NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Auburn-Opelika, AL

Metro Market Score 35.6 (Moderate), ranked #27 of 378 metros. 589 establishments, 8,378 jobs.

Metro Market Score 35.6

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national retail trade average.

📈Rapid Growth⚡Rising Wages

Employment in Auburn-Opelika's retail trade sector grew faster than most metros last year, pushing its growth trend index to 94.7. Combined with a 35.6 market score, this metro sits in the top 10% for overall conditions.

Industry Concentration

56.1

LQ: 1.17

Rank #212 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

22.5

$35,029 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 94.7

Employment growth index

Rank #21 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

72.0

YoY wage change index

589 Retail Trade Firms in Auburn-Opelika

589

Establishments

+7.7% YoY

8,378

Total Employment

+5.3% YoY

$35,029

Average Annual Wage

+2.0% YoY

1.17

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Alabama

#2 of 12

retail trade metros in state

Alabama state rank

#36 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

-16.1

better than median (51.8)

Auburn-Opelika vs Alabama Statewide

How this metro's retail trade market compares to Alabama overall. The state ranks #36/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Auburn-Opelika	AL Statewide
Overall Score	35.6 Moderate	46.4 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#27 of 378 metros	#36 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 Auburn-Opelika

Healthcare and Social Assistance 12.2 Finance and Insurance 19.0 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 25.5 Construction 31.5

Retail Trade in Other Alabama Metros

Tuscaloosa 32.9 #14/378 Decatur 37.0 #31/378 Gadsden 41.9 #55/378 Huntsville 44.8 #81/378 Montgomery 49.9 #137/378 Birmingham 51.8 #161/378 Anniston-Oxford 52.9 #175/378 Mobile 54.9 #195/378 Florence-Muscle Shoals 61.9 #276/378 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley 62.9 #285/378

+ 1 more metros. View all in Alabama →

Retail Trade Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Auburn-Opelika's 35.6 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Fresno, CA 35.8 #28/378 Brunswick-St. Simons, GA 36.0 #29/378 Topeka, KS 35.1 #26/378 Jackson, MS 34.9 #25/378 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI 34.8 #24/378 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 34.7 #23/378 Laredo, TX 34.6 #22/378 Wausau, WI 34.6 #21/378 Dubuque, IA 34.4 #20/378 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA 36.9 #30/378

Retail Trade in States Bordering Alabama

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

Tennessee 42.8 #22/51 Georgia 47.5 #38/51 Florida 51.0 #43/51 Mississippi 59.2 #51/51

Browse Retail Trade in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for retail trade 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 Auburn-Opelika's retail trade sector, the wage pressure component (72.0) 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 Auburn-Opelika, AL MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment