NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Harrisonburg, VA

Metro Market Score 53.9 (Challenging), ranked #186 of 378 metros. 490 establishments, 7,061 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 53.9
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Challenging

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

⚡Rising Wages

Retail Trade employment in Harrisonburg contracted year-over-year, placing the growth trend in the upper half at 15.3. Declining job counts can indicate consolidation, population shifts, or reduced local demand. Due diligence on the local economy is especially important here.

Industry Concentration
33.9
LQ: 1.07
Rank #128 of 378 metros
Wage Competitiveness
21.4
$34,898 avg wage
Growth Trend
↓ 15.3
Employment growth index
Rank #321 of 378 metros
Wage Pressure
73.6
YoY wage change index

490 Retail Trade Firms in Harrisonburg

490
Establishments
+3.4% YoY
7,061
Total Employment
-2.4% YoY
$34,898
Average Annual Wage
+2.3% YoY
1.07
Location Quotient
Above national avg

Harrisonburg vs Virginia Statewide

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

Measure Harrisonburg VA Statewide
Overall Score 53.9 Challenging 41.6 Moderate
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #186 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 Harrisonburg

Information 35.1 Construction 38.2 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 38.6 Administrative and Support Services 40.4 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 40.5 Finance and Insurance 41.1 Other Services 45.1 Healthcare and Social Assistance 49.1 Accommodation and Food Services 60.1

Retail Trade in Other Virginia Metros

Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford 21.5 #1/378 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 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 Harrisonburg's retail trade sector, the employment growth component (84.7) 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.