Northwest Arkansas sales tax revenue sees small gain in March report

Consumer spending on goods and services in Benton and Washington counties was flat in January with sales tax revenue in the top four cities totaling $8.734 million, up 0.62% from the year-ago period.

The March report, which reflects January transactions, compares to gains of 3.13% and 4.42% in the preceding two months. Year-to-date cumulative revenue for the four largest cities totaled $28.312 million, up 2.75% from the same period last year.

Rogers, a major retail center in the region, had sales tax revenue of $2.887 million, up 37.9% compared to the same month in the previous year. Year-to-date, Rogers tax revenue is $8.095 million, up 14.77% and the biggest sales tax revenue gain among the four cities.

Bentonville, who led the region’s sales tax growth in 2023, has seen its revenue stall in the past two monthly reports. The March report showed revenue of $1.729 million, down 24.54% from a year ago. March was all also the first time since January 2023 that Bentonville did not report more than $2 million in revenue. Bentonville’s sales tax revenue year-to-date totals $6.297 million, down 5.6%.

Springdale reported revenue of $1.748 million, down 6.24% from the year-ago period. Springdale’s year-to-date sales tax revenue totals $5.927 million, up 1.38%.

Fayetteville reported revenue of $2.368 million, down 2.52% from the March report last year. It is the first report in five months that the city had lowered revenue from the year-ago period. However, revenue growth has slowed to a low-single-digit pace since late last year. Year-to-date revenue for Fayetteville totals $7.992 million, flat against the same period last year.

January-March Sales Tax Revenue
Bentonville
2024: $6.297 million
2023: $6.676 million
-5.6%

Fayetteville
2024: $7.992 million
2023; $7.977 million
0.2%

Rogers
2024: $8.095 million
2023: $7.053 million
14.77%

Springdale
2024: $5.927 million
2023: $5.846 million
1.38%