The state as a whole fared even better in January, recording a 9.3 percent taxable sales gain over the previous January to $3.45 billion.
Statewide, a 14.9 percent increase in auto sales, combined with 13.1 percent more sales by general merchandise stores, were joined by an 83 percent increase in construction industry categories.
Churchill County reported $20.67 million in sales. That is down 2 percent from the previous January, but Comptroller Alan Kalt consiers it a “push” from 2012. While the utilities category nearly doubled to $2 million, Churchill suffered a 25 percent dip in wholesale durable goods, a 24 percent decline in building material sales and similar decreases in a long list of smaller categories that more than offset that gain. This was due, in part, of the reduced need of supplies for alternative energy construction.
Churchill County, though, did see a few bright spots for January. Kalt said Vehicle and Vehicle Parts Dealers shoed another postiive month at 9.1 percent to $2.5 million. General Merchandise Stores, which includes Walmart, rose 2 percent and brought in $3.1 million. Food Services and Drinking Places maintaind showed a .8 percent rise to $1.85 million.
For Carson City, a whopping 16.8 percent increase in vehicle sales drove an 8.3 percent overall increase in taxable sales during January.
Total sales for the month were $58.1 million, boosting total sales for the fiscal year to date to more than $447.8 million.
Auto sales topped $15.8 million for the month.
Other major categories also did well in the capital, including wholesale durable goods, which saw a 54 percent increase to $4.37 million, and general merchandise stores, which increased 5 percent to $10.4 million.
Carson City did not share in the construction gains, reporting a nearly 11 percent decrease in sales of building materials.
Douglas County did even better than Carson City in January. There, the 20 percent increase was fueled in good part by a 51 percent increase in general merchandise sales — likely attributed to the new Walmart in Gardnerville.
Total sales for Douglas were $46 million.
Both of the state’s major urban counties did well in January. Clark reported sales of $2.52 billion, an 8.2 percent increase, and Washoe posted a 7.4 rise to $426 million.
The news was good in Lyon County as well — a 14.8 percent increase to $22.1 million. Construction increased from just $17,000 a year ago to nearly $300,000 this January, and motor vehicle sales rose 53 percent to $2.8 million. General merchandise sales were up 15.6 percent to $2.6 million in Lyon County.
Twelve of Nevada’s 17 counties reported increases in the month.