NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Hattiesburg, MS

Metro Market Score 73.6 (Difficult), ranked #358 of 378 metros. 669 establishments, 9,011 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 73.6
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Difficult

Lower is better. Relative to national retail trade average.

Rising Wages

Hattiesburg is a specialized hub for retail trade, with a location quotient of 1.46 and industry concentration in the bottom 10%. Higher-than-average firm density means more competition for talent and customers, but also a deeper local supply chain and client pool.

Industry Concentration
94.2
LQ: 1.46
Rank #356 of 378 metros
Wage Competitiveness
20.1
$34,749 avg wage
Growth Trend
9.8
Employment growth index
Rank #342 of 378 metros
Wage Pressure
89.6
YoY wage change index

669 Retail Trade Firms in Hattiesburg

669
Establishments
+0.9% YoY
9,011
Total Employment
-3.1% YoY
$34,749
Average Annual Wage
+5.4% YoY
1.46
Location Quotient
Above national avg
Within Mississippi
#3 of 3
retail trade metros in state
Mississippi state rank
#51 of 51
for retail trade entry risk
vs State Median
+38.6
worse than median (34.9)

Hattiesburg vs Mississippi Statewide

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

Measure Hattiesburg MS Statewide
Overall Score 73.6 Difficult 59.2 High
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #358 of 378 metros #51 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 Hattiesburg

Retail Trade in Other Mississippi Metros

Retail Trade Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Hattiesburg's 73.6 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Retail Trade in States Bordering Mississippi

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

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 Hattiesburg's retail trade sector, the employment growth component (90.2) 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.