NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Bloomington, IL

Metro Market Score 53.4 (Challenging), ranked #179 of 378 metros. 414 establishments, 8,240 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 53.4
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Challenging

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

Retail Trade employment in Bloomington contracted year-over-year, placing the growth trend in the upper half at 4.8. Declining job counts can indicate consolidation, population shifts, or reduced local demand. Due diligence on the local economy is especially important here.

Industry Concentration
10.8
LQ: 0.93
Rank #41 of 378 metros
Wage Competitiveness
35.5
$36,272 avg wage
Growth Trend
↓ 4.8
Employment growth index
Rank #361 of 378 metros
Wage Pressure
66.3
YoY wage change index

414 Retail Trade Firms in Bloomington

414
Establishments
-9.6% YoY
8,240
Total Employment
-6.5% YoY
$36,272
Average Annual Wage
+0.9% YoY
0.93
Location Quotient
Below national avg

Bloomington vs Illinois Statewide

How this metro's retail trade market compares to Illinois overall. The state ranks #39/51 for entry risk.

Measure Bloomington IL Statewide
Overall Score 53.4 Challenging 48.1 Elevated
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #179 of 378 metros #39 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 Bloomington

Information 18.0 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 43.4 Healthcare and Social Assistance 44.2 Construction 50.9 Finance and Insurance 59.3 Administrative and Support Services 62.4 Accommodation and Food Services 67.3 Other Services 77.8

Retail Trade in Other Illinois Metros

Champaign-Urbana 24.9 #3/378 Springfield 40.0 #50/378 Peoria 42.4 #60/378 Decatur 43.1 #71/378 Kankakee 49.5 #129/378 Rockford 60.5 #259/378 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin 63.1 #287/378

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 Bloomington's retail trade sector, the employment growth component (95.2) 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.