NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Sandusky, OH

Metro Market Score 50.6 (Challenging), ranked #150 of 378 metros. 436 establishments, 6,570 jobs.

Metro Market Score 50.6

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

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

Sandusky pairs above-average retail trade concentration (82.3) with positive employment growth (trend: 60.3). The market is competitive but still expanding, leaving room for well-positioned new entrants.

Industry Concentration

82.3

LQ: 1.30

Rank #311 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

23.3

$35,090 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 60.3

Employment growth index

Rank #151 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

61.7

YoY wage change index

436 Retail Trade Firms in Sandusky

436

Establishments

+100.0% YoY

6,570

Total Employment

+0.0% YoY

$35,090

Average Annual Wage

+0.0% YoY

1.30

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Ohio

#9 of 12

retail trade metros in state

Ohio state rank

#8 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

+2.2

worse than median (48.5)

Sandusky vs Ohio Statewide

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

Measure	Sandusky	OH Statewide
Overall Score	50.6 Challenging	39.2 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#150 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 Sandusky

Information 22.0 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 25.2 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 26.6 Administrative and Support Services 29.4 Construction 32.1 Other Services 34.3 Finance and Insurance 39.8 Accommodation and Food Services 65.3

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 Lima 48.2 #113/378 Springfield 48.5 #114/378 Cincinnati 49.8 #133/378 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 Sandusky's 50.6 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Sebring, FL 50.6 #149/378 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA 50.5 #148/378 Sherman-Denison, TX 50.5 #147/378 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC 50.4 #146/378 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN 50.3 #145/378 Tulsa, OK 51.0 #151/378 Omaha, NE 51.0 #152/378 Idaho Falls, ID 50.3 #144/378 Walla Walla, WA 51.0 #153/378 Johnson City, TN 51.1 #154/378

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 Sandusky's retail trade sector, the industry concentration component (82.3) 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 Sandusky, OH MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment