NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Lake Charles, LA

Metro Market Score 39.0 (Moderate), ranked #44 of 378 metros. 1,036 establishments, 12,176 jobs.

Metro Market Score 39.0

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

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

📈Rapid Growth

Employment in Lake Charles's retail trade sector grew faster than most metros last year, pushing its growth trend index to 96.8. Combined with a 39.0 market score, this metro sits in the top quartile for overall conditions.

Industry Concentration

66.1

LQ: 1.21

Rank #250 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

32.8

$35,943 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 96.8

Employment growth index

Rank #13 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

66.3

YoY wage change index

1,036 Retail Trade Firms in Lake Charles

1,036

Establishments

+15.2% YoY

12,176

Total Employment

+9.0% YoY

$35,943

Average Annual Wage

+0.9% YoY

1.21

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Louisiana

#2 of 10

retail trade metros in state

Louisiana state rank

#46 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

-17.8

better than median (56.7)

Lake Charles vs Louisiana Statewide

How this metro's retail trade market compares to Louisiana overall. The state ranks #46/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Lake Charles	LA Statewide
Overall Score	39.0 Moderate	52.3 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#44 of 378 metros	#46 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 Lake Charles

Other Services 28.8 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 36.9 Construction 49.1 Administrative and Support Services 51.6 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 58.2

Retail Trade in Other Louisiana Metros

Monroe 34.0 #16/378 Baton Rouge 44.2 #77/378 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington 53.3 #178/378 Alexandria 56.6 #216/378 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux 56.7 #218/378 New Orleans-Metairie 63.3 #290/378 Shreveport-Bossier City 67.0 #321/378 Hammond 69.7 #333/378 Lafayette 71.2 #344/378

Retail Trade Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Lake Charles's 39.0 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Gainesville, GA 39.0 #45/378 Appleton, WI 39.0 #46/378 Napa, CA 38.8 #43/378 Reading, PA 38.7 #42/378 Cleveland, OH 38.7 #41/378 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI 39.2 #47/378 Chambersburg, PA 38.4 #40/378 Visalia, CA 38.4 #39/378 Canton-Massillon, OH 39.6 #48/378 Bowling Green, KY 38.3 #38/378

Retail Trade in States Bordering Louisiana

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

Texas 41.6 #17/51 Arkansas 51.8 #44/51 Mississippi 59.2 #51/51

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 Lake Charles's retail trade sector, the industry concentration component (66.1) 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 Lake Charles, LA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment