Groceries generate $578M in local sales tax revenue across North Carolina, data shows

New monthly report highlights county-by-county dependence on grocery sales tax funding for local services and school capital needs

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By Annie Dance | Lake Lure News | Cops & Congress | News & Commentary

North Carolina National Guardsman, assigned to the 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team, stocks shelves at a resource distribution point in Burnsville, N.C., on Oct. 19, 2024. The N.C. Guard partnered with local organizations to provide donated goods to the community in support of Joint Task Force-North Carolina following Tropical Storm Helene. (U.S. Army National Guard public domain photo by Staff Sgt. Hannah Tarkelly.)

RUTHERFORDTON, N.C. — North Carolina counties collected more than $578 million in sales tax revenue from groceries in fiscal year 2024–25, according to a May 2026 data sheet from the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC), underscoring the role of food purchas…