NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Hawaii: 2026 Market Risk Report

Entry risk 56.1 (High), ranked #48 of 51 states. 4,697 establishments, 63,981 jobs.

Best retail trade metro in Hawaii
Urban Honolulu 60.1 #253/378 nationwide · 2,875 firms

Entry Risk Assessment

Entry Risk Score 56.1
Low 0-30
Moderate 30-42
Elevated 42-55
High 55+
High Risk

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

Hawaii's retail trade market shows elevated cyclicality, with a volatility index of 87.0. Employment and establishment counts have historically shown larger year-over-year variance than the national average.

5-Year Firm Retention
64.7%
Percentile within industry
Rank #19 of 51 states
Growth Momentum
23.3
Scale of 0-100
Rank #44 of 51 states
Establishment Density
38.0
vs. national average
Rank #22 of 51 states
Market Volatility
87.0
Lower is more stable
Wage Pressure Index
49.3
Labor cost pressure

4,697 Establishments in Hawaii

4,697
Establishments
+0.3% YoY
63,981
Total Employment
-1.1% YoY
$44,020
Average Annual Wage
+3.9% YoY

Retail Trade in Hawaii Metro Areas

2 metro areas with retail trade data in Hawaii. Lower Metro Market Score = more favorable conditions.

Urban Honolulu 60.1 #253/378 · 2,875 firms Kahului-Wailuku 79.9 #376/378 · 764 firms

Hawaii vs National Retail Trade Average

How Hawaii's retail trade market compares to the national average across all 51 states.

Metric HI National Difference
Entry Risk Score 56.1 44.6 +11.5
5-Year Retention 64.7% 51.0% +13.7
Growth Momentum 23.3 42.9 -19.6
Market Volatility 87.0 24.4 +62.6
Establishment Density 38.0 49.0 -11.0
Wage Pressure 49.3 30.5 +18.8

Green = favorable vs national average. Red = less favorable. Metrics are relative within retail trade only.

Hawaii Ranks #48 of 51 for Retail Trade

Hawaii ranks #48 out of 51 states for retail trade market entry conditions.

Retail Trade Entry Risk by State

Rank State Risk Score Classification
#1 Wisconsin 33.3 moderate
#2 Nebraska 35.9 moderate
#3 Nevada 37.0 moderate
#4 Massachusetts 37.1 moderate
#5 Alaska 37.2 moderate
#48 Hawaii You 56.1 high
Entry Risk by State Alaska — 37.2 · #5 Alabama — 46.4 · #36 Arkansas — 51.8 · #44 Arizona — 44.9 · #32 California — 44.0 · #28 Colorado — 42.9 · #23 Connecticut — 44.7 · #31 District of Columbia — 58.0 · #50 Delaware — 41.8 · #19 Florida — 51.0 · #43 Georgia — 47.5 · #38 Hawaii — 56.1 · #48 Iowa — 40.8 · #16 Idaho — 40.1 · #12 Illinois — 48.1 · #39 Indiana — 39.8 · #10 Kansas — 40.4 · #14 Kentucky — 46.4 · #36 Louisiana — 52.3 · #46 Massachusetts — 37.1 · #4 Maryland — 43.6 · #26 Maine — 44.1 · #29 Michigan — 40.5 · #15 Minnesota — 39.6 · #9 Missouri — 50.6 · #42 Mississippi — 59.2 · #51 Montana — 45.8 · #34 North Carolina — 43.4 · #25 North Dakota — 49.9 · #41 Nebraska — 35.9 · #2 New Hampshire — 48.7 · #40 New Jersey — 43.7 · #27 New Mexico — 39.9 · #11 Nevada — 37.0 · #3 New York — 57.2 · #49 Ohio — 39.2 · #8 Oklahoma — 46.3 · #35 Oregon — 42.9 · #24 Pennsylvania — 38.1 · #6 Rhode Island — 42.3 · #21 South Carolina — 44.3 · #30 South Dakota — 38.9 · #7 Tennessee — 42.8 · #22 Texas — 41.6 · #17 Utah — 40.3 · #13 Virginia — 41.6 · #17 Vermont — 52.1 · #45 Washington — 42.0 · #20 Wisconsin — 33.3 · #1 West Virginia — 52.8 · #47 Wyoming — 44.9 · #33
Low Moderate Elevated High

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About Entry Risk Score: A weighted composite of firm retention, growth momentum, market volatility, establishment density, and wage pressure. Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Data period: 2024. Last updated: February 2026. Next refresh expected: Q2 2026 (BLS QCEW update).

Compare to Another State

How does Hawaii stack up against other states for retail trade?

Select a state above to see the comparison

Other Industries in Hawaii

Construction → Healthcare and Social Assistance → Accommodation and Food Services → Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services → Finance and Insurance → Real Estate and Rental and Leasing → Administrative and Support Services → Information → Other Services →