NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Kokomo, IN

Metro Market Score 48.8 (Challenging), ranked #118 of 378 metros. 334 establishments, 4,408 jobs.

Metro Market Score 48.8

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

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

⚡Rising Wages

At #118 of 378 metros, Kokomo's retail trade sector scores 48.8 on the market index. Concentration (71.2), wage levels (3.2), and growth (49.2) all track close to the median. Local factors like lease costs and client access will matter more than macro signals.

Industry Concentration

71.2

LQ: 1.23

Rank #269 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

3.2

$32,380 avg wage

Growth Trend

49.2

Employment growth index

Rank #193 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

74.6

YoY wage change index

334 Retail Trade Firms in Kokomo

334

Establishments

+1.5% YoY

4,408

Total Employment

-0.2% YoY

$32,380

Average Annual Wage

+2.5% YoY

1.23

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Indiana

#5 of 11

retail trade metros in state

Indiana state rank

#10 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

-6.9

better than median (55.6)

Kokomo vs Indiana Statewide

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

Measure	Kokomo	IN Statewide
Overall Score	48.8 Challenging	39.8 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#118 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 Kokomo

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 20.5 Information 27.0 Healthcare and Social Assistance 34.6 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 35.5 Administrative and Support Services 43.2 Finance and Insurance 44.3 Other Services 52.7 Construction 56.5 Accommodation and Food Services 61.9

Retail Trade in Other Indiana Metros

Columbus 24.9 #4/378 Bloomington 39.6 #49/378 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood 45.2 #84/378 Elkhart-Goshen 48.1 #111/378 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 Kokomo's 48.8 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 48.7 #117/378 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX 48.8 #119/378 Kansas City, MO 48.9 #120/378 State College, PA 48.9 #121/378 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 48.9 #122/378 Clarksville, TN 48.6 #116/378 Duluth, MN 48.9 #123/378 Wichita, KS 48.5 #115/378 Springfield, OH 48.5 #114/378 Williamsport, PA 49.0 #124/378

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 Kokomo's retail trade sector, the industry concentration component (71.2) 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

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

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment