NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA

Metro Market Score 51.3 (Challenging), ranked #155 of 378 metros. 576 establishments, 10,062 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 51.3
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Challenging

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

⚡Rising Wages

Waterloo-Cedar Falls's retail trade market sits near the national metro median, ranking #155 of 378 with a market score of 51.3. No single metric stands out as an outlier, which means entry conditions depend more on your specific business model than on broad market forces.

Industry Concentration
62.2
LQ: 1.19
Rank #235 of 378 metros
Wage Competitiveness
15.9
$34,322 avg wage
Growth Trend
↓ 41.8
Employment growth index
Rank #221 of 378 metros
Wage Pressure
71.5
YoY wage change index

576 Retail Trade Firms in Waterloo-Cedar Falls

576
Establishments
-1.0% YoY
10,062
Total Employment
-0.7% YoY
$34,322
Average Annual Wage
+1.9% YoY
1.19
Location Quotient
Above national avg

Waterloo-Cedar Falls vs Iowa Statewide

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

Measure Waterloo-Cedar Falls IA Statewide
Overall Score 51.3 Challenging 40.8 Moderate
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #155 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls

Accommodation and Food Services 32.7 Administrative and Support Services 34.3 Construction 37.4 Information 48.5 Other Services 67.9

Retail Trade in Other Iowa Metros

Ames 28.5 #7/378 Dubuque 34.4 #20/378 Des Moines-West Des Moines 34.7 #23/378 Iowa City 42.0 #56/378 Cedar Rapids 45.2 #86/378 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island 60.0 #252/378 Sioux City 60.7 #264/378

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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls's retail trade sector, the employment growth component (58.2) 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.