Updated retail trade data for Alexandria and Douglas County available

The Alexandria Area Economic Development Commission recently released the newest data on Alexandria and Douglas County retail sales in the Alexandria and Douglas County, MN Retail Trade Analysis.

The report focuses its information on taxable retail sales, based upon 2009 data recently released by the Minnesota Department of Revenue.

Overall, the publication highlights regional draw and tourism contributions to the area and how sales to non-residents significantly boost local economy.

Data sets for the Retail Trade Analysis reports are two years old due to Minnesota Department of Revenue timelines for releasing taxable sales data.

Data is compiled to identify community pull factors, which are a measurement of taxable retail sales per capita, so retail strength of communities can be evenly compared.

A pull factor of 1 indicates a community has retail sales per capita at the same level as the state of Minnesota’s average (for 2009, this amount was approximately $8,945).

The Alexandria/Douglas County Retail Trade Analysis publication is authored by the University of Minnesota Extension, with funding provided by the Alexandria Area Economic Development Commission and University of Minnesota Extension’s Center for Community Vitality.

ALEXANDRIA HIGHLIGHTS

• Total taxable sales for 2009 in Alexandria were $287.35 million.

• The Alexandria community has a pull factor of 2.71, based upon 2009 taxable sales and population figures.

This means a total of $24,241 would have to be spent by every man, woman and child living in the city of Alexandria during 2009 on taxable sales to equal this pull factor. (For a family of four, this would equal $96,964 on taxable sales annually within the city of Alexandria.)

Comparable communities have the following pull factors, based upon the 2009 data: Bemidji 2.02; Brainerd 0.93; Detroit Lakes 2.22; Fergus Falls 1.48; Marshall 1.75; Worthington 2.41.

DOUGLAS COUNTY HIGHLIGHTS

• Total taxable sales for 2009 in Douglas County were $463.56 million.

• The Douglas County community has a pull factor of 1.42, based upon 2009 taxable sales and population figures.

This means a total of $12,702 would have to be spent by every man, woman and child living in Douglas County during 2009 on taxable sales to equal this pull factor. (For family of four, this would equal $50,808 on taxable sales annually within Douglas County.)

Comparable counties have the following pull factors, based upon the 2009 data: Grant County 0.41; Otter Tail County 0.73; Pope County 0.54; Stearns County 0.91; Todd County 0.27.

TO OBTAIN A COPY

Copies of the Alexandria/Douglas County Retail Trade Analysis can be requested from the Alexandria Area Economic Development Commission by calling (320) 763-4545 or e-mailing aaedc@rea-alp.com.

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