NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Hot Springs, AR

Metro Market Score 71.6 (Difficult), ranked #347 of 378 metros. 466 establishments, 6,026 jobs.

Metro Market Score 71.6

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Difficult

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

🏭Industry Hub

With a 1.59 location quotient, Hot Springs has an outsized retail trade presence relative to its population. That concentration (index: 97.6) creates a mature local market where supplier networks are established but differentiation matters more.

Industry Concentration

97.6

LQ: 1.59

Rank #369 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

33.1

$35,984 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 15.6

Employment growth index

Rank #320 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

67.9

YoY wage change index

466 Retail Trade Firms in Hot Springs

466

Establishments

-1.1% YoY

6,026

Total Employment

-2.4% YoY

$35,984

Average Annual Wage

+1.2% YoY

1.59

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Arkansas

#5 of 5

retail trade metros in state

Arkansas state rank

#44 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

+11.3

worse than median (60.2)

Hot Springs vs Arkansas Statewide

How this metro's retail trade market compares to Arkansas overall. The state ranks #44/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Hot Springs	AR Statewide
Overall Score	71.6 Difficult	51.8 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#347 of 378 metros	#44 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 Hot Springs

Information 22.1 Other Services 22.9 Administrative and Support Services 30.4 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 35.5 Construction 36.8 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 40.3 Finance and Insurance 53.0 Accommodation and Food Services 62.0 Healthcare and Social Assistance 66.8

Retail Trade in Other Arkansas Metros

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway 42.1 #58/378 Jonesboro 47.4 #104/378 Fort Smith 60.2 #255/378 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers 62.9 #284/378

Retail Trade Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Hot Springs's 71.6 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

New Haven, CT 71.5 #346/378 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA 71.8 #348/378 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 71.2 #345/378 Grants Pass, OR 71.9 #349/378 Lafayette, LA 71.2 #344/378 Rapid City, SD 70.8 #343/378 Vallejo, CA 72.3 #350/378 Santa Fe, NM 70.8 #342/378 Anchorage, AK 72.7 #351/378 Dothan, AL 72.8 #352/378

Retail Trade in States Bordering Arkansas

State-level entry risk for retail trade in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

Texas 41.6 #17/51 Tennessee 42.8 #22/51 Oklahoma 46.3 #35/51 Missouri 50.6 #42/51 Louisiana 52.3 #46/51 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 Hot Springs's retail trade sector, the employment growth component (84.4) 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 Hot Springs, AR MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment