NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Wisconsin: 2026 Market Risk Report

Entry risk 33.3 (Moderate), ranked #1 of 51 states. 17,597 establishments, 297,943 jobs.

Entry Risk Assessment

Entry Risk Score 33.3
Low 0-30
Moderate 30-42
Elevated 42-55
High 55+
Moderate

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

🛡️Stable Market

Wisconsin exhibits structural stability in retail trade, with volatility at 7.3 and firm retention ranking in the top 15. These metrics suggest lower cyclical risk compared to the national baseline.

5-Year Firm Retention
80.4%
Percentile within industry
Rank #11 of 51 states
Growth Momentum
27.4
Scale of 0-100
Rank #37 of 51 states
Establishment Density
26.7
vs. national average
Rank #9 of 51 states
Market Volatility
7.3
Lower is more stable
Wage Pressure Index
25.3
Labor cost pressure

17,597 Establishments in Wisconsin

17,597
Establishments
+3.7% YoY
297,943
Total Employment
+0.1% YoY
$35,444
Average Annual Wage
+2.1% YoY

Wisconsin vs National Retail Trade Average

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

Metric WI National Difference
Entry Risk Score 33.3 44.6 -11.3
5-Year Retention 80.4% 51.0% +29.4
Growth Momentum 27.4 42.9 -15.4
Market Volatility 7.3 24.4 -17.1
Establishment Density 26.7 49.0 -22.3
Wage Pressure 25.3 30.5 -5.2

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

Wisconsin Ranks #1 of 51 for Retail Trade

Wisconsin ranks #1 out of 51 states for retail trade market entry conditions.

Retail Trade Entry Risk by State

Rank State Risk Score Classification
#1 Wisconsin You 33.3 moderate
#2 Nebraska 35.9 moderate
#3 Nevada 37.0 moderate
#4 Massachusetts 37.1 moderate
#5 Alaska 37.2 moderate
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 Wisconsin stack up against other states for retail trade?

Select a state above to see the comparison

Retail Trade in Neighboring States

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

Minnesota 39.6 #9/51 Michigan 40.5 #15/51 Iowa 40.8 #16/51 Illinois 48.1 #39/51

Other Industries in Wisconsin

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 →