NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Lima, OH

Metro Market Score 48.2 (Challenging), ranked #113 of 378 metros. 380 establishments, 5,261 jobs.

Metro Market Score 48.2

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

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

Lima's retail trade market sits near the national metro median, ranking #113 of 378 with a market score of 48.2. No single metric stands out as an outlier, which means entry conditions depend more on your specific business model than on broad market forces.

Industry Concentration

31.5

LQ: 1.06

Rank #119 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

15.3

$34,262 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 23.5

Employment growth index

Rank #290 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

67.9

YoY wage change index

380 Retail Trade Firms in Lima

380

Establishments

-1.3% YoY

5,261

Total Employment

-1.8% YoY

$34,262

Average Annual Wage

+1.2% YoY

1.06

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Ohio

#6 of 12

retail trade metros in state

Ohio state rank

#8 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

-0.2

better than median (48.5)

Lima vs Ohio Statewide

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

Measure	Lima	OH Statewide
Overall Score	48.2 Challenging	39.2 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#113 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 Lima

Finance and Insurance 31.2 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 34.2 Accommodation and Food Services 35.3 Construction 35.9 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 47.7 Administrative and Support Services 57.4 Other Services 58.1 Healthcare and Social Assistance 66.5

Retail Trade in Other Ohio Metros

Cleveland 38.7 #41/378 Canton-Massillon 39.6 #48/378 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek 40.9 #53/378 Toledo 45.2 #85/378 Columbus 46.9 #98/378 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 Lima's 48.2 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Springfield, MO 48.1 #112/378 Elkhart-Goshen, IN 48.1 #111/378 Jacksonville, FL 48.1 #110/378 Greeley, CO 48.0 #109/378 Springfield, OH 48.5 #114/378 Wichita, KS 48.5 #115/378 Corpus Christi, TX 47.9 #108/378 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI 47.9 #107/378 Clarksville, TN 48.6 #116/378 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 48.7 #117/378

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 Lima's retail trade sector, the employment growth component (76.5) 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 Lima, OH MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment