NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Missouri: 2026 Market Risk Report

Entry risk 50.6 (Elevated), ranked #42 of 51 states. 20,588 establishments, 307,582 jobs.

Entry Risk Assessment

Entry Risk Score 50.6
Low 0-30
Moderate 30-42
Elevated 42-55
High 55+
Elevated

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

The retail trade sector in Missouri shows signs of market maturation: momentum index at 33.4 (bottom half) combined with below-average firm retention (bottom 15). Net establishment formation is likely flat or negative.

5-Year Firm Retention
23.5%
Percentile within industry
Rank #40 of 51 states
Growth Momentum
33.4
Scale of 0-100
Rank #29 of 51 states
Establishment Density
43.5
vs. national average
Rank #23 of 51 states
Market Volatility
3.1
Lower is more stable
Wage Pressure Index
37.3
Labor cost pressure

20,588 Establishments in Missouri

20,588
Establishments
-0.8% YoY
307,582
Total Employment
+0.5% YoY
$37,999
Average Annual Wage
+3.0% YoY

Missouri vs National Retail Trade Average

How Missouri's retail trade market compares to the national average across all 51 states.

Metric MO National Difference
Entry Risk Score 50.6 44.6 +6.0
5-Year Retention 23.5% 51.0% -27.5
Growth Momentum 33.4 42.9 -9.5
Market Volatility 3.1 24.4 -21.3
Establishment Density 43.5 49.0 -5.5
Wage Pressure 37.3 30.5 +6.8

Green = favorable vs national average. Red = less favorable. Metrics are relative within retail trade only.

Missouri Ranks #42 of 51 for Retail Trade

Missouri ranks #42 out of 51 states for retail trade market entry conditions.

Retail Trade Entry Risk by State

Rank State Risk Score Classification
#1 Wisconsin 33.3 moderate
#2 Nebraska 35.9 moderate
#3 Nevada 37.0 moderate
#4 Massachusetts 37.1 moderate
#5 Alaska 37.2 moderate
#42 Missouri You 50.6 elevated
Entry Risk by State Alaska — 37.2 · #5 Alabama — 46.4 · #36 Arkansas — 51.8 · #44 Arizona — 44.9 · #32 California — 44.0 · #28 Colorado — 42.9 · #23 Connecticut — 44.7 · #31 District of Columbia — 58.0 · #50 Delaware — 41.8 · #19 Florida — 51.0 · #43 Georgia — 47.5 · #38 Hawaii — 56.1 · #48 Iowa — 40.8 · #16 Idaho — 40.1 · #12 Illinois — 48.1 · #39 Indiana — 39.8 · #10 Kansas — 40.4 · #14 Kentucky — 46.4 · #36 Louisiana — 52.3 · #46 Massachusetts — 37.1 · #4 Maryland — 43.6 · #26 Maine — 44.1 · #29 Michigan — 40.5 · #15 Minnesota — 39.6 · #9 Missouri — 50.6 · #42 Mississippi — 59.2 · #51 Montana — 45.8 · #34 North Carolina — 43.4 · #25 North Dakota — 49.9 · #41 Nebraska — 35.9 · #2 New Hampshire — 48.7 · #40 New Jersey — 43.7 · #27 New Mexico — 39.9 · #11 Nevada — 37.0 · #3 New York — 57.2 · #49 Ohio — 39.2 · #8 Oklahoma — 46.3 · #35 Oregon — 42.9 · #24 Pennsylvania — 38.1 · #6 Rhode Island — 42.3 · #21 South Carolina — 44.3 · #30 South Dakota — 38.9 · #7 Tennessee — 42.8 · #22 Texas — 41.6 · #17 Utah — 40.3 · #13 Virginia — 41.6 · #17 Vermont — 52.1 · #45 Washington — 42.0 · #20 Wisconsin — 33.3 · #1 West Virginia — 52.8 · #47 Wyoming — 44.9 · #33
Low Moderate Elevated High

Tap a state to view details

About Entry Risk Score: A weighted composite of firm retention, growth momentum, market volatility, establishment density, and wage pressure. Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Data period: 2024. Last updated: February 2026. Next refresh expected: Q2 2026 (BLS QCEW update).

Compare to Another State

How does Missouri stack up against other states for retail trade?

Select a state above to see the comparison

Retail Trade in Neighboring States

How Missouri's retail trade market compares to bordering states.

Nebraska 35.9 #2/51 Kansas 40.4 #14/51 Iowa 40.8 #16/51 Tennessee 42.8 #22/51 Oklahoma 46.3 #35/51 Kentucky 46.4 #36/51 Illinois 48.1 #39/51 Arkansas 51.8 #44/51

Other Industries in Missouri

Construction → Healthcare and Social Assistance → Accommodation and Food Services → Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services → Finance and Insurance → Real Estate and Rental and Leasing → Administrative and Support Services → Information → Other Services →