General merchandise retailers
NAICS Code: 455000
BLS projects General merchandise retailers to grow +2.3% through 2034 - 0.1 points slower than the 2.4% average across 291 U.S. industries, faster-growing than 46% of them. Its trajectory is close to the typical U.S. industry.
Where General merchandise retailers sits among all industries
Projected 2024-2034 growth across 291 U.S. industries (BLS). This industry is marked in rose.
Where General merchandise retailers sits by projected growth
Projected employment change across tracked industries
2.3% Top 54% higher than 46% of 291 industries
Industries, banded by projected growth
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more industries. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source BLS Employment Projections · 2026-05-15
Steady-state read
Signature: 45.5% mean employer AI exposure across 87 tracked public companies .
Both projected growth and public-company coverage sit in the middle of the fleet - compare the peer employment table with the company grades to see whether size peers and AI-risk peers tell the same story.
NAICS 455000 · 3,265,500 workers (2024, ×1k) · source BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034. Employer AI grades are occupation-weighted scores from our SEC cohort, not automation predictions for every establishment in General merchandise retailers.
Public companies in this NAICS sector
NAICS sector 44-45/44/45 bucket (includes sibling industries). 87 companies scored · mean AI exposure 45.5%.
| Company | AI grade |
|---|---|
| Abercrombie & Fitch Co /De/ | C |
| Academy Sports & Outdoors, Inc. | C |
| Advance Auto Parts Inc | C |
| Albertsons Companies, Inc. | C |
| Amazon Com Inc | C |
| American Eagle Outfitters Inc | C |
| Aramark | C |
| Asbury Automotive Group Inc | C |
Grades are occupation-weighted AI exposure from our employer corpus - not a claim that every establishment in General merchandise retailers shares the same risk. Source: SEC company metadata + O*NET-weighted scores · as of 2026-05-15.
Peer Industries by Employment
How General merchandise retailers (NAICS 455000) compares to industries of similar size, ordered by 2024 BLS employment.
| Industry | 2024 | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| General merchandise retailers | 3,265,500 | +2.3% |
| Grocery and specialty food retailers | 3,052,400 | -1.0% |
| Offices of physicians | 2,975,400 | +6.9% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 2,617,100 | +4.4% |
| Temporary help services | 2,612,100 | -2.1% |
| Services for the elderly and persons with disabilities | 2,512,300 | +21.0% |
Peers are selected by similarity in 2024 employment. Figures in thousands. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people work in General merchandise retailers?
As of 2024, the General merchandise retailers industry employs approximately 3,265,500 workers in the United States, according to BLS Employment Projections data.
Is General merchandise retailers growing or declining?
The General merchandise retailers industry is projected to grow by 2.3% from 2024 to 2034, a net change of +75,500 jobs over the decade.
Which public companies sit near General merchandise retailers?
87 tracked public companies in NAICS sector 44-45/44/45 (sibling industries included). Sample names include Abercrombie & Fitch Co /De/, Academy Sports & Outdoors, Inc., Advance Auto Parts Inc. Grades are occupation-weighted AI exposure scores, not company-specific automation forecasts.
How will AI affect the General merchandise retailers industry?
Among 87 tracked public companies tied to this industry's sector, the mean occupation-weighted AI exposure score is 45.5% (most common grade C). That is a staffing-pattern signal from our employer corpus, not a forecast for every firm in General merchandise retailers. Pair it with occupation-level AI exposure scores for role-specific risk.
Where to look next
What to do with this
Use General merchandise retailers' employment and exposure numbers above to look up individual employers and occupations, not just the industry aggregate.
- See how public employers in this and other industries rank nationwide by AI displacement risk. Employer AI risk rankings
- Browse individual occupations to see exposure and wage detail below the industry level. Browse all occupations
- Compare this industry's outlook against a specific occupation or employer using the interactive tool. Workforce comparison tool
Industry-level figures are aggregates; individual employer and occupation outcomes vary.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034; SEC employer metadata for AI grades Employment figures in thousands. Employer grades are occupation-weighted exposure scores, not firm automation forecasts