On Wednesday, the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce released sales and use tax data on for the first half of 2018 and every locality in the area is reporting increases in retail sales.
Sales tax data shows retail sales in Albemarle County were up 2.61 percent for the year so far with Charlottesville up 4.42 percent, Fluvanna County up 8.99 percent, Greene and Louisa Counties up 4.06 and 4.71 percent, respectively.
Albemarle and Charlottesville reportedly accounted for $1.38 billion in total retail sales, not including motor vehicle or gas and diesel sales which represents a 3.34 percent increase over the same six months in 2017.