NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Washington: 2026 Market Risk Report

Entry risk 42.0 (Elevated), ranked #20 of 51 states. 19,638 establishments, 328,479 jobs.

Entry Risk Assessment

Entry Risk Score 42.0
Low 0-30
Moderate 30-42
Elevated 42-55
High 55+
Elevated

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

⛔High Barrier to Entry

Washington's retail trade sector shows high establishment density (top 5 nationally) paired with firm retention in the bottom half. This combination indicates elevated competitive pressure on new market entrants.

5-Year Firm Retention
31.4%
Percentile within industry
Rank #36 of 51 states
Growth Momentum
40.8
Scale of 0-100
Rank #25 of 51 states
Establishment Density
7.7
vs. national average
Rank #2 of 51 states
Market Volatility
7.7
Lower is more stable
Wage Pressure Index
49.3
Labor cost pressure

19,638 Establishments in Washington

19,638
Establishments
+1.7% YoY
328,479
Total Employment
-1.1% YoY
$48,548
Average Annual Wage
+3.9% YoY

Washington vs National Retail Trade Average

How Washington's retail trade market compares to the national average across all 51 states.

Metric WA National Difference
Entry Risk Score 42.0 44.6 -2.6
5-Year Retention 31.4% 51.0% -19.6
Growth Momentum 40.8 42.9 -2.1
Market Volatility 7.7 24.4 -16.8
Establishment Density 7.7 49.0 -41.3
Wage Pressure 49.3 30.5 +18.8

Green = favorable vs national average. Red = less favorable. Metrics are relative within retail trade only.

Washington Ranks #20 of 51 for Retail Trade

Washington ranks #20 out of 51 states for retail trade market entry conditions.

Retail Trade Entry Risk by State

Rank State Risk Score Classification
#1 Wisconsin 33.3 moderate
#2 Nebraska 35.9 moderate
#3 Nevada 37.0 moderate
#4 Massachusetts 37.1 moderate
#5 Alaska 37.2 moderate
#20 Washington You 42.0 elevated
Entry Risk by State Alaska — 37.2 · #5 Alabama — 46.4 · #36 Arkansas — 51.8 · #44 Arizona — 44.9 · #32 California — 44.0 · #28 Colorado — 42.9 · #23 Connecticut — 44.7 · #31 District of Columbia — 58.0 · #50 Delaware — 41.8 · #19 Florida — 51.0 · #43 Georgia — 47.5 · #38 Hawaii — 56.1 · #48 Iowa — 40.8 · #16 Idaho — 40.1 · #12 Illinois — 48.1 · #39 Indiana — 39.8 · #10 Kansas — 40.4 · #14 Kentucky — 46.4 · #36 Louisiana — 52.3 · #46 Massachusetts — 37.1 · #4 Maryland — 43.6 · #26 Maine — 44.1 · #29 Michigan — 40.5 · #15 Minnesota — 39.6 · #9 Missouri — 50.6 · #42 Mississippi — 59.2 · #51 Montana — 45.8 · #34 North Carolina — 43.4 · #25 North Dakota — 49.9 · #41 Nebraska — 35.9 · #2 New Hampshire — 48.7 · #40 New Jersey — 43.7 · #27 New Mexico — 39.9 · #11 Nevada — 37.0 · #3 New York — 57.2 · #49 Ohio — 39.2 · #8 Oklahoma — 46.3 · #35 Oregon — 42.9 · #24 Pennsylvania — 38.1 · #6 Rhode Island — 42.3 · #21 South Carolina — 44.3 · #30 South Dakota — 38.9 · #7 Tennessee — 42.8 · #22 Texas — 41.6 · #17 Utah — 40.3 · #13 Virginia — 41.6 · #17 Vermont — 52.1 · #45 Washington — 42.0 · #20 Wisconsin — 33.3 · #1 West Virginia — 52.8 · #47 Wyoming — 44.9 · #33
Low Moderate Elevated High

Tap a state to view details

About Entry Risk Score: A weighted composite of firm retention, growth momentum, market volatility, establishment density, and wage pressure. Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Data period: 2024. Last updated: February 2026. Next refresh expected: Q2 2026 (BLS QCEW update).

Compare to Another State

How does Washington stack up against other states for retail trade?

Select a state above to see the comparison

Retail Trade in Neighboring States

How Washington's retail trade market compares to bordering states.

Idaho 40.1 #12/51 Oregon 42.9 #24/51

Other Industries in Washington

Construction → Healthcare and Social Assistance → Accommodation and Food Services → Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services → Finance and Insurance → Real Estate and Rental and Leasing → Administrative and Support Services → Information → Other Services →