NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Springfield, IL

Metro Market Score 40.0 (Moderate), ranked #50 of 378 metros. 649 establishments, 11,412 jobs.

Metro Market Score 40.0

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

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

⚡Rising Wages

Few retail trade firms have established themselves in Springfield yet. The concentration index of 3.2 is well below the metro median, while employment growth is positive (trend: 51.9). That combination points to a market still building out.

Industry Concentration

3.2

LQ: 0.84

Rank #12 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

36.8

$36,343 avg wage

Growth Trend

51.9

Employment growth index

Rank #183 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

77.7

YoY wage change index

649 Retail Trade Firms in Springfield

649

Establishments

-0.6% YoY

11,412

Total Employment

-0.2% YoY

$36,343

Average Annual Wage

+3.1% YoY

0.84

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Illinois

#2 of 8

retail trade metros in state

Illinois state rank

#39 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

-9.6

better than median (49.5)

Springfield vs Illinois Statewide

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

Measure	Springfield	IL Statewide
Overall Score	40.0 Moderate	48.1 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#50 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 Springfield

Construction 38.9 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 43.8 Administrative and Support Services 49.1 Accommodation and Food Services 58.6

Retail Trade in Other Illinois Metros

Champaign-Urbana 24.9 #3/378 Peoria 42.4 #60/378 Decatur 43.1 #71/378 Kankakee 49.5 #129/378 Bloomington 53.4 #179/378 Rockford 60.5 #259/378 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin 63.1 #287/378

Retail Trade Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Springfield's 40.0 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 40.3 #51/378 Bloomington, IN 39.6 #49/378 Canton-Massillon, OH 39.6 #48/378 Jackson, TN 40.4 #52/378 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI 39.2 #47/378 Appleton, WI 39.0 #46/378 Gainesville, GA 39.0 #45/378 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH 40.9 #53/378 Lake Charles, LA 39.0 #44/378 Napa, CA 38.8 #43/378

Retail Trade in States Bordering Illinois

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

Wisconsin 33.3 #1/51 Indiana 39.8 #10/51 Iowa 40.8 #16/51 Kentucky 46.4 #36/51 Missouri 50.6 #42/51

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 Springfield's retail trade sector, the wage pressure component (77.7) 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 Springfield, IL MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment