NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Beckley, WV

Metro Market Score 54.2 (Challenging), ranked #191 of 378 metros. 450 establishments, 5,569 jobs.

Metro Market Score 54.2

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

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

📈Rapid Growth⚡Rising Wages

Despite a mature retail trade presence (concentration: 83.1), Beckley is still adding jobs in this sector. Growth trend sits at 81.0, and the overall 54.2 market score lands in the lower half. Established markets with growth are worth a closer look.

Industry Concentration

83.1

LQ: 1.31

Rank #314 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

42.3

$36,766 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 81.0

Employment growth index

Rank #73 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

85.5

YoY wage change index

450 Retail Trade Firms in Beckley

450

Establishments

+0.7% YoY

5,569

Total Employment

+1.3% YoY

$36,766

Average Annual Wage

+4.6% YoY

1.31

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within West Virginia

#4 of 7

retail trade metros in state

West Virginia state rank

#47 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

0.0

matches median (54.2)

Beckley vs West Virginia Statewide

How this metro's retail trade market compares to West Virginia overall. The state ranks #47/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Beckley	WV Statewide
Overall Score	54.2 Challenging	52.8 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#191 of 378 metros	#47 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 Beckley

Construction 11.7 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 16.4 Finance and Insurance 24.2 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 27.9 Information 39.6 Accommodation and Food Services 44.4 Administrative and Support Services 46.4 Healthcare and Social Assistance 55.8 Other Services 56.4

Retail Trade in Other West Virginia Metros

Morgantown 31.9 #10/378 Huntington-Ashland 32.4 #12/378 Charleston 50.0 #140/378 Weirton-Steubenville 55.8 #207/378 Parkersburg-Vienna 59.2 #245/378 Wheeling 61.5 #270/378

Retail Trade Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Beckley's 54.2 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Colorado Springs, CO 54.1 #190/378 St. Cloud, MN 54.1 #189/378 Helena, MT 54.2 #192/378 Athens-Clarke County, GA 54.2 #193/378 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL 54.0 #188/378 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 54.0 #187/378 Harrisonburg, VA 53.9 #186/378 El Paso, TX 53.7 #185/378 Salinas, CA 53.7 #184/378 Green Bay, WI 53.7 #183/378

Retail Trade in States Bordering West Virginia

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

Pennsylvania 38.1 #6/51 Ohio 39.2 #8/51 Virginia 41.6 #17/51 Maryland 43.6 #26/51 Kentucky 46.4 #36/51

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 Beckley's retail trade sector, the industry concentration component (83.1) 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 Beckley, WV MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment