Jonesboro, Craighead County sales tax collections improving

Sales and use tax collections in Jonesboro and Craighead County have been slightly up the last two months, but are still down for the year, when compared to the first three months of 2024. For the year, the city has collected $6.693 million, a 1.2% ($80,057) drop from the first quarter of last year, according to figures released by the city.

In March, the city collected $1.975 million, a 1.9% ($35,979) uptick from the same month in 2024. In February, the city collected $2.579 million, a 2.5% ($62,582) increase from the same month last year.

When compared to the projected budget, the city has been down each month this year. It’s down 2.9% ($201,000) for the year.

Sales tax figures lag by 60 days meaning the numbers released were collected two months prior. Economists consider sales tax collections as a leading economic indicator, one that can show how a local economy can be expected to perform in the short-term.

Northeast Arkansas’ hub city has a diversified workforce that has helped it to withstand national economic downturns in recent decades, according to officials. That diverse mix of jobs include health care, manufacturing, government, retail, agriculture and others. The city is also a nexus for those in surrounding counties seeking health care, and Arkansas State University is the region’s largest university and employer.

In the county, collections were down in January, but up slightly the next two months.

For the year, Craighead County has collected $7.54 million in sales and use taxes, a 1.2% ($200,000) drop when compared to the first quarter of 2024.