NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Albuquerque, NM

Metro Market Score 55.2 (Challenging), ranked #200 of 378 metros. 2,472 establishments, 42,059 jobs.

Metro Market Score 55.2

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

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

⚡Rising Wages

Albuquerque scores 55.2 on the Metro Market Score for retail trade, placing it in the lower half. High wage costs, strong existing competition, or slowing growth contribute to tougher entry conditions compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration

26.2

LQ: 1.04

Rank #99 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

60.3

$38,773 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 40.7

Employment growth index

Rank #225 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

78.8

YoY wage change index

2,472 Retail Trade Firms in Albuquerque

2,472

Establishments

+2.8% YoY

42,059

Total Employment

-0.7% YoY

$38,773

Average Annual Wage

+3.3% YoY

1.04

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within New Mexico

#2 of 4

retail trade metros in state

New Mexico state rank

#11 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

-0.1

better than median (55.3)

Albuquerque vs New Mexico Statewide

How this metro's retail trade market compares to New Mexico overall. The state ranks #11/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Albuquerque	NM Statewide
Overall Score	55.2 Challenging	39.9 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#200 of 378 metros	#11 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 Albuquerque

Healthcare and Social Assistance 48.6 Other Services 49.3 Administrative and Support Services 50.0 Information 54.3 Construction 56.1

Retail Trade in Other New Mexico Metros

Las Cruces 26.0 #5/378 Farmington 55.3 #201/378 Santa Fe 70.8 #342/378

Retail Trade Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Albuquerque's 55.2 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Lebanon, PA 55.1 #199/378 Monroe, MI 55.1 #198/378 Farmington, NM 55.3 #201/378 Lansing-East Lansing, MI 55.0 #197/378 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX 55.0 #196/378 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 55.5 #202/378 Mobile, AL 54.9 #195/378 Michigan City-La Porte, IN 55.6 #203/378 Hanford-Corcoran, CA 55.6 #204/378 Hinesville, GA 54.6 #194/378

Retail Trade in States Bordering New Mexico

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

Utah 40.3 #13/51 Texas 41.6 #17/51 Colorado 42.9 #23/51 Arizona 44.9 #32/51 Oklahoma 46.3 #35/51

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 Albuquerque's retail trade sector, the employment growth component (59.3) 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 Albuquerque, NM MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment