NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Nebraska: 2026 Market Risk Report

Entry risk 35.9 (Moderate), ranked #2 of 51 states. 6,815 establishments, 104,192 jobs.

Entry Risk Assessment

Entry Risk Score 35.9
Low 0-30
Moderate 30-42
Elevated 42-55
High 55+
Moderate

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

🛡️Stable Market

Nebraska exhibits structural stability in retail trade, with volatility at 0.0 and firm retention ranking in the top 10. These metrics suggest lower cyclical risk compared to the national baseline.

5-Year Firm Retention
90.2%
Percentile within industry
Rank #6 of 51 states
Growth Momentum
25.1
Scale of 0-100
Rank #42 of 51 states
Establishment Density
49.6
vs. national average
Rank #28 of 51 states
Market Volatility
0.0
Lower is more stable
Wage Pressure Index
32.0
Labor cost pressure

6,815 Establishments in Nebraska

6,815
Establishments
-0.7% YoY
104,192
Total Employment
-0.5% YoY
$36,515
Average Annual Wage
+2.6% YoY

Nebraska vs National Retail Trade Average

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

Metric NE National Difference
Entry Risk Score 35.9 44.6 -8.7
5-Year Retention 90.2% 51.0% +39.2
Growth Momentum 25.1 42.9 -17.8
Market Volatility 0.0 24.4 -24.4
Establishment Density 49.6 49.0 +0.6
Wage Pressure 32.0 30.5 +1.5

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

Nebraska Ranks #2 of 51 for Retail Trade

Nebraska ranks #2 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 You 35.9 moderate
#3 Nevada 37.0 moderate
#4 Massachusetts 37.1 moderate
#5 Alaska 37.2 moderate
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 Nebraska stack up against other states for retail trade?

Select a state above to see the comparison

Retail Trade in Neighboring States

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

South Dakota 38.9 #7/51 Kansas 40.4 #14/51 Iowa 40.8 #16/51 Colorado 42.9 #23/51 Wyoming 44.9 #33/51 Missouri 50.6 #42/51

Other Industries in Nebraska

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 →