Watford City leads state in taxable sales increase
By Neal A. Shipman
Farmer Editor
The oil activity in western North Dakota continues to drive North Dakota’s taxable sales and purchases. And no city in the state is experiencing the percentage growth of sales than is Watford City.
During the second quarter of 2019, Watford City’s taxable sales and purchases grew by 35.6 percent from the same three-month period in 2018 to lead North Dakota. The city’s sales volume grew by over $34 million increasing from $67,625,712 in the second quarter of 2018 to $91,701,288 in the second quarter of 2019.
This is the second straight quarter in 2019 that Watford City has seen tremendous growth in its taxable sales and purchases. In the first quarter of 2019, Watford City saw its taxable sales and purchases in January, February and March skyrocket from $50,943,406 to $63,632,434, a 24.91 percent increase, from the same three-month period in 2018.
McKenzie County followed a similar growth as Watford City as its taxable sales grew 30.4 percent in the second quarter of 2019, increasing from $79,192,765 to $103,257,073.
Watford City is now ranked eighth of the state’s largest 50 cities in terms of sales, while McKenzie County has the seventh largest sales of the state’s 53 counties in terms of taxable sales and purchases.
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