The latest “Chickasha by the Numbers” report from the Economic Development Council showed “the highest sales tax collections in the town’s history,” EDC Director Jim Cowan announced.
For the period of June 16-30 and July 1-15, sales tax receipts inside the city limits of Chickasha were $1,529,165.50. “That’s over $29,000 more than the previous record high back in May,” Cowan said.
And it marked the third sales tax record this year. The city’s sales tax disbursement for January, which consisted of taxes collected in the last two weeks of November and the first two weeks of December, totaled $1.44 million, which at that time was “the highest ever in the history of Chickasha,” Cowan said.
“We are thrilled to see consecutive months of more than 11% growth compared to the same time last year,” he said. “With more retail scheduled to open later this year, there is a lot of optimism for Chickasha.” Sales tax growth “reflects increases in sales for our local businesses, and that’s what we love to see.”
A groundbreaking ceremony was held Dec. 9 to celebrate the start of construction on five new retail stores - Burlington Coat Factory, Five Below, PetSmart, T.J. Maxx, and Ulta Beauty Supply - that can be seen from the H.E. Bailey Turnpike (Interstate 44). All are expected to be open by next Spring.
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, was the largest year of sales tax collections ever for Chickasha, Cowan said. In fact, “Since 2020, our sales tax collections have increased every year.”
The sports complex and the Grady County Fairgrounds “play a big part in this, and our established businesses are doing better,” Cowan said. “It’s not just one thing; several things are contributing.” Inflation has been cited, too, “but our increases are outpacing inflation,” he said.
The Chickasha EDC recruits retail as well as manufacturing and spends a large part of its annual budget on advertising in the documented Trade Area of Chickasha that exceeds 120,000 residents.
Chickasha’s estimated population as of July 25 was 17,313, an increase of 363 from a year before, according to the most recent American Community Survey (ACS).
ESRI [GIS software that cities use for data accumulation] “usually gives a more conservative estimate,” Cowan said. “Their estimate of our 2026 population is 16,703, which is still 300 above their estimate from last year.”
Matt Brooks, the CEDC’s statistician, said that according to the ACS:
•Grady County added 830 residents from 2024 to 2025 and has grown by 7.7% since 2020.
•McClain County added 1,117 residents from 2024 to 2025 and has grown by 18.4% since 2020.
•Caddo County lost a negligible amount of people from 2024 to 2025, declining by 2.9% since 2020.
•Stephens County added a negligible number of people from 2024 to 2025 and has grown by 3.4% since 2020.
Housing developments have been sprouting up in Chickasha. City Hall has issued 174 new residential permits during the last 19 months, Brooks said.
Plans for at least four new subdivisions have been presented to the City Council for final plat approval. Those include Sleepy Hollow phase four (42 lots), Sagebrush Villas (multifamily, 21 lots), Country Manor Estates (six lots), and Enclave Estates phases one and two (40 and 32 lots, respectively).
“We are ecstatic that this is happening, but we want to know why this is happening,” Cowan said. That’s why the EDC is collecting as much data as possible from various sources.