Texas led the nation in retail sales growth.

Americans’ movement to the Sun Belt has proven a boon for retailers, with sales growth in the South leading the nation over a five-year period, the Census Bureau reported. Texas had an 80.3% gain in retail sales to move from third place in the nation to second, displacing New York, the bureau said. California remained No. 1 in sales volume. Retail sales in the Southern states jumped 59% between 1977 and 1982, the bureau said, followed by a 55% boost in the West. Nationally, sales rose by 47.9% to $1.06 trillion in 1982.

Top 10 States by Retail Sales Growth 1977 to 1982

Percent Percent Sales Increase Sales Increase Texas $82.3 80.3 Arizona $13.9 71.2 Florida 55.5 77.2 Wyoming 2.8 71.0 Alaska 3.2 76.6 Colorado 16.6 69.4 Nevada 5.3 74.4 Louisiana 19.9 61.6 Oklahoma 16.1 74.3 New Mexico 6.3 58.1