NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI

Metro Market Score 66.6 (Difficult), ranked #318 of 378 metros. 722 establishments, 12,358 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 66.6
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Difficult

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

⚡Rising Wages

Retail Trade employment in Kalamazoo-Portage contracted year-over-year, placing the growth trend in the bottom quartile at 1.9. Declining job counts can indicate consolidation, population shifts, or reduced local demand. Due diligence on the local economy is especially important here.

Industry Concentration
25.7
LQ: 1.03
Rank #97 of 378 metros
Wage Competitiveness
53.4
$38,041 avg wage
Growth Trend
↓ 1.9
Employment growth index
Rank #372 of 378 metros
Wage Pressure
87.0
YoY wage change index

722 Retail Trade Firms in Kalamazoo-Portage

722
Establishments
-28.9% YoY
12,358
Total Employment
-18.4% YoY
$38,041
Average Annual Wage
+4.9% YoY
1.03
Location Quotient
Above national avg

Kalamazoo-Portage vs Michigan Statewide

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

Measure Kalamazoo-Portage MI Statewide
Overall Score 66.6 Difficult 40.5 Moderate
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #318 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 Kalamazoo-Portage

Information 43.7 Administrative and Support Services 61.2 Accommodation and Food Services 65.8 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 67.6 Construction 69.5 Finance and Insurance 70.0 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 70.1 Other Services 74.7 Healthcare and Social Assistance 75.8

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 Kalamazoo-Portage's retail trade sector, the employment growth component (98.2) 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

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.