NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Gadsden, AL

Metro Market Score 41.9 (Moderate), ranked #55 of 378 metros. 400 establishments, 4,813 jobs.

Metro Market Score 41.9

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

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

📈Rapid Growth

Gadsden is a specialized hub for retail trade, with a location quotient of 1.46 and industry concentration in the top quartile. Higher-than-average firm density means more competition for talent and customers, but also a deeper local supply chain and client pool.

Industry Concentration

93.9

LQ: 1.46

Rank #355 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

4.5

$32,677 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 85.2

Employment growth index

Rank #57 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

64.3

YoY wage change index

400 Retail Trade Firms in Gadsden

400

Establishments

+1.0% YoY

4,813

Total Employment

+1.8% YoY

$32,677

Average Annual Wage

+0.5% YoY

1.46

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Alabama

#4 of 12

retail trade metros in state

Alabama state rank

#36 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

-9.9

better than median (51.8)

Gadsden vs Alabama Statewide

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

Measure	Gadsden	AL Statewide
Overall Score	41.9 Moderate	46.4 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#55 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 Gadsden

Construction 14.3 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 28.8 Finance and Insurance 29.2 Information 35.4 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 35.5 Administrative and Support Services 39.0 Other Services 42.3 Healthcare and Social Assistance 48.8 Accommodation and Food Services 55.7

Retail Trade in Other Alabama Metros

Tuscaloosa 32.9 #14/378 Auburn-Opelika 35.6 #27/378 Decatur 37.0 #31/378 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 Gadsden's 41.9 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Iowa City, IA 42.0 #56/378 Trenton-Princeton, NJ 42.0 #57/378 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR 42.1 #58/378 Lawrence, KS 42.2 #59/378 Peoria, IL 42.4 #60/378 Wilmington, NC 42.4 #61/378 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY 42.4 #62/378 St. Joseph, MO 41.3 #54/378 Pittsburgh, PA 42.5 #63/378 Fargo, ND 42.5 #64/378

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 Gadsden's retail trade sector, the industry concentration component (93.9) 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 Gadsden, AL MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment