NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA

Metro Market Score 51.6 (Challenging), ranked #157 of 378 metros. 1,418 establishments, 18,374 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 51.6
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

Wage costs in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara's retail trade sector are well above the metro average, with wage competitiveness at 90.0 and rising pressure at 71.0. New entrants should factor higher labor costs into their financial projections for this market.

Industry Concentration
4.5
LQ: 0.85
Rank #17 of 378 metros
Wage Competitiveness
90.0
$43,516 avg wage
Growth Trend
54.0
Employment growth index
Rank #175 of 378 metros
Wage Pressure
71.0
YoY wage change index

1,418 Retail Trade Firms in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara

1,418
Establishments
+0.9% YoY
18,374
Total Employment
-0.1% YoY
$43,516
Average Annual Wage
+1.8% YoY
0.85
Location Quotient
Below national avg

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara vs California Statewide

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

Measure Santa Maria-Santa Barbara CA Statewide
Overall Score 51.6 Challenging 44.0 Elevated
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #157 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 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara

Construction 39.1 Finance and Insurance 42.6 Healthcare and Social Assistance 45.9 Other Services 54.0 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 61.3 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 65.8 Administrative and Support Services 76.0 Information 78.0 Accommodation and Food Services 84.9

Retail Trade in Other California Metros

Fresno 35.8 #28/378 Visalia 38.4 #39/378 Napa 38.8 #43/378 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 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 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara's retail trade sector, the wage competitiveness component (90.0) 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.