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Main Street remains resilient. Our three key Main Street Health Metrics — hours worked, locations open, and employees working — continue to show a positive trend compared to January of 2022, despite macroeconomic and geopolitical crosscurrents and negative reports from some bellwether companies.
Main Street Health Metrics (Rolling 7-day average; relative to Jan. 2022)
1. Some significant dips due to major U.S. holidays. Pronounced dip in mid-February 2021 coincides with the period including the Texas power crisis and severe weather in the Midwest. Source: Homebase data.
Regional differences
Overall national trends in our key Main Street Health metrics mask some differences across regions, states and MSAs. For example, our hours worked metric showed some modest month-over-month declines in parts of the West, Southwest, and Southeast. By contrast, New England, The Plains, Great Lakes, and the mid-Atlantic regions continue to trend positively.
Percent change in hours worked (Mid-May vs. mid-April using Jan. 2022 baseline)
Note 1. May 8-14 vs. April 10-16. Regional averages weighted by population, based on 2019 estimates from the US Census. Source: Homebase data
The pattern at the MSA-level was largely consistent with the state-level results, with gains evident in New York, Hartford, and Minneapolis, among others. San Antonio was a Southern standout.
Percent change in hours worked and employees working (Mid-May vs. mid-April using January 2022 baseline) 1
1. May 8-14 vs. April 10-16. Source: Homebase data
Experiential businesses continue to significantly outperform compared with the beginning of 2022. Consumers’ shift away from consumption goods to experiences is evident in our data. We noted continued momentum in the hospitality and entertainment industries, which are up 19.2% and 22.8%, respectively, from January 2022. Retail, on the other hand, is trending downwards, as is beauty & wellness.
Percent change in employees working (Compared to January 2022 baseline using 7-day rolling average)
1. May 8-14 vs. April 10-16 (2022) and May 12-18 vs. April 7-13 (2019). Pronounced dips generally coincide with major US Holidays.
Nominal average hourly wages are up almost 10% since the beginning of 2021. However, there is some evidence that the rate of increase is leveling off.
Percent change in nominal average hourly wages relative to January 2021 baseline
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Kerry McCreadie
Kerry McCreadie is the Senior Manager of Organic Growth at Homebase, where they lead SEO, content strategy, and educational resources designed to help small businesses with hourly teams run better. Since joining Homebase in 2024, Kerry has focused on creating accessible, actionable content that addresses the real challenges small business owners face every day.
With over 10 years of experience in small business marketing—spanning roles at Yellow Pages, FreshBooks, Personify, and Homebase—Kerry has developed hundreds of templates and resources for small business owners, partnered with Google to help small charities access grant programs for paid marketing, and built education programs that deliver just-in-time learning when business owners need it most.
Kerry doesn't just market to small businesses—they live it. They've run an arts and culture nonprofit for over a decade, previously operated their own photography business, and started their career in the trenches of small retail, working their way up from inventory management to sales floor to keyholder. This hands-on experience informs everything they create, ensuring Homebase's content speaks to the realities of running a small business.
Remember: This is not legal advice. If you have questions about your particular situation, please consult a lawyer, CPA, or other appropriate professional advisor or agency.
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