Retail sales, monthly changeSeasonally adjustedRevised
U.S. Census Bureau · monthly · 415 observations
64th highest of 415 months since Feb 1992 (tied with 20 months; Census adjusted series since 1992)
+1.6 pp vs prior month+0.8 pp vs a year earlier
Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Reflects Census's annual benchmark revision of Sep 28, 2026. Levels differ from figures published before that date.
About this series
What it measures
The percent change from the prior month in the dollar value of sales at retailers and food services businesses, including stores, online sellers, gas stations, and restaurants and bars. The Census Bureau publishes an advance estimate monthly, about two weeks after the month ends, from a sample of firms. Figures are adjusted for seasonal variation, holidays and trading days, but not for price changes.
Why it matters
Consumer spending is the largest part of the U.S. economy, and this is the earliest monthly official read on a big share of it.
Common misreads
It is in current dollars, so higher prices alone can raise sales; it is not a volume measure. The advance estimate is based on a subsample and is revised, and Census flags changes whose 90% confidence interval includes zero as not statistically significant. Annual benchmarking revises past years.