NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Fresno, CA

Metro Market Score 35.8 (Moderate), ranked #28 of 378 metros. 2,744 establishments, 43,429 jobs.

Metro Market Score 35.8

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

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

💰High-Cost Market📈Rapid Growth🌱Emerging Market

Employment in Fresno's retail trade sector grew faster than most metros last year, pushing its growth trend index to 96.6. Combined with a 35.8 market score, this metro sits in the top 10% for overall conditions.

Industry Concentration

6.9

LQ: 0.90

Rank #26 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

78.0

$41,049 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 96.6

Employment growth index

Rank #14 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

67.9

YoY wage change index

2,744 Retail Trade Firms in Fresno

2,744

Establishments

+13.5% YoY

43,429

Total Employment

+8.3% YoY

$41,049

Average Annual Wage

+1.2% YoY

0.90

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within California

#1 of 25

retail trade metros in state

California state rank

#28 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

-24.8

better than median (60.6)

Fresno vs California Statewide

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

Measure	Fresno	CA Statewide
Overall Score	35.8 Moderate	44.0 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#28 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 Fresno

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 23.2 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 30.3 Administrative and Support Services 34.7 Healthcare and Social Assistance 36.3 Construction 37.4 Other Services 37.5 Accommodation and Food Services 39.2 Finance and Insurance 42.2 Information 44.5

Retail Trade in Other California Metros

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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario 58.5 #239/378

+ 14 more metros. View all in California →

Retail Trade Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Fresno's 35.8 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Brunswick-St. Simons, GA 36.0 #29/378 Auburn-Opelika, AL 35.6 #27/378 Topeka, KS 35.1 #26/378 Jackson, MS 34.9 #25/378 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI 34.8 #24/378 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA 36.9 #30/378 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 34.7 #23/378 Decatur, AL 37.0 #31/378 Laredo, TX 34.6 #22/378 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI 37.1 #32/378

Retail Trade in States Bordering California

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

Nevada 37.0 #3/51 Oregon 42.9 #24/51 Arizona 44.9 #32/51

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 Fresno's retail trade sector, the wage competitiveness component (78.0) 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 Fresno, CA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment