NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Johnson City, TN

Metro Market Score 51.1 (Challenging), ranked #154 of 378 metros. 702 establishments, 10,534 jobs.

Metro Market Score 51.1

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

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

⚡Rising Wages

Johnson City pairs above-average retail trade concentration (83.6) with positive employment growth (trend: 72.2). The market is competitive but still expanding, leaving room for well-positioned new entrants.

Industry Concentration

83.6

LQ: 1.31

Rank #316 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

24.9

$35,229 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 72.2

Employment growth index

Rank #106 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

78.2

YoY wage change index

702 Retail Trade Firms in Johnson City

702

Establishments

-1.0% YoY

10,534

Total Employment

+0.6% YoY

$35,229

Average Annual Wage

+3.2% YoY

1.31

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Tennessee

#7 of 9

retail trade metros in state

Tennessee state rank

#22 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

+2.5

worse than median (48.6)

Johnson City vs Tennessee Statewide

How this metro's retail trade market compares to Tennessee overall. The state ranks #22/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Johnson City	TN Statewide
Overall Score	51.1 Challenging	42.8 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#154 of 378 metros	#22 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 Johnson City

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 28.0 Other Services 44.8 Finance and Insurance 67.8

Retail Trade in Other Tennessee Metros

Chattanooga 38.0 #35/378 Jackson 40.4 #52/378 Kingsport-Bristol 43.3 #74/378 Cleveland 47.2 #102/378 Clarksville 48.6 #116/378 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin 50.3 #145/378 Morristown 58.4 #236/378 Knoxville 63.7 #297/378

Retail Trade Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Johnson City's 51.1 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Walla Walla, WA 51.0 #153/378 Tulsa, OK 51.0 #151/378 Omaha, NE 51.0 #152/378 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA 51.3 #155/378 Boise City, ID 51.5 #156/378 Sandusky, OH 50.6 #150/378 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 51.6 #157/378 Mansfield, OH 51.6 #158/378 Sebring, FL 50.6 #149/378 Jefferson City, MO 51.7 #159/378

Retail Trade in States Bordering Tennessee

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

Virginia 41.6 #17/51 North Carolina 43.4 #25/51 Kentucky 46.4 #36/51 Alabama 46.4 #36/51 Georgia 47.5 #38/51 Missouri 50.6 #42/51 Arkansas 51.8 #44/51 Mississippi 59.2 #51/51

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 Johnson City's retail trade sector, the industry concentration component (83.6) 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 Johnson City, TN MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment