Taxable retail sales were up slightly across the state in the third quarter of 2024 but it was a tale of two counties in the Mid-Columbia, with Franklin County booming and Benton County seeing much less spending compared to the same period in 2023. 

Washington’s third-quarter taxable retail sales hit $61 billion during the quarter, a 0.8% increase compared to the same quarter in 2023, according to data released by the state Department of Revenue. However, retail trade, a subset that includes items such as clothing, furniture and vehicles but not services and construction, declined by 1.3%. All that has big implications for municipalities, many which rely on sales taxes to sustain their budgets. 

Benton County bucked the state trend and not in a good way. Its total taxable retail sales were $1.53 billion in the Q3 2024, about $4 million less than in 2023. The county’s retail trade taxable sales were even worse at $742 million, a decline of nearly $37 million, or 4.75%, compared to the same quarter in 2023. 

Kennewick saw its total taxable retail sales drop $18 million, or 2.4%, and its retail trade taxable sales fall $7.3 million, or 1.7%. 

In Richland total taxable sales were $507 million in Q3 2024, a jump of $12 million, or 2.4%, compared to the same quarter in 2023. However, retail trade taxable sales sank to $218 million, a decline of $11 million, or 4.8%. 

Across the Columbia River, less-populous Franklin County saw less consumer spending compared to its neighboring county but it skyrocketed compared to the previous year. The county’s total taxable retail sales hit $763 million, more than $122 million above what it recorded in the third quarter of 2023, an increase of 17.2%. Retail trade taxable sales grew less but still increased by $7.1 million, or 2.3%. 

Much of that increase happened in Pasco. The city’s total retail sales hit $663.7 million, an increase of $90.2 million, or 15.7%. Retail trade taxable sales grew to $287.2 million, an increase of $5.7 million, or 2%.