NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Florence, SC

Metro Market Score 61.9 (Difficult), ranked #275 of 378 metros. 898 establishments, 10,775 jobs.

Metro Market Score 61.9

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Difficult

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

⚡Rising Wages

Retail Trade employment in Florence contracted year-over-year, placing the growth trend in the lower half at 9.0. Declining job counts can indicate consolidation, population shifts, or reduced local demand. Due diligence on the local economy is especially important here.

Industry Concentration

65.6

LQ: 1.21

Rank #248 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

11.9

$33,775 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 9.0

Employment growth index

Rank #345 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

76.2

YoY wage change index

898 Retail Trade Firms in Florence

898

Establishments

+1.4% YoY

10,775

Total Employment

-3.2% YoY

$33,775

Average Annual Wage

+2.8% YoY

1.21

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within South Carolina

#6 of 8

retail trade metros in state

South Carolina state rank

#30 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

+1.1

worse than median (60.8)

Florence vs South Carolina Statewide

How this metro's retail trade market compares to South Carolina overall. The state ranks #30/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Florence	SC Statewide
Overall Score	61.9 Difficult	44.3 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#275 of 378 metros	#30 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 Florence

Construction 26.4 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 34.7 Healthcare and Social Assistance 34.8 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 44.1 Information 47.0 Finance and Insurance 47.3 Accommodation and Food Services 47.5 Other Services 50.7 Administrative and Support Services 53.4

Retail Trade in Other South Carolina Metros

Spartanburg 34.1 #17/378 Greenville-Anderson-Greer 43.1 #72/378 Charleston-North Charleston 49.4 #127/378 Columbia 49.6 #130/378 Sumter 60.8 #266/378 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal 62.9 #286/378 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach 77.7 #371/378

Retail Trade Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Florence's 61.9 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL 61.9 #276/378 Vineland, NJ 62.1 #277/378 Burlington, NC 61.6 #274/378 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 62.2 #278/378 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL 61.6 #273/378 Bangor, ME 61.6 #271/378 Stockton-Lodi, CA 61.6 #272/378 Wheeling, WV 61.5 #270/378 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL 61.4 #269/378 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT 62.5 #279/378

Retail Trade in States Bordering South Carolina

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

North Carolina 43.4 #25/51 Georgia 47.5 #38/51

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 Florence's retail trade sector, the employment growth component (91.0) 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 Florence, SC MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment