NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Trenton-Princeton, NJ

Metro Market Score 42.0 (Moderate), ranked #57 of 378 metros. 1,120 establishments, 18,517 jobs.

Metro Market Score 42.0

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

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

⚡Rising Wages🌱Emerging Market

Employment in Trenton-Princeton's retail trade sector grew faster than most metros last year, pushing its growth trend index to 71.2. Combined with a 42.0 market score, this metro sits in the top quartile for overall conditions.

Industry Concentration

1.1

LQ: 0.70

Rank #4 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

72.2

$40,342 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 71.2

Employment growth index

Rank #110 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

75.1

YoY wage change index

1,120 Retail Trade Firms in Trenton-Princeton

1,120

Establishments

-1.6% YoY

18,517

Total Employment

+0.5% YoY

$40,342

Average Annual Wage

+2.6% YoY

0.70

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within New Jersey

#1 of 3

retail trade metros in state

New Jersey state rank

#27 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

-7.8

better than median (49.8)

Trenton-Princeton vs New Jersey Statewide

How this metro's retail trade market compares to New Jersey overall. The state ranks #27/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Trenton-Princeton	NJ Statewide
Overall Score	42.0 Moderate	43.7 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#57 of 378 metros	#27 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 Trenton-Princeton

Administrative and Support Services 42.0 Healthcare and Social Assistance 44.7 Accommodation and Food Services 46.1 Construction 55.1 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 59.5 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 62.8 Other Services 66.4 Finance and Insurance 74.4 Information 75.7

Retail Trade in Other New Jersey Metros

Atlantic City-Hammonton 49.8 #134/378 Vineland 62.1 #277/378

Retail Trade Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Trenton-Princeton's 42.0 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Iowa City, IA 42.0 #56/378 Gadsden, AL 41.9 #55/378 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR 42.1 #58/378 Lawrence, KS 42.2 #59/378 Peoria, IL 42.4 #60/378 Wilmington, NC 42.4 #61/378 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY 42.4 #62/378 Pittsburgh, PA 42.5 #63/378 Fargo, ND 42.5 #64/378 St. Joseph, MO 41.3 #54/378

Retail Trade in States Bordering New Jersey

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

Pennsylvania 38.1 #6/51 Delaware 41.8 #19/51 New York 57.2 #49/51

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 Trenton-Princeton's retail trade sector, the wage competitiveness component (72.2) 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 Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment