NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Fargo, ND

Metro Market Score 42.5 (Moderate), ranked #64 of 378 metros. 898 establishments, 15,105 jobs.

Metro Market Score 42.5

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

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

📈Rapid Growth⚡Rising Wages🌱Emerging Market

Employment in Fargo's retail trade sector grew faster than most metros last year, pushing its growth trend index to 84.1. Combined with a 42.5 market score, this metro sits in the top quartile for overall conditions.

Industry Concentration

24.3

LQ: 1.02

Rank #92 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

66.7

$39,643 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 84.1

Employment growth index

Rank #61 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

75.1

YoY wage change index

898 Retail Trade Firms in Fargo

898

Establishments

+1.5% YoY

15,105

Total Employment

+1.7% YoY

$39,643

Average Annual Wage

+2.6% YoY

1.02

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within North Dakota

#1 of 3

retail trade metros in state

North Dakota state rank

#41 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

-4.7

better than median (47.2)

Fargo vs North Dakota Statewide

How this metro's retail trade market compares to North Dakota overall. The state ranks #41/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Fargo	ND Statewide
Overall Score	42.5 Moderate	49.9 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#64 of 378 metros	#41 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 Fargo

Accommodation and Food Services 35.3 Administrative and Support Services 53.6 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 54.2 Construction 54.6 Healthcare and Social Assistance 59.5 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 64.7 Other Services 67.5 Information 71.5 Finance and Insurance 72.7

Retail Trade in Other North Dakota Metros

Grand Forks 47.2 #101/378 Minot 62.5 #280/378

Retail Trade Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Fargo's 42.5 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Pittsburgh, PA 42.5 #63/378 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY 42.4 #62/378 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC 42.7 #65/378 Longview, TX 42.7 #66/378 Peoria, IL 42.4 #60/378 Wilmington, NC 42.4 #61/378 Rome, GA 42.8 #67/378 Lexington-Fayette, KY 42.8 #68/378 Lawrence, KS 42.2 #59/378 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR 42.1 #58/378

Retail Trade in States Bordering North Dakota

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

South Dakota 38.9 #7/51 Minnesota 39.6 #9/51 Montana 45.8 #34/51

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 Fargo's retail trade sector, the wage competitiveness component (66.7) 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 Fargo, ND-MN MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment