NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Ohio: 2026 Market Risk Report

Entry risk 39.2 (Moderate), ranked #8 of 51 states. 36,084 establishments, 541,361 jobs.

Entry Risk Assessment

Entry Risk Score 39.2
Low 0-30
Moderate 30-42
Elevated 42-55
High 55+
Moderate

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

The retail trade sector in Ohio is tracking close to the U.S. baseline, with no extreme signals in volatility, saturation, or wage pressure. Entry conditions are within the national median range.

5-Year Firm Retention
60.8%
Percentile within industry
Rank #21 of 51 states
Growth Momentum
25.2
Scale of 0-100
Rank #41 of 51 states
Establishment Density
30.1
vs. national average
Rank #12 of 51 states
Market Volatility
5.6
Lower is more stable
Wage Pressure Index
25.3
Labor cost pressure

36,084 Establishments in Ohio

36,084
Establishments
+0.1% YoY
541,361
Total Employment
-0.7% YoY
$37,559
Average Annual Wage
+2.1% YoY

Ohio vs National Retail Trade Average

How Ohio's retail trade market compares to the national average across all 51 states.

Metric OH National Difference
Entry Risk Score 39.2 44.6 -5.4
5-Year Retention 60.8% 51.0% +9.8
Growth Momentum 25.2 42.9 -17.7
Market Volatility 5.6 24.4 -18.8
Establishment Density 30.1 49.0 -18.9
Wage Pressure 25.3 30.5 -5.2

Green = favorable vs national average. Red = less favorable. Metrics are relative within retail trade only.

Ohio Ranks #8 of 51 for Retail Trade

Ohio ranks #8 out of 51 states for retail trade market entry conditions.

Retail Trade Entry Risk by State

Rank State Risk Score Classification
#1 Wisconsin 33.3 moderate
#2 Nebraska 35.9 moderate
#3 Nevada 37.0 moderate
#4 Massachusetts 37.1 moderate
#5 Alaska 37.2 moderate
#8 Ohio You 39.2 moderate
Entry Risk by State Alaska — 37.2 · #5 Alabama — 46.4 · #36 Arkansas — 51.8 · #44 Arizona — 44.9 · #32 California — 44.0 · #28 Colorado — 42.9 · #23 Connecticut — 44.7 · #31 District of Columbia — 58.0 · #50 Delaware — 41.8 · #19 Florida — 51.0 · #43 Georgia — 47.5 · #38 Hawaii — 56.1 · #48 Iowa — 40.8 · #16 Idaho — 40.1 · #12 Illinois — 48.1 · #39 Indiana — 39.8 · #10 Kansas — 40.4 · #14 Kentucky — 46.4 · #36 Louisiana — 52.3 · #46 Massachusetts — 37.1 · #4 Maryland — 43.6 · #26 Maine — 44.1 · #29 Michigan — 40.5 · #15 Minnesota — 39.6 · #9 Missouri — 50.6 · #42 Mississippi — 59.2 · #51 Montana — 45.8 · #34 North Carolina — 43.4 · #25 North Dakota — 49.9 · #41 Nebraska — 35.9 · #2 New Hampshire — 48.7 · #40 New Jersey — 43.7 · #27 New Mexico — 39.9 · #11 Nevada — 37.0 · #3 New York — 57.2 · #49 Ohio — 39.2 · #8 Oklahoma — 46.3 · #35 Oregon — 42.9 · #24 Pennsylvania — 38.1 · #6 Rhode Island — 42.3 · #21 South Carolina — 44.3 · #30 South Dakota — 38.9 · #7 Tennessee — 42.8 · #22 Texas — 41.6 · #17 Utah — 40.3 · #13 Virginia — 41.6 · #17 Vermont — 52.1 · #45 Washington — 42.0 · #20 Wisconsin — 33.3 · #1 West Virginia — 52.8 · #47 Wyoming — 44.9 · #33
Low Moderate Elevated High

Tap a state to view details

About Entry Risk Score: A weighted composite of firm retention, growth momentum, market volatility, establishment density, and wage pressure. Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Data period: 2024. Last updated: February 2026. Next refresh expected: Q2 2026 (BLS QCEW update).

Compare to Another State

How does Ohio stack up against other states for retail trade?

Select a state above to see the comparison

Retail Trade in Neighboring States

How Ohio's retail trade market compares to bordering states.

Pennsylvania 38.1 #6/51 Indiana 39.8 #10/51 Michigan 40.5 #15/51 Kentucky 46.4 #36/51 West Virginia 52.8 #47/51

Other Industries in Ohio

Construction → Healthcare and Social Assistance → Accommodation and Food Services → Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services → Finance and Insurance → Real Estate and Rental and Leasing → Administrative and Support Services → Information → Other Services →