- Cochise County entered late summer with a split sales picture. After accounting for inflation, August retail sales were 3.7% below a year earlier, while hotel and motel activity rose 6.5%. Restaurant and bar sales were nearly level, declining 0.6%. Results for the first eight months were also mixed: retail fell 3.8%, dining increased 1.1%, and lodging gained 2.1%.
- The statewide comparison was somewhat stronger in retail but weaker in lodging. Arizona retail sales increased 1.9% after inflation in August, although they remained 0.7% lower year to date. Restaurant and bar sales slipped 0.1% for the month and rose 1.4% through August. State hotel and motel sales declined 3.4% in August but were up 2.8% year to date.
- Remote sellers continued to capture more spending over the longer period. Cochise County collections from businesses without a physical Arizona presence declined 1.4% after inflation in August, yet remained 10.3% above the first eight months of 2025. Statewide remote-seller activity rose 3.3% for the month and 11.4% year to date.
- Benson’s strongest August result came from lodging, which jumped 32.1% after inflation. That monthly increase was not enough to erase earlier weakness: hotel and motel sales were down 8.3% year to date. Retail decreased 5.7% in August and 4.5% through August, while restaurant and bar sales fell 4.4% for the month and 10.7% year to date.
- Bisbee posted gains across all three categories in August. Inflation-adjusted retail sales rose 3.7%, restaurant and bar sales increased 1.3%, and lodging surged 50.3%. Through August, dining was up 4.2% and lodging 7.7%, while retail remained 3.2% below the prior-year period.
- Douglas delivered the broadest sustained growth among the county’s municipalities. Retail sales increased 4.9% after inflation in August and 5.8% year to date. Restaurant and bar sales climbed 26.5% for the month and 10.3% over the first eight months.
- Huachuca City recorded the largest August retail gain, with inflation-adjusted sales up 36.6%. Even so, the year-to-date figure remained 8.2% below 2025, showing that one strong month did not fully reverse earlier declines.
- Sierra Vista’s August results moved in different directions. Retail sales fell 3.2% after inflation, and lodging dropped 22.5%. Restaurant and bar sales were down 1.4% for the month. Through August, dining remained 2.3% higher, while retail and lodging were lower by 4.0% and 8.8%, respectively.
- Tombstone experienced declines in every measured category. Inflation-adjusted August sales fell 3.8% in retail, 15.7% in restaurants and bars, and 25.2% in lodging. Year-to-date comparisons were less steep but still negative: retail was down 8.0%, dining 6.0%, and lodging 4.5%.
- Willcox also had a difficult month. Retail sales edged down 0.2% after inflation, restaurant and bar activity decreased 13.4%, and lodging fell 7.1%. Through August, retail remained 0.7% above the prior year, but dining was 8.6% lower and lodging was down 4.1%.
- Overall, the August data point to resilience in selected hospitality markets rather than broad-based expansion. County lodging benefited from sizable increases in Benson and Bisbee, while Sierra Vista and Tombstone posted substantial declines. Retail remained soft countywide despite gains in Douglas, Bisbee, and Huachuca City.
- The year-to-date picture is similarly uneven. Douglas stood out for consistent retail and dining growth, and Bisbee’s lodging and dining sectors remained positive. By contrast, Benson, Sierra Vista, Tombstone, and Willcox continued to show weakness in multiple categories.
See spreadsheets, below, for monthly and annual Cochise County, city, and town major industry sales data (retail, restaurant/bar, and hotel/motel/lodging).