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.

Best retail trade metro in Missouri
Columbia 32.6 #13/378 nationwide · 625 firms

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

Retail Trade in Missouri Metro Areas

8 metro areas with retail trade data in Missouri. Lower Metro Market Score = more favorable conditions.

Columbia 32.6 #13/378 · 625 firms Joplin 37.4 #34/378 · 695 firms St. Joseph 41.3 #54/378 · 383 firms St. Louis 47.5 #105/378 · 8,077 firms Springfield 48.1 #112/378 · 1,672 firms Kansas City 48.9 #120/378 · 6,186 firms Jefferson City 51.7 #159/378 · 458 firms Cape Girardeau 66.9 #320/378 · 385 firms

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

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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 →