NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Duluth, MN

Metro Market Score 48.9 (Challenging), ranked #123 of 378 metros. 1,006 establishments, 14,858 jobs.

Metro Market Score 48.9

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

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

⚡Rising Wages

Duluth pairs above-average retail trade concentration (59.8) with positive employment growth (trend: 55.8). The market is competitive but still expanding, leaving room for well-positioned new entrants.

Industry Concentration

59.8

LQ: 1.19

Rank #226 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

20.4

$34,824 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 55.8

Employment growth index

Rank #168 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

78.2

YoY wage change index

1,006 Retail Trade Firms in Duluth

1,006

Establishments

+1.8% YoY

14,858

Total Employment

+0.0% YoY

$34,824

Average Annual Wage

+3.2% YoY

1.19

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Minnesota

#3 of 5

retail trade metros in state

Minnesota state rank

#9 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

0.0

matches median (48.9)

Duluth vs Minnesota Statewide

How this metro's retail trade market compares to Minnesota overall. The state ranks #9/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Duluth	MN Statewide
Overall Score	48.9 Challenging	39.6 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#123 of 378 metros	#9 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 Duluth

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 30.6 Information 30.9 Accommodation and Food Services 42.0 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 44.5 Finance and Insurance 50.5 Other Services 57.5 Construction 65.2

Retail Trade in Other Minnesota Metros

Rochester 32.2 #11/378 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington 46.1 #92/378 St. Cloud 54.1 #189/378 Mankato 57.4 #224/378

Retail Trade Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Duluth's 48.9 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

State College, PA 48.9 #121/378 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 48.9 #122/378 Kansas City, MO 48.9 #120/378 Williamsport, PA 49.0 #124/378 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX 48.8 #119/378 Kokomo, IN 48.8 #118/378 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 48.7 #117/378 Kenosha, WI 49.2 #125/378 Erie, PA 49.3 #126/378 Clarksville, TN 48.6 #116/378

Retail Trade in States Bordering Minnesota

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

Wisconsin 33.3 #1/51 South Dakota 38.9 #7/51 Iowa 40.8 #16/51 North Dakota 49.9 #41/51

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 Duluth's retail trade sector, the wage pressure component (78.2) 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 Duluth, MN-WI MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment