NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Lincoln, NE

Metro Market Score 52.8 (Challenging), ranked #172 of 378 metros. 1,002 establishments, 18,027 jobs.

Metro Market Score 52.8

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

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

⚡Rising Wages

At #172 of 378 metros, Lincoln's retail trade sector scores 52.8 on the market index. Concentration (20.1), wage levels (45.8), and growth (30.2) all track close to the median. Local factors like lease costs and client access will matter more than macro signals.

Industry Concentration

20.1

LQ: 1.00

Rank #76 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

45.8

$37,115 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 30.2

Employment growth index

Rank #265 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

76.7

YoY wage change index

1,002 Retail Trade Firms in Lincoln

1,002

Establishments

-1.1% YoY

18,027

Total Employment

-1.4% YoY

$37,115

Average Annual Wage

+2.9% YoY

1.00

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Nebraska

#2 of 3

retail trade metros in state

Nebraska state rank

#2 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

0.0

matches median (52.8)

Lincoln vs Nebraska Statewide

How this metro's retail trade market compares to Nebraska overall. The state ranks #2/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Lincoln	NE Statewide
Overall Score	52.8 Challenging	35.9 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#172 of 378 metros	#2 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 Lincoln

Accommodation and Food Services 36.1 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 38.9 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 41.9 Information 49.3 Other Services 50.6 Construction 55.7 Administrative and Support Services 56.1 Finance and Insurance 62.0

Retail Trade in Other Nebraska Metros

Omaha 51.0 #152/378 Grand Island 65.5 #311/378

Retail Trade Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Lincoln's 52.8 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD 52.8 #173/378 Portland-South Portland, ME 52.7 #171/378 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA 52.7 #170/378 Corvallis, OR 52.9 #174/378 Anniston-Oxford, AL 52.9 #175/378 Ann Arbor, MI 52.6 #169/378 Lewiston, ID 52.5 #168/378 Pocatello, ID 53.0 #176/378 Texarkana, TX 52.4 #167/378 Winchester, VA 52.4 #166/378

Retail Trade in States Bordering Nebraska

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

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

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 Lincoln's retail trade sector, the employment growth component (69.8) 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 Lincoln, NE MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment