NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Elkhart-Goshen, IN

Metro Market Score 48.1 (Challenging), ranked #111 of 378 metros. 696 establishments, 9,748 jobs.

Metro Market Score 48.1

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 Elkhart-Goshen contracted year-over-year, placing the growth trend in the upper half at 7.4. Declining job counts can indicate consolidation, population shifts, or reduced local demand. Due diligence on the local economy is especially important here.

Industry Concentration

1.6

LQ: 0.77

Rank #6 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

27.5

$35,511 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 7.4

Employment growth index

Rank #351 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

65.3

YoY wage change index

696 Retail Trade Firms in Elkhart-Goshen

696

Establishments

-1.3% YoY

9,748

Total Employment

-4.2% YoY

$35,511

Average Annual Wage

+0.7% YoY

0.77

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Indiana

#4 of 11

retail trade metros in state

Indiana state rank

#10 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

-7.5

better than median (55.6)

Elkhart-Goshen vs Indiana Statewide

How this metro's retail trade market compares to Indiana overall. The state ranks #10/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Elkhart-Goshen	IN Statewide
Overall Score	48.1 Challenging	39.8 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#111 of 378 metros	#10 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 Elkhart-Goshen

Information 17.4 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 19.7 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 21.4 Finance and Insurance 26.5 Healthcare and Social Assistance 35.9 Administrative and Support Services 41.5 Construction 44.3 Accommodation and Food Services 46.0 Other Services 52.7

Retail Trade in Other Indiana Metros

Columbus 24.9 #4/378 Bloomington 39.6 #49/378 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood 45.2 #84/378 Kokomo 48.8 #118/378 Michigan City-La Porte 55.6 #203/378 Muncie 56.8 #221/378 Terre Haute 57.5 #225/378 Fort Wayne 58.3 #232/378 Evansville 59.8 #249/378 South Bend-Mishawaka 60.4 #258/378

Retail Trade Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Elkhart-Goshen's 48.1 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Springfield, MO 48.1 #112/378 Jacksonville, FL 48.1 #110/378 Greeley, CO 48.0 #109/378 Lima, OH 48.2 #113/378 Corpus Christi, TX 47.9 #108/378 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI 47.9 #107/378 Springfield, OH 48.5 #114/378 Wichita, KS 48.5 #115/378 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL 47.7 #106/378 Clarksville, TN 48.6 #116/378

Retail Trade in States Bordering Indiana

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

Ohio 39.2 #8/51 Michigan 40.5 #15/51 Kentucky 46.4 #36/51 Illinois 48.1 #39/51

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 Elkhart-Goshen's retail trade sector, the employment growth component (92.6) 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 Elkhart-Goshen, IN MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment