16.8% YoY

Washington vs National Information Average

How Washington's information market compares to the national average across all 51 states.

Metric WA National Difference
Entry Risk Score 55.7 43.6 +12.1
5-Year Retention 19.6% 51.0% -31.4
Growth Momentum 46.2 34.6 +11.6
Market Volatility 18.0 24.1 -6.1
Establishment Density 20.1 18.3 +1.8
Wage Pressure 82.7 41.8 +40.9

Green = favorable vs national average. Red = less favorable. Metrics are relative within information only.

Washington Ranks #49 of 51 for Information

Washington ranks #49 out of 51 states for information market entry conditions.

Information Entry Risk by State

Rank State Risk Score Classification
#1 North Dakota 28.8 low
#2 Arkansas 30.0 moderate
#3 Alaska 31.5 moderate
#4 Pennsylvania 31.8 moderate
#5 Alabama 32.1 moderate
#49 Washington You 55.7 high
Entry Risk by State Alaska — 31.5 · #3 Alabama — 32.1 · #5 Arkansas — 30.0 · #2 Arizona — 49.2 · #41 California — 56.6 · #51 Colorado — 46.7 · #31 Connecticut — 54.5 · #47 District of Columbia — 51.0 · #43 Delaware — 48.0 · #36 Florida — 46.5 · #30 Georgia — 48.9 · #39 Hawaii — 55.2 · #48 Iowa — 38.3 · #15 Idaho — 43.8 · #24 Illinois — 48.5 · #38 Indiana — 40.2 · #19 Kansas — 37.6 · #12 Kentucky — 32.6 · #6 Louisiana — 51.7 · #44 Massachusetts — 40.2 · #17 Maryland — 48.9 · #40 Maine — 44.1 · #25 Michigan — 47.2 · #32 Minnesota — 42.6 · #22 Missouri — 36.8 · #10 Mississippi — 43.1 · #23 Montana — 33.2 · #7 North Carolina — 45.3 · #28 North Dakota — 28.8 · #1 Nebraska — 37.8 · #13 New Hampshire — 47.8 · #35 New Jersey — 52.0 · #46 New Mexico — 47.7 · #34 Nevada — 56.3 · #50 New York — 50.5 · #42 Ohio — 44.4 · #26 Oklahoma — 40.2 · #18 Oregon — 52.0 · #45 Pennsylvania — 31.8 · #4 Rhode Island — 39.9 · #16 South Carolina — 46.3 · #29 South Dakota — 33.6 · #8 Tennessee — 48.1 · #37 Texas — 41.5 · #20 Utah — 47.4 · #33 Virginia — 36.2 · #9 Vermont — 45.1 · #27 Washington — 55.7 · #49 Wisconsin — 38.1 · #14 West Virginia — 37.3 · #11 Wyoming — 42.2 · #21
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 information?

Select a state above to see the comparison

Information in Neighboring States

How Washington's information market compares to bordering states.

Idaho 43.8 #24/51 Oregon 52.0 #45/51

Other Industries in Washington

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