NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT

Metro Market Score 69.3 (Difficult), ranked #331 of 378 metros. 2,155 establishments, 34,178 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 69.3
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Difficult

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

💰High-Cost Market⚡Rising Wages

Provo-Orem-Lehi stands out for high retail trade labor costs. Wage competitiveness hits 79.9 (above the 70th percentile of metros), and year-over-year wage pressure at 82.9 signals continued increases. Plan for higher payroll if entering this market.

Industry Concentration
51.3
LQ: 1.14
Rank #194 of 378 metros
Wage Competitiveness
79.9
$41,367 avg wage
Growth Trend
↓ 33.6
Employment growth index
Rank #252 of 378 metros
Wage Pressure
82.9
YoY wage change index

2,155 Retail Trade Firms in Provo-Orem-Lehi

2,155
Establishments
-2.4% YoY
34,178
Total Employment
-1.2% YoY
$41,367
Average Annual Wage
+4.1% YoY
1.14
Location Quotient
Above national avg

Provo-Orem-Lehi vs Utah Statewide

How this metro's retail trade market compares to Utah overall. The state ranks #13/51 for entry risk.

Measure Provo-Orem-Lehi UT Statewide
Overall Score 69.3 Difficult 40.3 Moderate
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #331 of 378 metros #13 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 Provo-Orem-Lehi

Other Services 32.7 Accommodation and Food Services 34.4 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 52.1 Construction 55.1 Information 59.7 Finance and Insurance 69.3 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 74.0

Retail Trade in Other Utah Metros

Salt Lake City-Murray 62.5 #279/378 St. George 64.8 #309/378 Logan 70.1 #340/378 Ogden 74.6 #366/378

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 Provo-Orem-Lehi's retail trade sector, the wage competitiveness component (79.9) 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

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.