NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Salinas, CA

Metro Market Score 53.7 (Challenging), ranked #184 of 378 metros. 1,201 establishments, 16,085 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 53.7
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Challenging

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

💰High-Cost Market

Salinas stands out for high retail trade labor costs. Wage competitiveness hits 93.9 (above the 70th percentile of metros), and year-over-year wage pressure at 68.4 signals continued increases. Plan for higher payroll if entering this market.

Industry Concentration
2.4
LQ: 0.80
Rank #9 of 378 metros
Wage Competitiveness
93.9
$44,749 avg wage
Growth Trend
46.8
Employment growth index
Rank #202 of 378 metros
Wage Pressure
68.4
YoY wage change index

1,201 Retail Trade Firms in Salinas

1,201
Establishments
-1.8% YoY
16,085
Total Employment
-0.4% YoY
$44,749
Average Annual Wage
+1.3% YoY
0.80
Location Quotient
Below national avg

Salinas vs California Statewide

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

Measure Salinas CA Statewide
Overall Score 53.7 Challenging 44.0 Elevated
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #184 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 Salinas

Construction 31.6 Healthcare and Social Assistance 32.3 Information 32.5 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 37.9 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 39.8 Other Services 50.2 Administrative and Support Services 51.2 Finance and Insurance 52.3 Accommodation and Food Services 75.7

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 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 →

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 Salinas's retail trade sector, the wage competitiveness component (93.9) 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.