NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Merced, CA

Metro Market Score 56.2 (Challenging), ranked #211 of 378 metros. 561 establishments, 8,528 jobs.

Metro Market Score 56.2

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

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

⚡Rising Wages

Merced scores 56.2 on the Metro Market Score for retail trade, placing it in the lower half. High wage costs, strong existing competition, or slowing growth contribute to tougher entry conditions compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration

22.8

LQ: 1.01

Rank #86 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

50.0

$37,581 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 24.9

Employment growth index

Rank #285 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

77.2

YoY wage change index

561 Retail Trade Firms in Merced

561

Establishments

+2.7% YoY

8,528

Total Employment

-1.7% YoY

$37,581

Average Annual Wage

+3.0% YoY

1.01

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within California

#8 of 25

retail trade metros in state

California state rank

#28 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

-4.4

better than median (60.6)

Merced vs California Statewide

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

Measure	Merced	CA Statewide
Overall Score	56.2 Challenging	44.0 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#211 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 Merced

Information 16.0 Healthcare and Social Assistance 17.5 Administrative and Support Services 19.7 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 29.9 Construction 30.0 Finance and Insurance 34.4 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 38.3 Other Services 43.0 Accommodation and Food Services 64.8

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 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 Merced's 56.2 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Rocky Mount, NC 56.1 #210/378 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA 56.0 #209/378 Greensboro-High Point, NC 56.3 #212/378 Lawton, OK 56.0 #208/378 Bakersfield-Delano, CA 56.4 #213/378 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL 56.4 #214/378 Weirton-Steubenville, WV 55.8 #207/378 Janesville-Beloit, WI 55.8 #206/378 Yuba City, CA 56.6 #215/378 Alexandria, LA 56.6 #216/378

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 Merced's retail trade sector, the employment growth component (75.1) 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 Merced, CA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment