NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Cleveland, OH

Metro Market Score 38.7 (Moderate), ranked #41 of 378 metros. 6,748 establishments, 96,194 jobs.

Metro Market Score 38.7

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

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

🌱Emerging Market

Cleveland has a relatively low concentration of retail trade firms (index: 11.4) paired with positive employment growth. This suggests an underpenetrated market where demand may outpace current supply.

Industry Concentration

11.4

LQ: 0.93

Rank #43 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

40.5

$36,678 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 55.3

Employment growth index

Rank #170 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

61.7

YoY wage change index

6,748 Retail Trade Firms in Cleveland

6,748

Establishments

+100.0% YoY

96,194

Total Employment

+0.0% YoY

$36,678

Average Annual Wage

+0.0% YoY

0.93

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Ohio

#1 of 12

retail trade metros in state

Ohio state rank

#8 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

-9.8

better than median (48.5)

Cleveland vs Ohio Statewide

How this metro's retail trade market compares to Ohio overall. The state ranks #8/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Cleveland	OH Statewide
Overall Score	38.7 Moderate	39.2 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#41 of 378 metros	#8 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 Cleveland

Construction 47.0 Accommodation and Food Services 48.6 Information 51.7 Administrative and Support Services 56.7 Other Services 57.6 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 58.1 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 62.4 Finance and Insurance 63.5 Healthcare and Social Assistance 69.5

Retail Trade in Other Ohio Metros

Canton-Massillon 39.6 #48/378 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek 40.9 #53/378 Toledo 45.2 #85/378 Columbus 46.9 #98/378 Lima 48.2 #113/378 Springfield 48.5 #114/378 Cincinnati 49.8 #133/378 Sandusky 50.6 #150/378 Mansfield 51.6 #158/378 Akron 56.7 #217/378

+ 1 more metros. View all in Ohio →

Retail Trade Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Cleveland's 38.7 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Reading, PA 38.7 #42/378 Napa, CA 38.8 #43/378 Lake Charles, LA 39.0 #44/378 Chambersburg, PA 38.4 #40/378 Visalia, CA 38.4 #39/378 Gainesville, GA 39.0 #45/378 Appleton, WI 39.0 #46/378 Bowling Green, KY 38.3 #38/378 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI 39.2 #47/378 Tallahassee, FL 38.1 #37/378

Retail Trade in States Bordering Ohio

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

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

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 Cleveland's retail trade sector, the employment growth component (44.7) 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 Cleveland, OH MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment