Sales tax collections for both Lawrence and Douglas County rose in June, according to new data from the Kansas Department of Revenue.

Lawrence retailers collected $933,413, up 4.4 percent from the same month a year ago. For the year, sales tax collections are up in the city by 2.5 percent.

In Douglas County, June collections totaled $1.02 million, up 3.8 percent from the same period a year ago. For the year, sales tax collections are up 3.1 percent. Sales tax collections generally are considered the best gauge of retail sales strength in the area. But because of the state’s reporting system, the June numbers represent sales made mainly in April or May.

The city and county generally are experiencing higher sales tax gains than surrounding communities. For the year, Overland Park has seen an increase of 1.6 percent, while Topeka has experienced a loss of 1.7 percent and Olathe is down 3.9 percent. Ottawa had a gain of 8.7 percent.