NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Lawrence, KS

Metro Market Score 42.2 (Moderate), ranked #59 of 378 metros. 313 establishments, 5,648 jobs.

Metro Market Score 42.2

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

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

⚡Rising Wages

Lawrence's retail trade market sits near the national metro median, ranking #59 of 378 with a market score of 42.2. 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

43.9

LQ: 1.11

Rank #166 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

2.1

$32,192 avg wage

Growth Trend

46.0

Employment growth index

Rank #205 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

72.5

YoY wage change index

313 Retail Trade Firms in Lawrence

313

Establishments

-0.6% YoY

5,648

Total Employment

-0.4% YoY

$32,192

Average Annual Wage

+2.1% YoY

1.11

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Kansas

#3 of 4

retail trade metros in state

Kansas state rank

#14 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

0.0

matches median (42.2)

Lawrence vs Kansas Statewide

How this metro's retail trade market compares to Kansas overall. The state ranks #14/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Lawrence	KS Statewide
Overall Score	42.2 Moderate	40.4 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#59 of 378 metros	#14 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 Lawrence

Healthcare and Social Assistance 16.1 Finance and Insurance 29.0 Construction 29.3 Administrative and Support Services 33.7 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 38.3 Information 50.1 Accommodation and Food Services 67.6 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 75.6 Other Services 86.2

Retail Trade in Other Kansas Metros

Manhattan 26.3 #6/378 Topeka 35.1 #26/378 Wichita 48.5 #115/378

Retail Trade Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Lawrence's 42.2 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR 42.1 #58/378 Peoria, IL 42.4 #60/378 Wilmington, NC 42.4 #61/378 Trenton-Princeton, NJ 42.0 #57/378 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY 42.4 #62/378 Iowa City, IA 42.0 #56/378 Pittsburgh, PA 42.5 #63/378 Gadsden, AL 41.9 #55/378 Fargo, ND 42.5 #64/378 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC 42.7 #65/378

Retail Trade in States Bordering Kansas

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

Nebraska 35.9 #2/51 Colorado 42.9 #23/51 Oklahoma 46.3 #35/51 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 Lawrence's retail trade sector, the employment growth component (54.0) 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 Lawrence, KS MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment