NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Rome, GA

Metro Market Score 42.8 (Moderate), ranked #67 of 378 metros. 402 establishments, 4,370 jobs.

Metro Market Score 42.8

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

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

At #67 of 378 metros, Rome's retail trade sector scores 42.8 on the market index. Concentration (20.6), wage levels (2.4), and growth (22.2) all track close to the median. Local factors like lease costs and client access will matter more than macro signals.

Industry Concentration

20.6

LQ: 1.00

Rank #78 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

2.4

$32,235 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 22.2

Employment growth index

Rank #295 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

68.4

YoY wage change index

402 Retail Trade Firms in Rome

402

Establishments

+6.3% YoY

4,370

Total Employment

-1.9% YoY

$32,235

Average Annual Wage

+1.3% YoY

1.00

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Georgia

#4 of 13

retail trade metros in state

Georgia state rank

#38 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

-10.8

better than median (53.6)

Rome vs Georgia Statewide

How this metro's retail trade market compares to Georgia overall. The state ranks #38/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Rome	GA Statewide
Overall Score	42.8 Moderate	47.5 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#67 of 378 metros	#38 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 Rome

Construction 18.4 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 27.1 Administrative and Support Services 29.1 Finance and Insurance 40.7 Information 43.4 Other Services 44.0 Healthcare and Social Assistance 55.5 Accommodation and Food Services 57.1

Retail Trade in Other Georgia Metros

Columbus 30.9 #8/378 Brunswick-St. Simons 36.0 #29/378 Gainesville 39.0 #45/378 Augusta-Richmond County 43.2 #73/378 Dalton 44.4 #79/378 Albany 53.6 #182/378 Athens-Clarke County 54.2 #193/378 Hinesville 54.6 #194/378 Savannah 58.3 #233/378 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell 58.6 #240/378

+ 2 more metros. View all in Georgia →

Retail Trade Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Rome's 42.8 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Lexington-Fayette, KY 42.8 #68/378 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC 42.7 #65/378 Longview, TX 42.7 #66/378 Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ 42.9 #69/378 Fargo, ND 42.5 #64/378 Pittsburgh, PA 42.5 #63/378 Midland, TX 43.1 #70/378 Decatur, IL 43.1 #71/378 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC 43.1 #72/378 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY 42.4 #62/378

Retail Trade in States Bordering Georgia

State-level entry risk for retail trade in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

Tennessee 42.8 #22/51 North Carolina 43.4 #25/51 South Carolina 44.3 #30/51 Alabama 46.4 #36/51 Florida 51.0 #43/51

Browse Retail Trade in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for retail trade across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

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 Rome's retail trade sector, the employment growth component (77.8) 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

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Rome, GA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment