NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Altoona, PA

Metro Market Score 51.7 (Challenging), ranked #160 of 378 metros. 488 establishments, 8,025 jobs.

Metro Market Score 51.7

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

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

⚡Rising Wages

Altoona pairs above-average retail trade concentration (90.5) with positive employment growth (trend: 71.4). The market is competitive but still expanding, leaving room for well-positioned new entrants.

Industry Concentration

90.5

LQ: 1.38

Rank #342 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

22.0

$34,976 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 71.4

Employment growth index

Rank #109 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

75.1

YoY wage change index

488 Retail Trade Firms in Altoona

488

Establishments

+1.2% YoY

8,025

Total Employment

+0.6% YoY

$34,976

Average Annual Wage

+2.6% YoY

1.38

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Pennsylvania

#11 of 16

retail trade metros in state

Pennsylvania state rank

#6 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

+2.5

worse than median (49.3)

Altoona vs Pennsylvania Statewide

How this metro's retail trade market compares to Pennsylvania overall. The state ranks #6/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Altoona	PA Statewide
Overall Score	51.7 Challenging	38.1 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#160 of 378 metros	#6 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 Altoona

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 21.4 Construction 29.8 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 35.8 Accommodation and Food Services 42.1 Administrative and Support Services 43.1 Finance and Insurance 44.1 Information 46.0 Healthcare and Social Assistance 49.9 Other Services 53.6

Retail Trade in Other Pennsylvania Metros

Chambersburg 38.4 #40/378 Reading 38.7 #42/378 Pittsburgh 42.5 #63/378 Gettysburg 44.5 #80/378 Harrisburg-Carlisle 46.5 #93/378 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre 46.5 #94/378 State College 48.9 #121/378 Williamsport 49.0 #124/378 Erie 49.3 #126/378 York-Hanover 49.8 #136/378

+ 5 more metros. View all in Pennsylvania →

Retail Trade Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Altoona's 51.7 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Jefferson City, MO 51.7 #159/378 Birmingham, AL 51.8 #161/378 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 51.6 #157/378 Mansfield, OH 51.6 #158/378 Twin Falls, ID 51.8 #162/378 Boise City, ID 51.5 #156/378 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL 52.0 #163/378 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA 51.3 #155/378 Wildwood-The Villages, FL 52.1 #164/378 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX 52.3 #165/378

Retail Trade in States Bordering Pennsylvania

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

Ohio 39.2 #8/51 Delaware 41.8 #19/51 Maryland 43.6 #26/51 New Jersey 43.7 #27/51 West Virginia 52.8 #47/51 New York 57.2 #49/51

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 Altoona's retail trade sector, the industry concentration component (90.5) 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 Altoona, PA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment