NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA

Metro Market Score 46.8 (Moderate), ranked #97 of 378 metros. 5,048 establishments, 78,688 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 46.8
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Moderate

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

⚡Rising Wages

At #97 of 378 metros, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk's retail trade sector scores 46.8 on the market index. Concentration (28.3), wage levels (25.7), and growth (37.0) all track close to the median. Local factors like lease costs and client access will matter more than macro signals.

Industry Concentration
28.3
LQ: 1.04
Rank #107 of 378 metros
Wage Competitiveness
25.7
$35,328 avg wage
Growth Trend
↓ 37.0
Employment growth index
Rank #239 of 378 metros
Wage Pressure
72.0
YoY wage change index

5,048 Retail Trade Firms in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk

5,048
Establishments
+0.8% YoY
78,688
Total Employment
-1.0% YoY
$35,328
Average Annual Wage
+2.0% YoY
1.04
Location Quotient
Above national avg

Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk vs Virginia Statewide

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

Measure Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk VA Statewide
Overall Score 46.8 Moderate 41.6 Moderate
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #97 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk

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 Roanoke 44.9 #82/378 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk's retail trade sector, the employment growth component (63.0) 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.