NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC

Metro Market Score 50.4 (Challenging), ranked #146 of 378 metros. 8,890 establishments, 135,898 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 50.4
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Challenging

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

💰High-Cost Market🌱Emerging Market

Wage costs in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia's retail trade sector are well above the metro average, with wage competitiveness at 77.3 and rising pressure at 68.9. New entrants should factor higher labor costs into their financial projections for this market.

Industry Concentration
23.8
LQ: 1.02
Rank #90 of 378 metros
Wage Competitiveness
77.3
$40,992 avg wage
Growth Trend
↑ 62.2
Employment growth index
Rank #144 of 378 metros
Wage Pressure
68.9
YoY wage change index

8,890 Retail Trade Firms in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia

8,890
Establishments
-0.5% YoY
135,898
Total Employment
+0.1% YoY
$40,992
Average Annual Wage
+1.4% YoY
1.02
Location Quotient
Above national avg

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia 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 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia NC Statewide
Overall Score 50.4 Challenging 43.4 Elevated
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #146 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 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia

Other Services 55.2 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 55.5 Construction 56.0 Information 56.8 Finance and Insurance 63.5 Administrative and Support Services 66.0

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 Rocky Mount 56.1 #210/378 Greensboro-High Point 56.3 #212/378 Winston-Salem 60.3 #256/378 Burlington 61.6 #274/378

+ 4 more metros. View all in North Carolina →

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 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia's retail trade sector, the wage competitiveness component (77.3) 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

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.