NAICS 51

Information in Yakima, WA

Metro Market Score 30.0 (Favorable), ranked #61 of 294 metros. 57 establishments, 494 jobs.

Metro Market Score 30.0

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Favorable

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national information average.

Information wages in Yakima run well below the metro average (competitiveness index: 10.2), and year-over-year wage pressure is low at 22.3. For labor-intensive operations, this cost advantage could improve unit economics significantly.

Industry Concentration

9.2

LQ: 0.23

Rank #27 of 294 metros

Wage Competitiveness

10.2

$55,585 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 30.9

Employment growth index

Rank #204 of 294 metros

Wage Pressure

22.3

YoY wage change index

57 Information Firms in Yakima

Establishments

-3.4% YoY

494

Total Employment

-5.0% YoY

$55,585

Average Annual Wage

+5.5% YoY

0.23

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Washington

#1 of 10

information metros in state

Washington state rank

#49 of 51

for information entry risk

vs State Median

-22.1

better than median (52.2)

Yakima vs Washington Statewide

How this metro's information market compares to Washington overall. The state ranks #49/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Yakima	WA Statewide
Overall Score	30.0 Favorable	55.7 High
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#61 of 294 metros	#49 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 Yakima

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 17.6 Administrative and Support Services 20.8 Finance and Insurance 38.7 Construction 39.6 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 40.5 Accommodation and Food Services 41.3 Other Services 48.6 Healthcare and Social Assistance 53.7 Retail Trade 67.8

Information in Other Washington Metros

Kennewick-Richland 31.1 #65/294 Walla Walla 42.9 #136/294 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard 45.2 #154/294 Mount Vernon-Anacortes 47.3 #173/294 Longview-Kelso 52.2 #202/294 Bellingham 55.4 #217/294 Spokane-Spokane Valley 58.7 #230/294 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater 64.9 #259/294 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue 75.6 #289/294

Information Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Yakima's 30.0 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Iowa City, IA 30.0 #60/294 Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ 29.9 #59/294 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL 29.8 #58/294 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ 29.5 #57/294 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA 29.5 #56/294 Williamsport, PA 30.8 #62/294 Ocala, FL 30.8 #63/294 Duluth, MN 30.9 #64/294 Kennewick-Richland, WA 31.1 #65/294 Longview, TX 31.2 #66/294

Information in States Bordering Washington

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

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

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 Yakima's information sector, the employment growth component (69.0) 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 Yakima, WA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment