NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Tuscaloosa, AL

Metro Market Score 32.9 (Favorable), ranked #14 of 378 metros. 879 establishments, 11,672 jobs.

Metro Market Score 32.9

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Favorable

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

📈Rapid Growth⚡Rising Wages

Tuscaloosa ranks in the top 10% for retail trade market conditions, driven by above-average employment growth. With a market score of 32.9, conditions are relatively favorable compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration

38.9

LQ: 1.09

Rank #147 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

18.5

$34,625 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 89.4

Employment growth index

Rank #41 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

76.7

YoY wage change index

879 Retail Trade Firms in Tuscaloosa

879

Establishments

+3.4% YoY

11,672

Total Employment

+2.3% YoY

$34,625

Average Annual Wage

+2.9% YoY

1.09

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Alabama

#1 of 12

retail trade metros in state

Alabama state rank

#36 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

-18.9

better than median (51.8)

Tuscaloosa vs Alabama Statewide

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

Measure	Tuscaloosa	AL Statewide
Overall Score	32.9 Favorable	46.4 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#14 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 Tuscaloosa

Construction 26.6 Other Services 46.5

Retail Trade in Other Alabama Metros

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 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 Tuscaloosa's 32.9 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Columbia, MO 32.6 #13/378 Huntington-Ashland, WV 32.4 #12/378 Niles, MI 33.4 #15/378 Rochester, MN 32.2 #11/378 Morgantown, WV 31.9 #10/378 Monroe, LA 34.0 #16/378 Spartanburg, SC 34.1 #17/378 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS 34.2 #18/378 Ithaca, NY 34.3 #19/378 Dubuque, IA 34.4 #20/378

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 Tuscaloosa's retail trade sector, the wage pressure component (76.7) 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 Tuscaloosa, AL MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment