The Charlottesville Regional Commerce released its compiled sales tax data today, which shows that total retail sales rose across the region in 2011.
Sales in the City of Charlottesville rose 6.33 percent and Albemarle County saw a .24 percent increase.
Louisa County saw the largest growth with a 21.07 percent increase in sales from 2010. Charlottesville and Albemarle, the region’s retail hub, accounted for $2.19 billion in retail sales over the full course of 2011, an increase of $61 million from 2010.
Despite significant gains in Charlottesville and Albemarle County, sales numbers are still seven percent lower than in 2007, the last year before the “Great Recession” and slow economic recovery began.
The gain in retail translates to a local tax revenue gain across the region, with over $600,000 in Charlottesville and Albemarle County combined. Greene and Louisa Counties saw growths of $269,000 and $229,000, respectively.