NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Decatur, AL

Metro Market Score 37.0 (Moderate), ranked #31 of 378 metros. 574 establishments, 6,470 jobs.

Metro Market Score 37.0

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

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

📈Rapid Growth

Decatur ranks in the top 10% for retail trade market conditions, driven by above-average employment growth. With a market score of 37.0, conditions are relatively favorable compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration

40.7

LQ: 1.10

Rank #154 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

33.9

$36,056 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 81.2

Employment growth index

Rank #72 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

63.7

YoY wage change index

574 Retail Trade Firms in Decatur

574

Establishments

+2.3% YoY

6,470

Total Employment

+1.3% YoY

$36,056

Average Annual Wage

+0.4% YoY

1.10

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Alabama

#3 of 12

retail trade metros in state

Alabama state rank

#36 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

-14.7

better than median (51.8)

Decatur vs Alabama Statewide

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

Measure	Decatur	AL Statewide
Overall Score	37.0 Moderate	46.4 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#31 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 Decatur

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 18.2 Information 31.4 Administrative and Support Services 39.8 Finance and Insurance 44.6 Construction 45.4 Other Services 56.2

Retail Trade in Other Alabama Metros

Tuscaloosa 32.9 #14/378 Auburn-Opelika 35.6 #27/378 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 Decatur's 37.0 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI 37.1 #32/378 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA 36.9 #30/378 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX 37.2 #33/378 Joplin, MO 37.4 #34/378 Chattanooga, TN 38.0 #35/378 Brunswick-St. Simons, GA 36.0 #29/378 Sheboygan, WI 38.0 #36/378 Tallahassee, FL 38.1 #37/378 Fresno, CA 35.8 #28/378 Bowling Green, KY 38.3 #38/378

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 Decatur's retail trade sector, the wage pressure component (63.7) 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 Decatur, AL MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment