NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Walla Walla, WA

Metro Market Score 51.0 (Challenging), ranked #153 of 378 metros. 170 establishments, 2,381 jobs.

Metro Market Score 51.0

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

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

⚡Rising Wages

Retail Trade employment in Walla Walla contracted year-over-year, placing the growth trend in the upper half at 6.3. Declining job counts can indicate consolidation, population shifts, or reduced local demand. Due diligence on the local economy is especially important here.

Industry Concentration

2.6

LQ: 0.82

Rank #10 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

30.7

$35,851 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 6.3

Employment growth index

Rank #355 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

73.1

YoY wage change index

170 Retail Trade Firms in Walla Walla

170

Establishments

-5.6% YoY

2,381

Total Employment

-4.8% YoY

$35,851

Average Annual Wage

+2.2% YoY

0.82

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Washington

#1 of 11

retail trade metros in state

Washington state rank

#20 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

-18.2

better than median (69.2)

Walla Walla vs Washington Statewide

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

Measure	Walla Walla	WA Statewide
Overall Score	51.0 Challenging	42.0 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#153 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 Walla Walla

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 34.8 Construction 41.5 Information 42.9 Finance and Insurance 45.0 Accommodation and Food Services 46.1 Other Services 47.4 Healthcare and Social Assistance 52.5

Retail Trade in Other Washington Metros

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 Mount Vernon-Anacortes 71.8 #348/378 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard 74.0 #361/378

Retail Trade Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Walla Walla's 51.0 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Tulsa, OK 51.0 #151/378 Omaha, NE 51.0 #152/378 Johnson City, TN 51.1 #154/378 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA 51.3 #155/378 Sandusky, OH 50.6 #150/378 Sebring, FL 50.6 #149/378 Boise City, ID 51.5 #156/378 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA 50.5 #148/378 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 51.6 #157/378 Mansfield, OH 51.6 #158/378

Retail Trade in States Bordering Washington

State-level entry risk for retail trade in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

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

Browse Retail Trade in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for retail trade across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

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 Walla Walla's retail trade sector, the employment growth component (93.7) 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

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Walla Walla, WA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment