Northwest Arkansas sales tax revenue down 2.02% in November report

Sales tax revenue in Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers and Springdale totaled $9.61 million in the November report, down 2.02% from a year ago. It was the first deficit in more than 15 years for combined November report revenue from the cities.

Through 11 months of this year, the combined cities report total revenue of $106.906 million, up 2.77% from the same period last year. This year is on track to be another modest year of gains for the cities overall, with estimated revenue growth between 2% and 3% from a year ago.

Fayetteville was the only city to post year-over-year revenue growth in the November report. The city’s sales tax revenue totaled $2.973 million, up 4.41% year over year. Increased enrollment at the University of Arkansas is believed to be part of the reason for the gains.

UA Chancellor Dr. Charles Robinson recently said at the Northwest Arkansas Council meeting that fall semester enrollment was a record 34,175 students, with 27% from Texas. He said nearly 49% of students enrolled this year are from Arkansas, which also is a record. There was also one additional home football game at the UA this year compared to last year, when the Razorbacks hosted Notre Dame on Sept. 27. The UA said it was the 10th largest crowd in history, with 75,111 people attending.

For the 11 reporting months, Fayetteville reported total revenue of $30.857 million, up 4.72% from a year ago. The city is tracking well ahead of the gains of 1.37% for all of 2024.

Rogers is the other major retail center in the region, and the city reported monthly sales tax totaling $2.642 million, down 0.74% compared to $2.662 million a year ago. Rebates have lowered city sales tax revenue by $1.765 million through October, up 11.21% year over year. Through November, sales tax revenue totaled $28.863 million, up 2.37% compared to $28.194 million a year ago. This is well below the 9.25% sales tax revenue growth the city budgeted for 2025.

Springdale has been a steady ship throughout most of this year with sales tax revenue growth, but the November report dipped 2.55%, the first decline the city has had the entire year. Revenue for the month totaled $2.019 million, down compared to $2.071 million a year ago. The city reported 11-month revenue of $23.997 million, up 5.6% from the $22.723 million reported a year ago.

Bentonville continues to have the most volatile month-to-month results in the cohort. The city’s sales tax revenue totaled $1.976 million in November, down 11.04% from a year ago. That decline followed a gain of 5.34% in October and declines of 2.36% and 14.16% in September and August, respectively. Sales tax revenue increased 34.77% in July, on the heels of a 72.91% decline in April results.

Through October, the city had already had rebates totaling more than $9.2 million, which is $1.702 million than it had all of last year. Through November, Bentonville sales tax revenue was $23.187 million, down 2%, from the $23.658 million reported in the same period last year.

SALES TAX REVENUE (January-November reports)
Bentonville:
2025: $23.187 million
2024: $23.658 million
down 2%

Fayetteville
2025: $30.857 million
2024: $29.446 million
up 4.72%

Rogers
2025: $28.863 million
2024: $28.194 million
up 2.37%

Springdale
2025: $23.997 million
2024: $22.723 million
up 5.6%