NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL

Metro Market Score 62.9 (Difficult), ranked #285 of 378 metros. 1,132 establishments, 14,980 jobs.

Metro Market Score 62.9

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Difficult

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

🏭Industry Hub⚡Rising Wages

With a 1.76 location quotient, Daphne-Fairhope-Foley has an outsized retail trade presence relative to its population. That concentration (index: 98.9) creates a mature local market where supplier networks are established but differentiation matters more.

Industry Concentration

98.9

LQ: 1.76

Rank #374 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

57.4

$38,604 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 68.3

Employment growth index

Rank #121 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

71.5

YoY wage change index

1,132 Retail Trade Firms in Daphne-Fairhope-Foley

1,132

Establishments

+1.8% YoY

14,980

Total Employment

+0.4% YoY

$38,604

Average Annual Wage

+1.9% YoY

1.76

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Alabama

#11 of 12

retail trade metros in state

Alabama state rank

#36 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

+11.2

worse than median (51.8)

Daphne-Fairhope-Foley vs Alabama Statewide

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

Measure	Daphne-Fairhope-Foley	AL Statewide
Overall Score	62.9 Difficult	46.4 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#285 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 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley

Healthcare and Social Assistance 25.9 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 32.7 Information 35.0 Finance and Insurance 39.1 Construction 42.8 Administrative and Support Services 44.7 Accommodation and Food Services 58.2 Other Services 59.7 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 64.4

Retail Trade in Other Alabama Metros

Tuscaloosa 32.9 #14/378 Auburn-Opelika 35.6 #27/378 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

+ 1 more metros. View all in Alabama →

Retail Trade Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Daphne-Fairhope-Foley's 62.9 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR 62.9 #284/378 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC 62.9 #286/378 Greenville, NC 62.9 #283/378 Wichita Falls, TX 62.8 #282/378 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL 63.1 #287/378 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ 63.2 #288/378 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 63.2 #289/378 Rochester, NY 62.6 #281/378 Minot, ND 62.5 #280/378 New Orleans-Metairie, LA 63.3 #290/378

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 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley's retail trade sector, the industry concentration component (98.9) 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 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment