NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Lancaster, PA

Metro Market Score 59.6 (Challenging), ranked #248 of 378 metros. 1,800 establishments, 29,138 jobs.

Metro Market Score 59.6

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

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

⚡Rising Wages

Market conditions for retail trade in Lancaster are tougher than average. The 59.6 market score reflects a combination of moderate wages, slowing employment, and moderate competition. Rank: #248 of 378 metros.

Industry Concentration

54.8

LQ: 1.16

Rank #207 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

43.9

$36,953 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 34.7

Employment growth index

Rank #248 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

76.7

YoY wage change index

1,800 Retail Trade Firms in Lancaster

1,800

Establishments

-1.1% YoY

29,138

Total Employment

-1.1% YoY

$36,953

Average Annual Wage

+2.9% YoY

1.16

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Pennsylvania

#16 of 16

retail trade metros in state

Pennsylvania state rank

#6 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

+10.4

worse than median (49.3)

Lancaster vs Pennsylvania Statewide

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

Measure	Lancaster	PA Statewide
Overall Score	59.6 Challenging	38.1 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#248 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 Lancaster

Administrative and Support Services 29.3 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 35.8 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 43.1 Accommodation and Food Services 43.4 Information 45.4 Healthcare and Social Assistance 50.7 Other Services 52.9 Finance and Insurance 54.3 Construction 59.0

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 Lancaster's 59.6 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Amarillo, TX 59.6 #247/378 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL 59.5 #246/378 Evansville, IN 59.8 #249/378 Charlottesville, VA 59.8 #250/378 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA 60.0 #251/378 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA 60.0 #252/378 Parkersburg-Vienna, WV 59.2 #245/378 Urban Honolulu, HI 60.1 #253/378 Binghamton, NY 60.2 #254/378 Fort Smith, AR 60.2 #255/378

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 Lancaster's retail trade sector, the employment growth component (65.3) 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 Lancaster, PA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment