Retail sales plateau in Mecklenburg County after growth

Sales tax revenue growth has stabilized at around 2.5% year-over-year, down from more than 20%

The following article appeared in the Feb. 12, 2025, edition of The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with smart and original local news for Charlotte. We offer free and paid subscription plans. More info here.

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Mecklenburg’s consumer spending has flattened out after years of high growth

The amount of retail sales in Mecklenburg County has started to level off following big year-over-year increases in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

In a presentation to Mecklenburg County commissioners late last month, county chief financial officer David Boyd presented a chart showing double-digit growth in county sales tax revenue in some months of 2022, to levels surpassing 20% compared with the same months a year earlier. Those big increases resulted from spending that came roaring back after Covid.