NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Maine: 2026 Market Risk Report

Entry risk 44.1 (Elevated), ranked #29 of 51 states. 6,022 establishments, 82,114 jobs.

Entry Risk Assessment

Entry Risk Score 44.1
Low 0-30
Moderate 30-42
Elevated 42-55
High 55+
Elevated

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

🛡️Stable Market

Maine exhibits structural stability in retail trade, with volatility at 13.8 and firm retention ranking in the top 10. These metrics suggest lower cyclical risk compared to the national baseline.

5-Year Firm Retention
82.3%
Percentile within industry
Rank #10 of 51 states
Growth Momentum
42.1
Scale of 0-100
Rank #23 of 51 states
Establishment Density
93.9
vs. national average
Rank #50 of 51 states
Market Volatility
13.8
Lower is more stable
Wage Pressure Index
29.3
Labor cost pressure

6,022 Establishments in Maine

6,022
Establishments
+0.2% YoY
82,114
Total Employment
+0.7% YoY
$39,751
Average Annual Wage
+2.4% YoY

Maine vs National Retail Trade Average

How Maine's retail trade market compares to the national average across all 51 states.

Metric ME National Difference
Entry Risk Score 44.1 44.6 -0.5
5-Year Retention 82.3% 51.0% +31.3
Growth Momentum 42.1 42.9 -0.8
Market Volatility 13.8 24.4 -10.5
Establishment Density 93.9 49.0 +44.9
Wage Pressure 29.3 30.5 -1.2

Green = favorable vs national average. Red = less favorable. Metrics are relative within retail trade only.

Maine Ranks #29 of 51 for Retail Trade

Maine ranks #29 out of 51 states for retail trade market entry conditions.

Retail Trade Entry Risk by State

Rank State Risk Score Classification
#1 Wisconsin 33.3 moderate
#2 Nebraska 35.9 moderate
#3 Nevada 37.0 moderate
#4 Massachusetts 37.1 moderate
#5 Alaska 37.2 moderate
#29 Maine You 44.1 elevated
Entry Risk by State Alaska — 37.2 · #5 Alabama — 46.4 · #36 Arkansas — 51.8 · #44 Arizona — 44.9 · #32 California — 44.0 · #28 Colorado — 42.9 · #23 Connecticut — 44.7 · #31 District of Columbia — 58.0 · #50 Delaware — 41.8 · #19 Florida — 51.0 · #43 Georgia — 47.5 · #38 Hawaii — 56.1 · #48 Iowa — 40.8 · #16 Idaho — 40.1 · #12 Illinois — 48.1 · #39 Indiana — 39.8 · #10 Kansas — 40.4 · #14 Kentucky — 46.4 · #36 Louisiana — 52.3 · #46 Massachusetts — 37.1 · #4 Maryland — 43.6 · #26 Maine — 44.1 · #29 Michigan — 40.5 · #15 Minnesota — 39.6 · #9 Missouri — 50.6 · #42 Mississippi — 59.2 · #51 Montana — 45.8 · #34 North Carolina — 43.4 · #25 North Dakota — 49.9 · #41 Nebraska — 35.9 · #2 New Hampshire — 48.7 · #40 New Jersey — 43.7 · #27 New Mexico — 39.9 · #11 Nevada — 37.0 · #3 New York — 57.2 · #49 Ohio — 39.2 · #8 Oklahoma — 46.3 · #35 Oregon — 42.9 · #24 Pennsylvania — 38.1 · #6 Rhode Island — 42.3 · #21 South Carolina — 44.3 · #30 South Dakota — 38.9 · #7 Tennessee — 42.8 · #22 Texas — 41.6 · #17 Utah — 40.3 · #13 Virginia — 41.6 · #17 Vermont — 52.1 · #45 Washington — 42.0 · #20 Wisconsin — 33.3 · #1 West Virginia — 52.8 · #47 Wyoming — 44.9 · #33
Low Moderate Elevated High

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About Entry Risk Score: A weighted composite of firm retention, growth momentum, market volatility, establishment density, and wage pressure. Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Data period: 2024. Last updated: February 2026. Next refresh expected: Q2 2026 (BLS QCEW update).

Compare to Another State

How does Maine stack up against other states for retail trade?

Select a state above to see the comparison

Retail Trade in Neighboring States

How Maine's retail trade market compares to bordering states.

New Hampshire 48.7 #40/51

Other Industries in Maine

Construction → Healthcare and Social Assistance → Accommodation and Food Services → Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services → Finance and Insurance → Real Estate and Rental and Leasing → Administrative and Support Services → Information → Other Services →