NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Winston-Salem, NC

Metro Market Score 60.3 (Difficult), ranked #256 of 378 metros. 2,208 establishments, 31,566 jobs.

Metro Market Score 60.3

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Difficult

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

⚡Rising Wages

Market conditions for retail trade in Winston-Salem are tougher than average. The 60.3 market score reflects a combination of moderate wages, mixed growth signals, and moderate competition. Rank: #256 of 378 metros.

Industry Concentration

58.5

LQ: 1.17

Rank #221 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

58.2

$38,623 avg wage

Growth Trend

47.1

Employment growth index

Rank #201 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

76.2

YoY wage change index

2,208 Retail Trade Firms in Winston-Salem

2,208

Establishments

-1.4% YoY

31,566

Total Employment

-0.4% YoY

$38,623

Average Annual Wage

+2.8% YoY

1.17

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within North Carolina

#10 of 15

retail trade metros in state

North Carolina state rank

#25 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

+4.2

worse than median (56.1)

Winston-Salem 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	Winston-Salem	NC Statewide
Overall Score	60.3 Difficult	43.4 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#256 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 Winston-Salem

Other Services 31.6 Information 34.6 Construction 35.4 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 39.9 Accommodation and Food Services 53.4 Administrative and Support Services 62.8 Healthcare and Social Assistance 63.5 Finance and Insurance 77.7

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 Burlington 61.6 #274/378

+ 4 more metros. View all in North Carolina →

Retail Trade Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Winston-Salem's 60.3 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Fort Smith, AR 60.2 #255/378 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV 60.4 #257/378 Binghamton, NY 60.2 #254/378 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN 60.4 #258/378 Urban Honolulu, HI 60.1 #253/378 Rockford, IL 60.5 #259/378 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA 60.0 #252/378 Tucson, AZ 60.5 #260/378 Albany, OR 60.5 #261/378 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA 60.0 #251/378

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 Winston-Salem's retail trade sector, the employment growth component (52.9) 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 Winston-Salem, NC MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment