Auto Transportation had the largest average annual growth percentage, the largest market share and the greatest increase in market share. The decline in food store sales likely is partially attributable to the increasing presence of stores reporting in other store-types offering goods normally reported in the food store category and the decline in sales at border crossing points. The auto transportation increase is reflective of strong consumer confidence in our Maine economy. This store-type grew at a slower rate than the state average.
Market share is the percentage of each county's total taxable consumer retail sales.
Kennebec, Aroostook and Androscoggin have the lowest market shares. The result identifies the money spent per resident in that political entity. After calculating the per capita sales for the state and the community, divide the community per capita by the state per capita. If the result is greater than 1.00, then the indication is that the community is pulling in more sales per resident than the average Maine community. Les Bray is a real estate appraiser and consultant who extensively studies and measures retail activity in Maine.