NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Wausau, WI

Metro Market Score 34.6 (Favorable), ranked #21 of 378 metros. 400 establishments, 7,398 jobs.

Metro Market Score 34.6

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Favorable

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

Wausau ranks in the top 10% for retail trade market conditions, driven by above-average employment growth. With a market score of 34.6, conditions are relatively favorable compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration

30.4

LQ: 1.05

Rank #115 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

17.5

$34,526 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 67.5

Employment growth index

Rank #124 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

64.3

YoY wage change index

400 Retail Trade Firms in Wausau

400

Establishments

+2.8% YoY

7,398

Total Employment

+0.3% YoY

$34,526

Average Annual Wage

+0.5% YoY

1.05

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Wisconsin

#2 of 13

retail trade metros in state

Wisconsin state rank

#1 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

-11.0

better than median (45.5)

Wausau vs Wisconsin Statewide

How this metro's retail trade market compares to Wisconsin overall. The state ranks #1/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Wausau	WI Statewide
Overall Score	34.6 Favorable	33.3 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#21 of 378 metros	#1 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 Wausau

Accommodation and Food Services 16.5 Information 19.9 Administrative and Support Services 29.2 Construction 30.7 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 32.9 Other Services 38.6 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 40.1 Healthcare and Social Assistance 56.3 Finance and Insurance 60.6

Retail Trade in Other Wisconsin Metros

Racine-Mount Pleasant 31.0 #9/378 La Crosse-Onalaska 34.8 #24/378 Sheboygan 38.0 #36/378 Appleton 39.0 #46/378 Milwaukee-Waukesha 39.2 #47/378 Eau Claire 45.5 #87/378 Madison 45.9 #90/378 Oshkosh-Neenah 47.9 #107/378 Kenosha 49.2 #125/378 Green Bay 53.7 #183/378

+ 2 more metros. View all in Wisconsin →

Retail Trade Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Wausau's 34.6 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Laredo, TX 34.6 #22/378 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 34.7 #23/378 Dubuque, IA 34.4 #20/378 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI 34.8 #24/378 Ithaca, NY 34.3 #19/378 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS 34.2 #18/378 Jackson, MS 34.9 #25/378 Spartanburg, SC 34.1 #17/378 Topeka, KS 35.1 #26/378 Monroe, LA 34.0 #16/378

Retail Trade in States Bordering Wisconsin

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

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

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 Wausau's retail trade sector, the wage pressure component (64.3) 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 Wausau, WI MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment