NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA

Metro Market Score 70.2 (Difficult), ranked #341 of 378 metros. 2,461 establishments, 35,647 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 70.2
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

Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura stands out for high retail trade labor costs. Wage competitiveness hits 95.2 (above the 70th percentile of metros), and year-over-year wage pressure at 77.7 signals continued increases. Plan for higher payroll if entering this market.

Industry Concentration
31.8
LQ: 1.06
Rank #120 of 378 metros
Wage Competitiveness
95.2
$45,554 avg wage
Growth Trend
↓ 23.8
Employment growth index
Rank #289 of 378 metros
Wage Pressure
77.7
YoY wage change index

2,461 Retail Trade Firms in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura

2,461
Establishments
-2.0% YoY
35,647
Total Employment
-1.8% YoY
$45,554
Average Annual Wage
+3.1% YoY
1.06
Location Quotient
Above national avg

Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura vs California Statewide

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

Measure Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura CA Statewide
Overall Score 70.2 Difficult 44.0 Elevated
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #341 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 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura

Healthcare and Social Assistance 26.9 Other Services 38.7 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 47.9 Finance and Insurance 49.9 Administrative and Support Services 56.4 Construction 57.6 Information 59.6 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 65.0 Accommodation and Food Services 72.3

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 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura's retail trade sector, the wage competitiveness component (95.2) 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.