NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA

Metro Market Score 58.5 (Challenging), ranked #239 of 378 metros. 10,903 establishments, 182,332 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 58.5
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Challenging

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

💰High-Cost Market⚡Rising Wages

Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario stands out for high retail trade labor costs. Wage competitiveness hits 91.3 (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
36.5
LQ: 1.08
Rank #138 of 378 metros
Wage Competitiveness
91.3
$43,911 avg wage
Growth Trend
↑ 63.5
Employment growth index
Rank #139 of 378 metros
Wage Pressure
78.2
YoY wage change index

10,903 Retail Trade Firms in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario

10,903
Establishments
+0.3% YoY
182,332
Total Employment
+0.1% YoY
$43,911
Average Annual Wage
+3.2% YoY
1.08
Location Quotient
Above national avg

Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario vs California Statewide

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

Measure Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario CA Statewide
Overall Score 58.5 Challenging 44.0 Elevated
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #239 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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario

Healthcare and Social Assistance 27.0 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 28.0 Finance and Insurance 43.9 Other Services 45.3 Information 46.6 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 51.6 Construction 60.5 Administrative and Support Services 61.4 Accommodation and Food Services 72.8

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 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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario's retail trade sector, the wage competitiveness component (91.3) 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.