NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA

Metro Market Score 69.2 (Difficult), ranked #329 of 378 metros. 724 establishments, 12,101 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 69.2
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Difficult

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

💰High-Cost Market⚡Rising Wages

Wage costs in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater's retail trade sector are well above the metro average, with wage competitiveness at 93.4 and rising pressure at 81.3. New entrants should factor higher labor costs into their financial projections for this market.

Industry Concentration
13.0
LQ: 0.94
Rank #49 of 378 metros
Wage Competitiveness
93.4
$44,389 avg wage
Growth Trend
↓ 12.2
Employment growth index
Rank #333 of 378 metros
Wage Pressure
81.3
YoY wage change index

724 Retail Trade Firms in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater

724
Establishments
+2.1% YoY
12,101
Total Employment
-2.9% YoY
$44,389
Average Annual Wage
+3.8% YoY
0.94
Location Quotient
Below national avg

Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater vs Washington Statewide

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

Measure Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater WA Statewide
Overall Score 69.2 Difficult 42.0 Elevated
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #329 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater

Accommodation and Food Services 43.8 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 47.3 Finance and Insurance 47.4 Administrative and Support Services 52.6 Healthcare and Social Assistance 56.4 Construction 64.3 Information 64.9 Other Services 69.5 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 71.5

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 Longview-Kelso 69.3 #332/378 Spokane-Spokane Valley 69.7 #334/378 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee 69.9 #337/378 Mount Vernon-Anacortes 71.8 #348/378 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater's retail trade sector, the employment growth component (87.8) 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.