NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Huntsville, AL

Metro Market Score 44.8 (Moderate), ranked #81 of 378 metros. 1,798 establishments, 27,295 jobs.

Metro Market Score 44.8

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

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

📈Rapid Growth🌱Emerging Market

Huntsville ranks in the top quartile for retail trade market conditions, driven by above-average employment growth. With a market score of 44.8, conditions are relatively favorable compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration

27.5

LQ: 1.04

Rank #104 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

66.4

$39,600 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 75.7

Employment growth index

Rank #93 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

70.0

YoY wage change index

1,798 Retail Trade Firms in Huntsville

1,798

Establishments

+2.1% YoY

27,295

Total Employment

+0.8% YoY

$39,600

Average Annual Wage

+1.6% YoY

1.04

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Alabama

#5 of 12

retail trade metros in state

Alabama state rank

#36 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

-7.0

better than median (51.8)

Huntsville vs Alabama Statewide

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

Measure	Huntsville	AL Statewide
Overall Score	44.8 Moderate	46.4 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#81 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 Huntsville

Other Services 23.1 Accommodation and Food Services 30.1 Construction 32.5 Finance and Insurance 34.0 Healthcare and Social Assistance 34.9 Information 39.3 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 40.2 Administrative and Support Services 55.4 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 70.2

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 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 Huntsville's 44.8 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Roanoke, VA 44.9 #82/378 Gettysburg, PA 44.5 #80/378 Goldsboro, NC 45.0 #83/378 Dalton, GA 44.4 #79/378 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN 45.2 #84/378 Raleigh-Cary, NC 44.4 #78/378 Toledo, OH 45.2 #85/378 Cedar Rapids, IA 45.2 #86/378 Baton Rouge, LA 44.2 #77/378 Eau Claire, WI 45.5 #87/378

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 Huntsville's retail trade sector, the wage competitiveness component (66.4) 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 Huntsville, AL MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment