NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA

Metro Market Score 71.8 (Difficult), ranked #348 of 378 metros. 439 establishments, 6,698 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 71.8
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Difficult

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

💰High-Cost Market

Wage costs in Mount Vernon-Anacortes's retail trade sector are well above the metro average, with wage competitiveness at 91.5 and rising pressure at 65.3. New entrants should factor higher labor costs into their financial projections for this market.

Industry Concentration
73.0
LQ: 1.24
Rank #276 of 378 metros
Wage Competitiveness
91.5
$43,968 avg wage
Growth Trend
↓ 41.3
Employment growth index
Rank #223 of 378 metros
Wage Pressure
65.3
YoY wage change index

439 Retail Trade Firms in Mount Vernon-Anacortes

439
Establishments
+1.9% YoY
6,698
Total Employment
-0.7% YoY
$43,968
Average Annual Wage
+0.7% YoY
1.24
Location Quotient
Above national avg

Mount Vernon-Anacortes vs Washington Statewide

How this metro's retail trade market compares to Washington overall. The state ranks #20/51 for entry risk.

Measure Mount Vernon-Anacortes WA Statewide
Overall Score 71.8 Difficult 42.0 Elevated
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #348 of 378 metros #20 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 Mount Vernon-Anacortes

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 35.2 Finance and Insurance 36.7 Healthcare and Social Assistance 36.8 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 40.8 Administrative and Support Services 45.2 Information 47.3 Other Services 55.6 Accommodation and Food Services 65.8 Construction 71.4

Retail Trade in Other Washington Metros

Walla Walla 51.0 #153/378 Bellingham 58.5 #237/378 Kennewick-Richland 58.9 #242/378 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue 60.7 #263/378 Yakima 67.8 #326/378 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater 69.2 #329/378 Longview-Kelso 69.3 #332/378 Spokane-Spokane Valley 69.7 #334/378 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee 69.9 #337/378 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard 74.0 #361/378

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 Mount Vernon-Anacortes's retail trade sector, the wage competitiveness component (91.5) 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.