Sales Tax Revenue report
Jobs, Revenue, and Growth:
The Sales Tax Impact by Retail and Restaurants
Discover the impact on local economies
This annual report provides an in-depth analysis of more than 200 national retail and restaurant brands, offering insights for economic development professionals and city leaders.
Inside, you’ll find:
- Estimated annual sales tax revenue per location, at your community’s own rate
- Average unit volumes and total U.S. unit counts
- Estimated jobs per location
- Filtering by state, category, and store size
- A target list builder with combined revenue and job totals, downloadable as a PDF
New this year: sales tax estimates now apply a category taxable ratio, so groceries, prescriptions, and fuel are not counted at full value. Figures for grocery and convenience brands are lower than in past editions and closer to what a community actually collects.
View the Report
How do I use this report?
- Pair with your Retail Leakage Analysis to find what retail categories show the most significant opportunities.
- Recruit retail or restaurants to add jobs and city sales tax revenue.
- Consider your Peer Communities to identify which companies you could attract.
Do you need a peer community report or retail leakage analysis?
We can help your city understand what retail to focus on!
Our sources include SEC filings and annual reports, Franchise Disclosure Document Item 19 averages, Technomic, QSR Magazine, Restaurant Business, Nation’s Restaurant News, Supermarket News, and Winsight Grocery. Local sales tax rates from the Tax Foundation.
Note: The 2026 edition is based on the most recent available figures, carried forward to 2025 and 2026 where needed. Rates from Tax Foundation, July 2026.
More Resources
& Articles
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Where growth is headed: Economic development and retail expansion in small towns
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Smaller boxes, smaller towns: Two retail trends rural and mid-sized communities can use now
Our team spends time in communities all over the country, working with the brokers, developers, and retailers who shape what gets built and where. Those conversations give us a clear view of where national brands are headed. Here’s what stands out right now, and what it means for retail recruitment in small towns. Trend one…
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The Sales Tax Report 2026
Community Resource
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How Retail Recruitment Works: From Market Analysis to New Store Openings
For many community leaders, retail recruitment can feel like a mystery. Residents ask why a favorite restaurant isn’t in town. City councils want to see new retail development. Developers are looking for tenants. Yet many communities aren’t sure what actually happens behind the scenes to attract new retailers. The reality is that successful retail recruitment…
