NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Bangor, ME

Metro Market Score 61.6 (Difficult), ranked #271 of 378 metros. 638 establishments, 10,657 jobs.

Metro Market Score 61.6

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Difficult

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

📈Rapid Growth⚡Rising Wages

With a 1.48 location quotient, Bangor has an outsized retail trade presence relative to its population. That concentration (index: 95.2) creates a mature local market where supplier networks are established but differentiation matters more.

Industry Concentration

95.2

LQ: 1.48

Rank #360 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

56.1

$38,540 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 76.5

Employment growth index

Rank #90 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

83.4

YoY wage change index

638 Retail Trade Firms in Bangor

638

Establishments

-0.6% YoY

10,657

Total Employment

+0.9% YoY

$38,540

Average Annual Wage

+4.2% YoY

1.48

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Maine

#3 of 3

retail trade metros in state

Maine state rank

#29 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

+8.3

worse than median (53.3)

Bangor vs Maine Statewide

How this metro's retail trade market compares to Maine overall. The state ranks #29/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Bangor	ME Statewide
Overall Score	61.6 Difficult	44.1 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#271 of 378 metros	#29 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 Bangor

Administrative and Support Services 27.6 Finance and Insurance 30.3 Other Services 35.4 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 36.4 Information 43.9 Accommodation and Food Services 44.8 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 47.4 Construction 47.9 Healthcare and Social Assistance 53.8

Retail Trade in Other Maine Metros

Portland-South Portland 52.7 #171/378 Lewiston-Auburn 53.3 #177/378

Retail Trade Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Bangor's 61.6 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Stockton-Lodi, CA 61.6 #272/378 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL 61.6 #273/378 Wheeling, WV 61.5 #270/378 Burlington, NC 61.6 #274/378 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL 61.4 #269/378 Traverse City, MI 61.3 #268/378 Florence, SC 61.9 #275/378 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL 61.9 #276/378 Providence-Warwick, RI 61.1 #267/378 Vineland, NJ 62.1 #277/378

Retail Trade in States Bordering Maine

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

New Hampshire 48.7 #40/51

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 Bangor's retail trade sector, the industry concentration component (95.2) 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 Bangor, ME MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment