NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Mobile, AL

Metro Market Score 54.9 (Challenging), ranked #195 of 378 metros. 1,619 establishments, 19,509 jobs.

Metro Market Score 54.9

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

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

⚡Rising Wages

At #195 of 378 metros, Mobile's retail trade sector scores 54.9 on the market index. Concentration (44.2), wage levels (55.6), and growth (50.0) all track close to the median. Local factors like lease costs and client access will matter more than macro signals.

Industry Concentration

44.2

LQ: 1.11

Rank #167 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

55.6

$38,417 avg wage

Growth Trend

50.0

Employment growth index

Rank #190 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

74.6

YoY wage change index

1,619 Retail Trade Firms in Mobile

1,619

Establishments

+0.4% YoY

19,509

Total Employment

-0.2% YoY

$38,417

Average Annual Wage

+2.5% YoY

1.11

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Alabama

#9 of 12

retail trade metros in state

Alabama state rank

#36 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

+3.1

worse than median (51.8)

Mobile vs Alabama Statewide

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

Measure	Mobile	AL Statewide
Overall Score	54.9 Challenging	46.4 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#195 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 Mobile

Construction 45.8 Accommodation and Food Services 52.5 Information 52.9 Healthcare and Social Assistance 57.1 Other Services 58.3 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 60.5 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 61.2 Administrative and Support Services 61.9 Finance and Insurance 69.1

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 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 Mobile's 54.9 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX 55.0 #196/378 Lansing-East Lansing, MI 55.0 #197/378 Hinesville, GA 54.6 #194/378 Monroe, MI 55.1 #198/378 Lebanon, PA 55.1 #199/378 Albuquerque, NM 55.2 #200/378 Farmington, NM 55.3 #201/378 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 55.5 #202/378 Athens-Clarke County, GA 54.2 #193/378 Helena, MT 54.2 #192/378

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 Mobile's retail trade sector, the employment growth component (50.0) 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 Mobile, AL MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment