NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA

Metro Market Score 34.7 (Favorable), ranked #23 of 378 metros. 2,316 establishments, 42,272 jobs.

Metro Market Score 34.7

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Favorable

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

📈Rapid Growth🌱Emerging Market

Des Moines-West Des Moines ranks in the top 10% for retail trade market conditions, driven by above-average employment growth. With a market score of 34.7, conditions are relatively favorable compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration

29.1

LQ: 1.05

Rank #110 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

54.2

$38,081 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 93.7

Employment growth index

Rank #25 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

59.6

YoY wage change index

2,316 Retail Trade Firms in Des Moines-West Des Moines

2,316

Establishments

+5.9% YoY

42,272

Total Employment

+4.1% YoY

$38,081

Average Annual Wage

-0.4% YoY

1.05

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Iowa

#3 of 8

retail trade metros in state

Iowa state rank

#16 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

-10.5

better than median (45.2)

Des Moines-West Des Moines vs Iowa Statewide

How this metro's retail trade market compares to Iowa overall. The state ranks #16/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Des Moines-West Des Moines	IA Statewide
Overall Score	34.7 Favorable	40.8 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#23 of 378 metros	#16 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines

Accommodation and Food Services 33.8 Information 51.6 Construction 52.9 Other Services 53.0 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 55.5 Finance and Insurance 60.0

Retail Trade in Other Iowa Metros

Ames 28.5 #7/378 Dubuque 34.4 #20/378 Iowa City 42.0 #56/378 Cedar Rapids 45.2 #86/378 Waterloo-Cedar Falls 51.3 #155/378 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island 60.0 #252/378 Sioux City 60.7 #264/378

Retail Trade Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Des Moines-West Des Moines's 34.7 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Laredo, TX 34.6 #22/378 Wausau, WI 34.6 #21/378 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI 34.8 #24/378 Dubuque, IA 34.4 #20/378 Jackson, MS 34.9 #25/378 Ithaca, NY 34.3 #19/378 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS 34.2 #18/378 Topeka, KS 35.1 #26/378 Spartanburg, SC 34.1 #17/378 Monroe, LA 34.0 #16/378

Retail Trade in States Bordering Iowa

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

Wisconsin 33.3 #1/51 Nebraska 35.9 #2/51 South Dakota 38.9 #7/51 Minnesota 39.6 #9/51 Illinois 48.1 #39/51 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines's retail trade sector, the wage competitiveness component (54.2) 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment