NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT

Metro Market Score 65.3 (Difficult), ranked #310 of 378 metros. 3,459 establishments, 44,642 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 65.3
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

Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury stands out for high retail trade labor costs. Wage competitiveness hits 98.9 (above the 70th percentile of metros), and year-over-year wage pressure at 71.5 signals continued increases. Plan for higher payroll if entering this market.

Industry Concentration
42.9
LQ: 1.11
Rank #162 of 378 metros
Wage Competitiveness
98.9
$50,620 avg wage
Growth Trend
48.1
Employment growth index
Rank #197 of 378 metros
Wage Pressure
71.5
YoY wage change index

3,459 Retail Trade Firms in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury

3,459
Establishments
+0.5% YoY
44,642
Total Employment
-0.2% YoY
$50,620
Average Annual Wage
+1.9% YoY
1.11
Location Quotient
Above national avg

Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury vs Connecticut Statewide

How this metro's retail trade market compares to Connecticut overall. The state ranks #31/51 for entry risk.

Measure Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury CT Statewide
Overall Score 65.3 Difficult 44.7 Elevated
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #310 of 378 metros #31 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 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 65.2 Accommodation and Food Services 69.8 Other Services 71.0 Information 73.2 Healthcare and Social Assistance 75.2 Administrative and Support Services 82.7 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 84.0 Finance and Insurance 84.0

Retail Trade in Other Connecticut Metros

Norwich-New London-Willimantic 43.7 #76/378 Waterbury-Shelton 58.4 #235/378 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford 66.1 #314/378 New Haven 71.5 #346/378

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 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury's retail trade sector, the wage competitiveness component (98.9) 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.