Taxable sales, purchases up in Jamestown

Feb. 2—Total taxable sales and purchases for Jamestown and Stutsman County were up slightly in the third quarter of 2021, according to the quarterly Taxable Sales and Purchases report issued by the North Dakota Office of State Tax Commissioner.

Jamestown's total taxable sales and purchases in the third quarter were up 2.86% compared to the same quarter in 2020. Taxable sales and purchases totaled $73.3 million in Jamestown in the third quarter of 2021.

Stutsman County's total taxable sales and purchases were up 2.14% in the third quarter of 2021 and totaled more than $75.3 million.

Jamestown's manufacturing taxable sales and purchases have risen significantly since 2019. In the third quarter of 2021, manufacturing rose by 78.6%, or more than $2.2 million, to over $5 million when compared to the same quarter in 2019, and 3.58%, or over $170,000, when compared to the same time period in 2020.

Corry Shevlin, business development director at Jamestown/Stutsman Development Corp., said the significant rise since 2019 speaks to the "terrific job" that manufacturers do in the industries where they work.

"Any time we see increased numbers in taxable sales is a good thing," he said. "It increases more revenue for our city and county, which is great."

Jamestown's retail trade sector in the third quarter of 2021 increased by 1.8%, or more than $720,000, to more than $39.72 million when compared to the same time period in 2020.

Retail in Jamestown was slightly down in the third quarter of 2021 compared to the same time period in 2019. The retail trade sector declined by 0.06%, or more than $25,000, in the third quarter in 2021 when compared to the same quarter in 2019 when total taxable sales and purchases in the retail sector was over $39.74 million.

Jamestown's taxable sales and purchases for accommodation and food services rose by 18%, or more than $1.97 million, to over $12.5 million in the third quarter of 2021 when compared to the same period in 2020. Accommodation and food services rose by 6.64%, or more than $780,000, from over $11.78 million in the third quarter of 2021 when compared to the same period in 2019.

Jamestown Tourism Executive Director Searle Swedlund said North Dakota Tourism deserves credit for the increase in taxable sales and purchases for accommodation and food services. He said North Dakota Tourism had more marketing dollars in 2021 than it ever had.

"More visitors to North Dakota means more visitors to Jamestown," he said.

Taxable sales and purchases in some cities in the Jamestown area increased in 2021 with Carrington up 0.88%, Ellendale up 10.63% and Valley City up 18.6% when compared to the same time period in 2020. Wishek showed the largest rise in total taxable sales and purchases in the Jamestown area, increasing by 32.22%.

Taxable sales and purchases totaled $5.32 billion in North Dakota in the third quarter of 2021.

Fourteen of 15 industry sectors in the state saw an increase in taxable sales.