NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Burlington, NC

Metro Market Score 61.6 (Difficult), ranked #274 of 378 metros. 625 establishments, 9,433 jobs.

Metro Market Score 61.6

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Difficult

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

Burlington is a specialized hub for retail trade, with a location quotient of 1.40 and industry concentration in the lower half. Higher-than-average firm density means more competition for talent and customers, but also a deeper local supply chain and client pool.

Industry Concentration

91.3

LQ: 1.40

Rank #345 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

34.7

$36,206 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 18.8

Employment growth index

Rank #308 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

29.0

YoY wage change index

625 Retail Trade Firms in Burlington

625

Establishments

+0.3% YoY

9,433

Total Employment

-2.1% YoY

$36,206

Average Annual Wage

-6.3% YoY

1.40

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within North Carolina

#11 of 15

retail trade metros in state

North Carolina state rank

#25 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

+5.6

worse than median (56.1)

Burlington vs North Carolina Statewide

How this metro's retail trade market compares to North Carolina overall. The state ranks #25/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Burlington	NC Statewide
Overall Score	61.6 Difficult	43.4 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#274 of 378 metros	#25 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 Burlington

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 31.2 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 37.0 Accommodation and Food Services 45.6 Administrative and Support Services 56.8 Other Services 57.2 Finance and Insurance 61.4 Healthcare and Social Assistance 63.5

Retail Trade in Other North Carolina Metros

Durham-Chapel Hill 40.3 #51/378 Wilmington 42.4 #61/378 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton 42.7 #65/378 Raleigh-Cary 44.4 #78/378 Goldsboro 45.0 #83/378 Pinehurst-Southern Pines 47.0 #99/378 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia 50.4 #146/378 Rocky Mount 56.1 #210/378 Greensboro-High Point 56.3 #212/378 Winston-Salem 60.3 #256/378

+ 4 more metros. View all in North Carolina →

Retail Trade Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Burlington's 61.6 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL 61.6 #273/378 Bangor, ME 61.6 #271/378 Stockton-Lodi, CA 61.6 #272/378 Wheeling, WV 61.5 #270/378 Florence, SC 61.9 #275/378 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL 61.9 #276/378 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL 61.4 #269/378 Traverse City, MI 61.3 #268/378 Vineland, NJ 62.1 #277/378 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 62.2 #278/378

Retail Trade in States Bordering North Carolina

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

Virginia 41.6 #17/51 Tennessee 42.8 #22/51 South Carolina 44.3 #30/51 Georgia 47.5 #38/51

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 Burlington's retail trade sector, the employment growth component (81.2) 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 Burlington, NC MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment