NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA

Metro Market Score 21.5 (Favorable), ranked #1 of 378 metros. 525 establishments, 7,639 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 21.5
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Favorable

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

📈Rapid Growth✓Favorable Market🌱Emerging Market

Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford ranks in the top 10% for retail trade market conditions, driven by above-average employment growth. With a market score of 21.5, conditions are relatively favorable compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration
26.5
LQ: 1.04
Rank #100 of 378 metros
Wage Competitiveness
8.5
$33,361 avg wage
Growth Trend
↑ 90.5
Employment growth index
Rank #37 of 378 metros
Wage Pressure
49.7
YoY wage change index

525 Retail Trade Firms in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford

525
Establishments
+1.0% YoY
7,639
Total Employment
+2.6% YoY
$33,361
Average Annual Wage
-2.3% YoY
1.04
Location Quotient
Above national avg

Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford vs Virginia Statewide

How this metro's retail trade market compares to Virginia overall. The state ranks #17/51 for entry risk.

Measure Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford VA Statewide
Overall Score 21.5 Favorable 41.6 Moderate
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #1 of 378 metros #17 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 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford

Finance and Insurance 27.5 Other Services 33.2 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 38.7

Retail Trade in Other Virginia Metros

Staunton-Stuarts Draft 36.9 #30/378 Roanoke 44.9 #82/378 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk 46.8 #97/378 Winchester 52.4 #166/378 Harrisonburg 53.9 #186/378 Lynchburg 57.5 #226/378 Charlottesville 59.8 #250/378

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 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford's retail trade sector, the wage pressure component (49.7) 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.