NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Rochester, MN

Metro Market Score 32.2 (Favorable), ranked #11 of 378 metros. 688 establishments, 12,201 jobs.

Metro Market Score 32.2

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Favorable

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

📈Rapid Growth⚡Rising Wages🌱Emerging Market

Employment in Rochester's retail trade sector grew faster than most metros last year, pushing its growth trend index to 88.1. Combined with a 32.2 market score, this metro sits in the top 10% for overall conditions.

Industry Concentration

20.4

LQ: 1.00

Rank #77 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

34.9

$36,211 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 88.1

Employment growth index

Rank #46 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

74.1

YoY wage change index

688 Retail Trade Firms in Rochester

688

Establishments

+1.0% YoY

12,201

Total Employment

+2.1% YoY

$36,211

Average Annual Wage

+2.4% YoY

1.00

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Minnesota

#1 of 5

retail trade metros in state

Minnesota state rank

#9 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

-16.7

better than median (48.9)

Rochester vs Minnesota Statewide

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

Measure	Rochester	MN Statewide
Overall Score	32.2 Favorable	39.6 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#11 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 Rochester

Other Services 39.6 Accommodation and Food Services 45.0 Construction 46.2 Information 53.6

Retail Trade in Other Minnesota Metros

Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington 46.1 #92/378 Duluth 48.9 #123/378 St. Cloud 54.1 #189/378 Mankato 57.4 #224/378

Retail Trade Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Rochester's 32.2 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Huntington-Ashland, WV 32.4 #12/378 Morgantown, WV 31.9 #10/378 Columbia, MO 32.6 #13/378 Tuscaloosa, AL 32.9 #14/378 Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI 31.0 #9/378 Niles, MI 33.4 #15/378 Columbus, GA 30.9 #8/378 Monroe, LA 34.0 #16/378 Spartanburg, SC 34.1 #17/378 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS 34.2 #18/378

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 Rochester's retail trade sector, the wage pressure component (74.1) 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 Rochester, MN MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment