NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Chico, CA

Metro Market Score 74.5 (Difficult), ranked #364 of 378 metros. 630 establishments, 9,123 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 74.5
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Difficult

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

💰High-Cost Market⚡Rising Wages

Wage costs in Chico's retail trade sector are well above the metro average, with wage competitiveness at 81.8 and rising pressure at 75.7. New entrants should factor higher labor costs into their financial projections for this market.

Industry Concentration
53.4
LQ: 1.16
Rank #202 of 378 metros
Wage Competitiveness
81.8
$41,784 avg wage
Growth Trend
↓ 14.8
Employment growth index
Rank #323 of 378 metros
Wage Pressure
75.7
YoY wage change index

630 Retail Trade Firms in Chico

630
Establishments
-1.7% YoY
9,123
Total Employment
-2.4% YoY
$41,784
Average Annual Wage
+2.7% YoY
1.16
Location Quotient
Above national avg

Chico vs California Statewide

How this metro's retail trade market compares to California overall. The state ranks #28/51 for entry risk.

Measure Chico CA Statewide
Overall Score 74.5 Difficult 44.0 Elevated
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #364 of 378 metros #28 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 Chico

Administrative and Support Services 26.0 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 43.9 Finance and Insurance 45.3 Healthcare and Social Assistance 45.3 Other Services 49.4 Information 49.8 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 51.5 Accommodation and Food Services 53.8 Construction 64.2

Retail Trade in Other California Metros

Fresno 35.8 #28/378 Visalia 38.4 #39/378 Napa 38.8 #43/378 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara 51.6 #157/378 El Centro 53.6 #180/378 Salinas 53.7 #184/378 Hanford-Corcoran 55.6 #204/378 Merced 56.2 #211/378 Bakersfield-Delano 56.4 #213/378 Yuba City 56.6 #215/378

+ 14 more metros. View all in California →

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 Chico's retail trade sector, the employment growth component (85.2) 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

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.