NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in State College, PA

Metro Market Score 48.9 (Challenging), ranked #121 of 378 metros. 406 establishments, 7,120 jobs.

Metro Market Score 48.9

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

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

Retail Trade employment in State College contracted year-over-year, placing the growth trend in the upper half at 10.6. Declining job counts can indicate consolidation, population shifts, or reduced local demand. Due diligence on the local economy is especially important here.

Industry Concentration

28.0

LQ: 1.04

Rank #106 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

4.8

$32,710 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 10.6

Employment growth index

Rank #339 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

69.4

YoY wage change index

406 Retail Trade Firms in State College

406

Establishments

-2.9% YoY

7,120

Total Employment

-3.1% YoY

$32,710

Average Annual Wage

+1.5% YoY

1.04

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Pennsylvania

#7 of 16

retail trade metros in state

Pennsylvania state rank

#6 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

-0.3

better than median (49.3)

State College vs Pennsylvania Statewide

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

Measure	State College	PA Statewide
Overall Score	48.9 Challenging	38.1 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#121 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 State College

Other Services 30.2 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 38.5 Administrative and Support Services 40.5 Accommodation and Food Services 41.8 Construction 46.0 Information 48.3 Finance and Insurance 49.5 Healthcare and Social Assistance 54.1 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 59.6

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 Williamsport 49.0 #124/378 Erie 49.3 #126/378 York-Hanover 49.8 #136/378 Altoona 51.7 #160/378

+ 5 more metros. View all in Pennsylvania →

Retail Trade Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of State College's 48.9 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 48.9 #122/378 Duluth, MN 48.9 #123/378 Kansas City, MO 48.9 #120/378 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX 48.8 #119/378 Williamsport, PA 49.0 #124/378 Kokomo, IN 48.8 #118/378 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 48.7 #117/378 Clarksville, TN 48.6 #116/378 Kenosha, WI 49.2 #125/378 Erie, PA 49.3 #126/378

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 State College's retail trade sector, the employment growth component (89.4) 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 State College, PA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment