NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Omaha, NE

Metro Market Score 51.0 (Challenging), ranked #152 of 378 metros. 2,656 establishments, 51,558 jobs.

Metro Market Score 51.0

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

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

⚡Rising Wages

Omaha has a relatively low concentration of retail trade firms (index: 29.4) paired with positive employment growth. This suggests an underpenetrated market where demand may outpace current supply.

Industry Concentration

29.4

LQ: 1.05

Rank #111 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

57.7

$38,616 avg wage

Growth Trend

50.3

Employment growth index

Rank #189 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

71.5

YoY wage change index

2,656 Retail Trade Firms in Omaha

2,656

Establishments

-0.2% YoY

51,558

Total Employment

-0.2% YoY

$38,616

Average Annual Wage

+1.9% YoY

1.05

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Nebraska

#1 of 3

retail trade metros in state

Nebraska state rank

#2 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

-1.8

better than median (52.8)

Omaha vs Nebraska Statewide

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

Measure	Omaha	NE Statewide
Overall Score	51.0 Challenging	35.9 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#152 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 Omaha

Other Services 40.2 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 45.2 Accommodation and Food Services 53.6 Construction 61.0 Information 70.4 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 72.3 Administrative and Support Services 75.2 Finance and Insurance 76.6

Retail Trade in Other Nebraska Metros

Lincoln 52.8 #172/378 Grand Island 65.5 #311/378

Retail Trade Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Omaha's 51.0 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Tulsa, OK 51.0 #151/378 Walla Walla, WA 51.0 #153/378 Johnson City, TN 51.1 #154/378 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA 51.3 #155/378 Sandusky, OH 50.6 #150/378 Sebring, FL 50.6 #149/378 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA 50.5 #148/378 Sherman-Denison, TX 50.5 #147/378 Boise City, ID 51.5 #156/378 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC 50.4 #146/378

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 Omaha's retail trade sector, the employment growth component (49.7) 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 Omaha, NE-IA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment