What does this q4 retail employment change ranking show?

It orders states by Fourth-quarter retail employment change. It is a comparison of this one published measure, not an overall ranking of where to live.

Where do these figures come from?

BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages supplies this measure. States without a comparable published value are shown as not ranked rather than estimated.

How should I use this ranking?

Use it to narrow a search, then open a state or county profile for the underlying figures, source dates and caveats. A statewide number may not describe every neighbourhood.

Highest q4 retail employment change by state

Fourth-quarter retail employment change.

This measure has no better end. The order describes the states, it does not rank them — see the other direction.

Change in average retail employment from the third to the fourth quarter, using QCEW NAICS 44–45. It captures a seasonal staffing change, but does not attribute that change to holidays or say whether retail work is good or bad.

How to read this ranking

Arizona has the highest published q4 retail employment change in this comparison, at 3.1%. The next states shown are California (3.0%) and Florida (2.6%).

The table orders 51 states by fourth-quarter retail employment change. It describes one published measure, not an overall judgment about where to live.

Use the result as a starting point, then compare the underlying source, dates, and local county figures before making a decision. Change in average retail employment from the third to the fourth quarter, using QCEW NAICS 44–45. It captures a seasonal staffing change, but does not attribute that change to holidays or say whether retail work is good or bad.

1Arizona3.1%
2California3.0%
3Florida2.6%
4Nevada2.5%
5Texas2.4%
6Kentucky2.2%
7Tennessee2.1%
8Utah2.1%
9Arkansas1.9%
10Connecticut1.9%
11Ohio1.8%
12District of Columbia1.7%
13Georgia1.7%
14Hawaii1.7%
15Oklahoma1.7%
16Alabama1.6%
17Illinois1.6%
18Mississippi1.6%
19New York1.6%
20Rhode Island1.6%
21North Dakota1.5%
22Virginia1.5%
23Indiana1.4%
24Kansas1.4%
25Maryland1.4%
26Missouri1.4%
27North Carolina1.4%
28New Jersey1.4%
29Iowa1.3%
30Nebraska1.3%
31Pennsylvania1.3%
32South Carolina1.3%
33Washington1.1%
34West Virginia1.0%
35Louisiana0.9%
36Minnesota0.8%
37Michigan0.7%
38Oregon0.7%
39Colorado0.6%
40Idaho0.6%
41Wisconsin0.6%
42Massachusetts0.5%
43New Mexico0.5%
44New Hampshire0.4%
45Vermont0.4%
46Montana0.3%
47Delaware-0.1%
48South Dakota-0.1%
49Maine-1.6%
50Wyoming-2.1%
51Alaska-3.9%

Related seasonal rankings

Frequently asked questions

What does this ranking show?: It orders states by Fourth-quarter retail employment change. It is one measure, not an overall verdict on where to live.
Where do the figures come from?: BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. States without a comparable published figure are listed as not ranked rather than estimated.
How should I use it?: Use it to narrow your search, then open a state or county profile for the source date, caveats and local context.

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<iframe src="https://movermath.com/embed/q4-retail-employment-change" width="100%" height="420" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Fourth-quarter retail employment change by state"></iframe>

Source: BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. · How this is built

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