NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Roanoke, VA

Metro Market Score 44.9 (Moderate), ranked #82 of 378 metros. 1,085 establishments, 15,928 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 44.9
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Moderate

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

⚡Rising Wages

Few retail trade firms have established themselves in Roanoke yet. The concentration index of 30.2 is well below the metro median, while employment growth is positive (trend: 50.8). That combination points to a market still building out.

Industry Concentration
30.2
LQ: 1.05
Rank #114 of 378 metros
Wage Competitiveness
29.9
$35,718 avg wage
Growth Trend
50.8
Employment growth index
Rank #187 of 378 metros
Wage Pressure
75.7
YoY wage change index

1,085 Retail Trade Firms in Roanoke

1,085
Establishments
-1.0% YoY
15,928
Total Employment
-0.2% YoY
$35,718
Average Annual Wage
+2.7% YoY
1.05
Location Quotient
Above national avg

Roanoke vs Virginia Statewide

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

Measure Roanoke VA Statewide
Overall Score 44.9 Moderate 41.6 Moderate
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #82 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 Roanoke

Industry data for other sectors in this metro is not available in the current BLS release. This can happen when metro area boundaries are redesignated.

Retail Trade in Other Virginia Metros

Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford 21.5 #1/378 Staunton-Stuarts Draft 36.9 #30/378 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 Roanoke's retail trade sector, the wage pressure component (75.7) 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.