About this application: This application provides summary profiles showing frequently requested data items from various US Census Bureau programs. Profiles are available for the nation, states, and counties.
Total retail sales, 2012 ($1,000) - (Thousands of USD)
County
Value
Barnstable
3,856,942
Berkshire
1,916,512
Bristol
8,403,498
Dukes
373,633
Essex
10,037,894
Franklin
703,663
Hampden
5,752,962
Hampshire
1,749,972
Middlesex
21,344,600
Nantucket
317,541
Norfolk
11,801,057
Plymouth
6,889,614
Suffolk
8,850,957
Worcester
10,916,535
Value for Massachusetts (Thousands of USD): 92,915,380
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Economic Census, 2012. Economic Census of the Island Areas, Puerto Rico, 2012. Both are updated every 5 years.
Definitions:
The retail trade sector comprises establishments engaged in retailing merchandise, generally without transformation, and rendering services incidental to the sale of merchandise. The retailing process is the final step in the distribution of merchandise; retailers are, therefore, organized to sell merchandise in small quantities to the general public. The 2007 Economic Census classifies businesses according to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), 2012.
Sales include merchandise sold for cash or credit at retail and wholesale by establishments primarily engaged in retail trade; amounts received from customers for layaway purchases; receipts from rental of vehicles, equipment, instruments, tools, etc.; receipts for delivery, installation, maintenance, repair, alteration, storage, and other services; the total value of service contracts; and gasoline, liquor, tobacco, and other excise taxes which are paid by the manufacturer or wholesaler and passed on to the retailer.
Sales are net after deductions for refunds and allowances for merchandise returned by customers. Trade-in allowances are not deducted from sales. Sales do not include carrying or other credit charges; sales (or other) taxes collected from customers and forwarded to taxing authorities; gross sales and receipts of departments or concessions operated by other companies; and commissions or receipts from the sale of government lottery tickets.
Sales do not include retail sales made by manufacturers, wholesalers, service establishments, or other businesses whose primary activity is other than retail trade. They do include receipts other than from the sale of merchandise at retail, such as service receipts, sales to industrial users, and sales to other retailers by establishments primarily engaged in retail trade.