NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Spartanburg, SC

Metro Market Score 34.1 (Favorable), ranked #17 of 378 metros. 1,219 establishments, 18,508 jobs.

Metro Market Score 34.1

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Favorable

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

📈Rapid Growth

Employment in Spartanburg's retail trade sector grew faster than most metros last year, pushing its growth trend index to 96.0. Combined with a 34.1 market score, this metro sits in the top 10% for overall conditions.

Industry Concentration

51.6

LQ: 1.14

Rank #195 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

27.8

$35,539 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 96.0

Employment growth index

Rank #16 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

65.3

YoY wage change index

1,219 Retail Trade Firms in Spartanburg

1,219

Establishments

+3.2% YoY

18,508

Total Employment

+6.4% YoY

$35,539

Average Annual Wage

+0.7% YoY

1.14

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within South Carolina

#1 of 8

retail trade metros in state

South Carolina state rank

#30 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

-26.7

better than median (60.8)

Spartanburg 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	Spartanburg	SC Statewide
Overall Score	34.1 Favorable	44.3 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#17 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 Spartanburg

Finance and Insurance 27.9 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 28.8 Healthcare and Social Assistance 30.4 Construction 37.5 Administrative and Support Services 54.1 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 58.0

Retail Trade in Other South Carolina Metros

Greenville-Anderson-Greer 43.1 #72/378 Charleston-North Charleston 49.4 #127/378 Columbia 49.6 #130/378 Sumter 60.8 #266/378 Florence 61.9 #275/378 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 Spartanburg's 34.1 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Monroe, LA 34.0 #16/378 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS 34.2 #18/378 Ithaca, NY 34.3 #19/378 Dubuque, IA 34.4 #20/378 Wausau, WI 34.6 #21/378 Laredo, TX 34.6 #22/378 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 34.7 #23/378 Niles, MI 33.4 #15/378 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI 34.8 #24/378 Jackson, MS 34.9 #25/378

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 Spartanburg's retail trade sector, the wage pressure 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 Spartanburg, SC MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment