Data / Rankings / Retail sales excluding nonstore retailers, change from a year earlier / US states

US states by retail sales excluding nonstore retailers, change from a year earlier

West Virginia had the highest retail sales excluding nonstore retailers, change from a year earlier of 51 states in March 2026, at 8.6%. Vermont had the lowest, at -2.6%. The median was 3.6% and the figure for the United States was 3.4%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest8.6West Virginia
Lowest-2.6Vermont
Median3.651 states
United States3.4History

Map of states, March 2026

Alabama: 6.8 %Alaska: 3.6 %Arizona: 3.5 %Arkansas: 5.2 %California: 0.9 %Colorado: 0.8 %Connecticut: 4.4 %Delaware: 4.7 %District of Columbia: 0.1 %Florida: 2.8 %Georgia: 4.1 %Hawaii: 0.3 %Idaho: 1.8 %Illinois: 3.6 %Indiana: 4 %Iowa: 4.8 %Kansas: 2.8 %Kentucky: 6.6 %Louisiana: 8.3 %Maine: 1.6 %Maryland: 2.9 %Massachusetts: 4.1 %Michigan: -1.1 %Minnesota: 5.1 %Mississippi: 6 %Missouri: 4.6 %Montana: 2.7 %Nebraska: 2.6 %Nevada: 2.5 %New Hampshire: 0.8 %New Jersey: 5.1 %New Mexico: 5.3 %New York: 8 %North Carolina: 6.2 %North Dakota: 2.9 %Ohio: 3.5 %Oklahoma: 4.7 %Oregon: -1.1 %Pennsylvania: 2.1 %Rhode Island: 4.5 %South Carolina: 6.9 %South Dakota: 3.2 %Tennessee: 7.1 %Texas: 4.1 %Utah: 3.1 %Vermont: -2.6 %Virginia: 3.3 %Washington: -1.4 %West Virginia: 8.6 %Wisconsin: 3.9 %Wyoming: 0.8 %
  • Under -1.4
  • -1.4 to -1.1
  • -1.1 to 0
  • 0 to 3
  • 3 to 4.7
  • 4.7 and over
%, March 2026. Red areas are below zero and blue areas above it. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Monthly State Retail Sales (MSRS, experimental), not adjusted state retail sales year-over-year percentage changes (state_retail_yy.csv), total retail sales excluding nonstore retailers. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, March 2026

West Virginia: 8.6 %West Virginia8.6Louisiana: 8.3 %Louisiana8.3New York: 8 %New York8Tennessee: 7.1 %Tennessee7.1South Carolina: 6.9 %South Carolina6.9Alabama: 6.8 %Alabama6.8Kentucky: 6.6 %Kentucky6.6North Carolina: 6.2 %North Carolina6.2Mississippi: 6 %Mississippi6New Mexico: 5.3 %New Mexico5.3Arkansas: 5.2 %Arkansas5.2Minnesota: 5.1 %Minnesota5.1New Jersey: 5.1 %New Jersey5.1Iowa: 4.8 %Iowa4.8Delaware: 4.7 %Delaware4.7Oklahoma: 4.7 %Oklahoma4.7Missouri: 4.6 %Missouri4.6Rhode Island: 4.5 %Rhode Island4.5Connecticut: 4.4 %Connecticut4.4Georgia: 4.1 %Georgia4.1Massachusetts: 4.1 %Massachusetts4.1Texas: 4.1 %Texas4.1Indiana: 4 %Indiana4Wisconsin: 3.9 %Wisconsin3.9Alaska: 3.6 %Alaska3.6Illinois: 3.6 %Illinois3.6Arizona: 3.5 %Arizona3.5Ohio: 3.5 %Ohio3.5Virginia: 3.3 %Virginia3.3South Dakota: 3.2 %South Dakota3.2Utah: 3.1 %Utah3.1Maryland: 2.9 %Maryland2.9North Dakota: 2.9 %North Dakota2.9Florida: 2.8 %Florida2.8Kansas: 2.8 %Kansas2.8Montana: 2.7 %Montana2.7Nebraska: 2.6 %Nebraska2.6Nevada: 2.5 %Nevada2.5Pennsylvania: 2.1 %Pennsylvania2.1Idaho: 1.8 %Idaho1.8Maine: 1.6 %Maine1.6California: 0.9 %California0.9Colorado: 0.8 %Colorado0.8New Hampshire: 0.8 %New Hampshire0.8Wyoming: 0.8 %Wyoming0.8Hawaii: 0.3 %Hawaii0.3District of Columbia: 0.1 %District of Columbia0.1Michigan: -1.1 %Michigan-1.1Oregon: -1.1 %Oregon-1.1Washington: -1.4 %Washington-1.4Vermont: -2.6 %Vermont-2.6West Virginia: 8.6 %West Virginia8.6Louisiana: 8.3 %Louisiana8.3New York: 8 %New York8Tennessee: 7.1 %Tennessee7.1South Carolina: 6.9 %South Carolina6.9Alabama: 6.8 %Alabama6.8Kentucky: 6.6 %Kentucky6.6North Carolina: 6.2 %North Carolina6.2Mississippi: 6 %Mississippi6New Mexico: 5.3 %New Mexico5.3Arkansas: 5.2 %Arkansas5.2Minnesota: 5.1 %Minnesota5.1New Jersey: 5.1 %New Jersey5.1Iowa: 4.8 %Iowa4.8Delaware: 4.7 %Delaware4.7Oklahoma: 4.7 %Oklahoma4.7Missouri: 4.6 %Missouri4.6Rhode Island: 4.5 %Rhode Island4.5Connecticut: 4.4 %Connecticut4.4Georgia: 4.1 %Georgia4.1Massachusetts: 4.1 %Massachusetts4.1Texas: 4.1 %Texas4.1Indiana: 4 %Indiana4Wisconsin: 3.9 %Wisconsin3.9Alaska: 3.6 %Alaska3.6Illinois: 3.6 %Illinois3.6Arizona: 3.5 %Arizona3.5Ohio: 3.5 %Ohio3.5Virginia: 3.3 %Virginia3.3South Dakota: 3.2 %South Dakota3.2Utah: 3.1 %Utah3.1Maryland: 2.9 %Maryland2.9North Dakota: 2.9 %North Dakota2.9Florida: 2.8 %Florida2.8Kansas: 2.8 %Kansas2.8Montana: 2.7 %Montana2.7Nebraska: 2.6 %Nebraska2.6Nevada: 2.5 %Nevada2.5Pennsylvania: 2.1 %Pennsylvania2.1Idaho: 1.8 %Idaho1.8Maine: 1.6 %Maine1.6California: 0.9 %California0.9Colorado: 0.8 %Colorado0.8New Hampshire: 0.8 %New Hampshire0.8Wyoming: 0.8 %Wyoming0.8Hawaii: 0.3 %Hawaii0.3District of Columbia: 0.1 %District of Columbia0.1Michigan: -1.1 %Michigan-1.1Oregon: -1.1 %Oregon-1.1Washington: -1.4 %Washington-1.4Vermont: -2.6 %Vermont-2.6
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Monthly State Retail Sales (MSRS, experimental), not adjusted state retail sales year-over-year percentage changes (state_retail_yy.csv), total retail sales excluding nonstore retailers. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStatesMarch 2026 (%)Change on March 2025
1West Virginia8.6+8.5 pts
2Louisiana8.3+6.3 pts
3New York8+7.1 pts
4Tennessee7.1+5.6 pts
5South Carolina6.9+5 pts
6Alabama6.8+4.4 pts
7Kentucky6.6+4.3 pts
8North Carolina6.2+3.5 pts
9Mississippi6+4.6 pts
10New Mexico5.3+0.9 pts
11Arkansas5.2+1.6 pts
12Minnesota5.1+0.8 pts
12New Jersey5.1+2.8 pts
14Iowa4.8+0.4 pts
15Delaware4.7+3.7 pts
15Oklahoma4.7+1.3 pts
17Missouri4.60 pts
18Rhode Island4.5+1.3 pts
19Connecticut4.4+2.1 pts
20Georgia4.1+0.9 pts
20Massachusetts4.1-0.2 pts
20Texas4.1-0.7 pts
23Indiana4-0.3 pts
24Wisconsin3.9-0.5 pts
25Alaska3.6+5.7 pts
25Illinois3.6-1.2 pts
27Arizona3.5-1.9 pts
27Ohio3.5+1.1 pts
29Virginia3.3+0.3 pts
30South Dakota3.2-1.6 pts
31Utah3.1-4.4 pts
32Maryland2.9-0.1 pts
32North Dakota2.9-2.7 pts
34Florida2.8+0.3 pts
34Kansas2.8+0.2 pts
36Montana2.7-2.1 pts
37Nebraska2.6-2.4 pts
38Nevada2.5-7.4 pts
39Pennsylvania2.1-0.5 pts
40Idaho1.8-6.7 pts
41Maine1.6-2.1 pts
42California0.9-5.6 pts
43Colorado0.8-5.4 pts
43New Hampshire0.8-5.4 pts
43Wyoming0.8-10.6 pts
46Hawaii0.3-18.1 pts
47District of Columbia0.1-1.5 pts
48Michigan-1.1-5.4 pts
48Oregon-1.1-5.7 pts
50Washington-1.4-6.8 pts
51Vermont-2.6-5.1 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Percent change in retail sales from the same month a year earlier, for retail trade (NAICS 44 and 45) excluding nonstore retailers such as online sellers, not seasonally adjusted and not adjusted for price changes. Census Bureau Monthly State Retail Sales, an experimental product.

Experimental statistics: Census models these figures by blending Monthly Retail Trade Survey data with administrative and third-party data, and plans to keep changing the method. Each estimate has a margin of error (the national April 2026 change was 3.5 percent, plus or minus 0.4). Sales are counted where the store is, so states with many online buyers can look weaker than their residents' spending. Census publishes changes only, not sales in dollars. Figures are revised when the Monthly Retail Trade Survey is benchmarked.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the states are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Monthly State Retail Sales (MSRS, experimental), not adjusted state retail sales year-over-year percentage changes (state_retail_yy.csv), total retail sales excluding nonstore retailers. https://www.census.gov/retail/mrts/www/statedata/state_retail_yy.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). Monthly State Retail Sales (MSRS, experimental), not adjusted state retail sales year-over-year percentage changes (state_retail_yy.csv), total retail sales excluding nonstore retailers (US states by retail sales excluding nonstore retailers, change from a year earlier, 2026-03) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www.census.gov/retail/mrts/www/statedata/state_retail_yy.csv

MLA 9

Monthly State Retail Sales (MSRS, experimental), not adjusted state retail sales year-over-year percentage changes (state_retail_yy.csv), total retail sales excluding nonstore retailers, US states by retail sales excluding nonstore retailers, change from a year earlier, 2026-03. U.S. Census Bureau, 24 Sept. 2026, https://www.census.gov/retail/mrts/www/statedata/state_retail_yy.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/state-retail-sales-year-over-year-change/us-states?period=2026-03. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. Monthly State Retail Sales (MSRS, experimental), not adjusted state retail sales year-over-year percentage changes (state_retail_yy.csv), total retail sales excluding nonstore retailers. US states by retail sales excluding nonstore retailers, change from a year earlier, 2026-03. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www.census.gov/retail/mrts/www/statedata/state_retail_yy.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/state-retail-sales-year-over-year-change/us-states?period=2026-03.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) Monthly State Retail Sales (MSRS, experimental), not adjusted state retail sales year-over-year percentage changes (state_retail_yy.csv), total retail sales excluding nonstore retailers, US states by retail sales excluding nonstore retailers, change from a year earlier, 2026-03 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.census.gov/retail/mrts/www/statedata/state_retail_yy.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/state-retail-sales-year-over-year-change/us-states?period=2026-03 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_us_states_by_retail_2026,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Monthly State Retail Sales (MSRS, experimental), not adjusted state retail sales year-over-year percentage changes (state\_retail\_yy.csv), total retail sales excluding nonstore retailers: US states by retail sales excluding nonstore retailers, change from a year earlier, 2026-03}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www.census.gov/retail/mrts/www/statedata/state_retail_yy.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/state-retail-sales-year-over-year-change/us-states?period=2026-03. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Monthly State Retail Sales (MSRS, experimental), not adjusted state retail sales year-over-year percentage changes (state\_retail\_yy.csv), total retail sales excluding nonstore retailers. https://www.census.gov/retail/mrts/www/statedata/state\_retail\_yy.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Monthly State Retail Sales (MSRS, experimental), not adjusted state retail sales year-over-year percentage changes (state_retail_yy.csv), total retail sales excluding nonstore retailers: US states by retail sales excluding nonstore retailers, change from a year earlier, 2026-03
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/24
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www.census.gov/retail/mrts/www/statedata/state_retail_yy.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/state-retail-sales-year-over-year-change/us-states?period=2026-03
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/state-retail-sales-year-over-year-change/us-states?period=2026-03.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Monthly State Retail Sales (MSRS, experimental), not adjusted state retail sales year-over-year percentage changes (state_retail_yy.csv), total retail sales excluding nonstore retailers. https://www.census.gov/retail/mrts/www/statedata/state_retail_yy.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which state has the highest retail sales excluding nonstore retailers, change from a year earlier?

West Virginia, with 8.6% in March 2026, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which state has the lowest retail sales excluding nonstore retailers, change from a year earlier?

Vermont, with -2.6% in March 2026.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Monthly State Retail Sales (MSRS, experimental), not adjusted state retail sales year-over-year percentage changes (state_retail_yy.csv), total retail sales excluding nonstore retailers. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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