NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL

Metro Market Score 61.9 (Difficult), ranked #276 of 378 metros. 649 establishments, 8,152 jobs.

Metro Market Score 61.9

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Difficult

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

Florence-Muscle Shoals is a specialized hub for retail trade, with a location quotient of 1.47 and industry concentration in the lower half. Higher-than-average firm density means more competition for talent and customers, but also a deeper local supply chain and client pool.

Industry Concentration

95.0

LQ: 1.47

Rank #359 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

22.2

$35,009 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 37.6

Employment growth index

Rank #237 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

69.4

YoY wage change index

649 Retail Trade Firms in Florence-Muscle Shoals

649

Establishments

+2.2% YoY

8,152

Total Employment

-0.9% YoY

$35,009

Average Annual Wage

+1.5% YoY

1.47

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Alabama

#10 of 12

retail trade metros in state

Alabama state rank

#36 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

+10.2

worse than median (51.8)

Florence-Muscle Shoals vs Alabama Statewide

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

Measure	Florence-Muscle Shoals	AL Statewide
Overall Score	61.9 Difficult	46.4 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#276 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 Florence-Muscle Shoals

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 26.8 Other Services 29.4 Information 29.8 Accommodation and Food Services 40.7 Construction 41.5 Finance and Insurance 43.2 Healthcare and Social Assistance 43.7 Administrative and Support Services 46.7

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 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 Florence-Muscle Shoals's 61.9 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Florence, SC 61.9 #275/378 Vineland, NJ 62.1 #277/378 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 62.2 #278/378 Burlington, NC 61.6 #274/378 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL 61.6 #273/378 Bangor, ME 61.6 #271/378 Stockton-Lodi, CA 61.6 #272/378 Wheeling, WV 61.5 #270/378 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL 61.4 #269/378 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT 62.5 #279/378

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 Florence-Muscle Shoals's retail trade sector, the industry concentration component (95.0) 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 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment