NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Jacksonville, NC

Metro Market Score 69.7 (Difficult), ranked #335 of 378 metros. 610 establishments, 8,264 jobs.

Metro Market Score 69.7

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Difficult

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

🏭Industry Hub⚡Rising Wages

With a 1.53 location quotient, Jacksonville has an outsized retail trade presence relative to its population. That concentration (index: 96.8) creates a mature local market where supplier networks are established but differentiation matters more.

Industry Concentration

96.8

LQ: 1.53

Rank #366 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

26.5

$35,373 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 24.6

Employment growth index

Rank #286 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

81.3

YoY wage change index

610 Retail Trade Firms in Jacksonville

610

Establishments

-1.6% YoY

8,264

Total Employment

-1.7% YoY

$35,373

Average Annual Wage

+3.8% YoY

1.53

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within North Carolina

#14 of 15

retail trade metros in state

North Carolina state rank

#25 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

+13.6

worse than median (56.1)

Jacksonville 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	Jacksonville	NC Statewide
Overall Score	69.7 Difficult	43.4 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#335 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 Jacksonville

Healthcare and Social Assistance 10.9 Finance and Insurance 24.0 Information 36.4 Construction 37.8 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 43.3 Other Services 49.4 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 53.0 Accommodation and Food Services 59.4 Administrative and Support Services 63.0

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 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 Jacksonville's 69.7 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA 69.7 #334/378 Hammond, LA 69.7 #333/378 Dover, DE 69.8 #336/378 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA 69.9 #337/378 Bozeman, MT 70.0 #338/378 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY 70.0 #339/378 Logan, UT 70.1 #340/378 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT 69.3 #331/378 Longview-Kelso, WA 69.3 #332/378 Bay City, MI 69.3 #330/378

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 Jacksonville's retail trade sector, the industry concentration component (96.8) 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 Jacksonville, NC MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment