Washington state reported $135 billion in taxable retail sales in 2015, an increase of 8.4 percent over calendar year 2014, the Department of Revenue said in its annual report on retail trade released Wednesday. Clark County reported just over $6 billion in taxable retail sales for the calendar year.
Clark County and the cities of Vancouver and Camas all reported one-year growth in taxable retail sales that exceeded the statewide average. Clark County’s retail sales were up by 13.7 percent. Vancouver’s sales rose by 15 percent; and Camas saw an 8.6 percent increase in taxable retail sales. To the north, Cowlitz County’s taxable retail sales dropped by 1 percent.
Statewide, sales in the retail sector reached nearly $60 billion, a 5.9 percent increase over 2014. In Clark County, the retail sector generated $2.7 billion in taxable sales.
Construction statewide accounted for $24.5 billion in taxable sales statewide, with new building construction contributing $13.8 billion to that total. In Clark County, construction generated $1.1 billion in taxable sales.