NAICS 54

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Huntington-Ashland, WV

Metro Market Score 37.0 (Moderate), ranked #73 of 261 metros. 1,014 establishments, 4,923 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 37.0
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Moderate

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national professional, scientific, and technical services average.

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services wages in Huntington-Ashland run well below the metro average (competitiveness index: 9.6), and year-over-year wage pressure is low at 32.2. For labor-intensive operations, this cost advantage could improve unit economics significantly.

Industry Concentration
46.0
LQ: 0.51
Rank #120 of 261 metros
Wage Competitiveness
9.6
$66,983 avg wage
Growth Trend
↓ 44.4
Employment growth index
Rank #146 of 261 metros
Wage Pressure
32.2
YoY wage change index

1,014 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Firms in Huntington-Ashland

1,014
Establishments
+18.7% YoY
4,923
Total Employment
+0.0% YoY
$66,983
Average Annual Wage
+0.0% YoY
0.51
Location Quotient
Below national avg

Huntington-Ashland vs West Virginia Statewide

How this metro's professional, scientific, and technical services market compares to West Virginia overall. The state ranks #8/51 for entry risk.

Measure Huntington-Ashland WV Statewide
Overall Score 37.0 Moderate 34.4 Moderate
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #73 of 261 metros #8 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 Huntington-Ashland

Finance and Insurance 28.8 Retail Trade 32.4 Other Services 33.2 Administrative and Support Services 46.0

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services in Other West Virginia Metros

Beckley 16.4 #6/261 Wheeling 36.8 #69/261 Morgantown 47.8 #133/261

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 Huntington-Ashland's professional, scientific, and technical services sector, the employment growth component (55.6) 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

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.