NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Jackson, MI

Metro Market Score 67.4 (Difficult), ranked #324 of 378 metros. 397 establishments, 6,349 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 67.4
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Difficult

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

Jackson's retail trade sector saw employment decline over the past year (growth trend: 17.2). That contraction, combined with a 67.4 market score, puts this metro in the bottom quartile for market conditions. Understand why the local market is shrinking before committing.

Industry Concentration
50.0
LQ: 1.14
Rank #189 of 378 metros
Wage Competitiveness
68.0
$39,753 avg wage
Growth Trend
↓ 17.2
Employment growth index
Rank #314 of 378 metros
Wage Pressure
65.3
YoY wage change index

397 Retail Trade Firms in Jackson

397
Establishments
-8.9% YoY
6,349
Total Employment
-2.3% YoY
$39,753
Average Annual Wage
+0.7% YoY
1.14
Location Quotient
Above national avg

Jackson vs Michigan Statewide

How this metro's retail trade market compares to Michigan overall. The state ranks #15/51 for entry risk.

Measure Jackson MI Statewide
Overall Score 67.4 Difficult 40.5 Moderate
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #324 of 378 metros #15 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 Jackson

Information 26.9 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 27.4 Construction 36.9 Accommodation and Food Services 39.0 Finance and Insurance 42.4 Healthcare and Social Assistance 56.1 Other Services 59.2 Administrative and Support Services 60.1 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 60.5

Retail Trade in Other Michigan Metros

Niles 33.4 #15/378 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood 37.1 #32/378 Muskegon-Norton Shores 47.1 #100/378 Midland 50.1 #141/378 Ann Arbor 52.6 #169/378 Lansing-East Lansing 55.0 #197/378 Monroe 55.1 #198/378 Battle Creek 58.5 #238/378 Saginaw 60.8 #265/378 Traverse City 61.3 #268/378

+ 4 more metros. View all in Michigan →

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 Jackson's retail trade sector, the employment growth component (82.8) 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.