NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

Metro Market Score 62.2 (Difficult), ranked #278 of 378 metros. 38,835 establishments, 542,008 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 62.2
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

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim stands out for high retail trade labor costs. Wage competitiveness hits 98.7 (above the 70th percentile of metros), and year-over-year wage pressure at 78.2 signals continued increases. Plan for higher payroll if entering this market.

Industry Concentration
5.8
LQ: 0.88
Rank #22 of 378 metros
Wage Competitiveness
98.7
$50,534 avg wage
Growth Trend
↓ 32.0
Employment growth index
Rank #258 of 378 metros
Wage Pressure
78.2
YoY wage change index

38,835 Retail Trade Firms in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim

38,835
Establishments
-0.8% YoY
542,008
Total Employment
-1.3% YoY
$50,534
Average Annual Wage
+3.2% YoY
0.88
Location Quotient
Below national avg

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim vs California Statewide

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

Measure Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim CA Statewide
Overall Score 62.2 Difficult 44.0 Elevated
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #278 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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim

Healthcare and Social Assistance 36.2 Construction 52.3 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 62.4 Information 66.9 Finance and Insurance 67.4 Administrative and Support Services 68.0 Other Services 68.4 Accommodation and Food Services 68.6 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 72.2

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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim's retail trade sector, the wage competitiveness component (98.7) 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

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.