NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Rhode Island: 2026 Market Risk Report

Entry risk 42.3 (Elevated), ranked #21 of 51 states. 3,930 establishments, 47,450 jobs.

Entry Risk Assessment

Entry Risk Score 42.3
Low 0-30
Moderate 30-42
Elevated 42-55
High 55+
Elevated

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

Rhode Island's retail trade market shows elevated cyclicality, with a volatility index of 60.1. Employment and establishment counts have historically shown larger year-over-year variance than the national average.

5-Year Firm Retention
88.2%
Percentile within industry
Rank #7 of 51 states
Growth Momentum
42.5
Scale of 0-100
Rank #22 of 51 states
Establishment Density
54.6
vs. national average
Rank #32 of 51 states
Market Volatility
60.1
Lower is more stable
Wage Pressure Index
33.3
Labor cost pressure

3,930 Establishments in Rhode Island

3,930
Establishments
+0.2% YoY
47,450
Total Employment
+0.0% YoY
$41,585
Average Annual Wage
+2.7% YoY

Rhode Island vs National Retail Trade Average

How Rhode Island's retail trade market compares to the national average across all 51 states.

Metric RI National Difference
Entry Risk Score 42.3 44.6 -2.4
5-Year Retention 88.2% 51.0% +37.2
Growth Momentum 42.5 42.9 -0.4
Market Volatility 60.1 24.4 +35.7
Establishment Density 54.6 49.0 +5.6
Wage Pressure 33.3 30.5 +2.8

Green = favorable vs national average. Red = less favorable. Metrics are relative within retail trade only.

Rhode Island Ranks #21 of 51 for Retail Trade

Rhode Island ranks #21 out of 51 states for retail trade market entry conditions.

Retail Trade Entry Risk by State

Rank State Risk Score Classification
#1 Wisconsin 33.3 moderate
#2 Nebraska 35.9 moderate
#3 Nevada 37.0 moderate
#4 Massachusetts 37.1 moderate
#5 Alaska 37.2 moderate
#21 Rhode Island You 42.3 elevated
Entry Risk by State Alaska — 37.2 · #5 Alabama — 46.4 · #36 Arkansas — 51.8 · #44 Arizona — 44.9 · #32 California — 44.0 · #28 Colorado — 42.9 · #23 Connecticut — 44.7 · #31 District of Columbia — 58.0 · #50 Delaware — 41.8 · #19 Florida — 51.0 · #43 Georgia — 47.5 · #38 Hawaii — 56.1 · #48 Iowa — 40.8 · #16 Idaho — 40.1 · #12 Illinois — 48.1 · #39 Indiana — 39.8 · #10 Kansas — 40.4 · #14 Kentucky — 46.4 · #36 Louisiana — 52.3 · #46 Massachusetts — 37.1 · #4 Maryland — 43.6 · #26 Maine — 44.1 · #29 Michigan — 40.5 · #15 Minnesota — 39.6 · #9 Missouri — 50.6 · #42 Mississippi — 59.2 · #51 Montana — 45.8 · #34 North Carolina — 43.4 · #25 North Dakota — 49.9 · #41 Nebraska — 35.9 · #2 New Hampshire — 48.7 · #40 New Jersey — 43.7 · #27 New Mexico — 39.9 · #11 Nevada — 37.0 · #3 New York — 57.2 · #49 Ohio — 39.2 · #8 Oklahoma — 46.3 · #35 Oregon — 42.9 · #24 Pennsylvania — 38.1 · #6 Rhode Island — 42.3 · #21 South Carolina — 44.3 · #30 South Dakota — 38.9 · #7 Tennessee — 42.8 · #22 Texas — 41.6 · #17 Utah — 40.3 · #13 Virginia — 41.6 · #17 Vermont — 52.1 · #45 Washington — 42.0 · #20 Wisconsin — 33.3 · #1 West Virginia — 52.8 · #47 Wyoming — 44.9 · #33
Low Moderate Elevated High

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About Entry Risk Score: A weighted composite of firm retention, growth momentum, market volatility, establishment density, and wage pressure. Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Data period: 2024. Last updated: February 2026. Next refresh expected: Q2 2026 (BLS QCEW update).

Compare to Another State

How does Rhode Island stack up against other states for retail trade?

Select a state above to see the comparison

Retail Trade in Neighboring States

How Rhode Island's retail trade market compares to bordering states.

Massachusetts 37.1 #4/51 Connecticut 44.7 #31/51

Other Industries in Rhode Island

Construction → Healthcare and Social Assistance → Accommodation and Food Services → Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services → Finance and Insurance → Real Estate and Rental and Leasing → Administrative and Support Services → Information → Other Services →