Economy
Want to Boost Housing Values? Build a Walmart
Walmart offers low prices for retail goods—and a bump in the prices of nearby homes.
Walmart is so large that the company is an economic indicator in and of itself. One percent of the American workforce—about 1.4 million people—works for Walmart. The megachain's 4,400 outlets account for 11 percent of all retail sales. Some 84 percent of U.S. households shop at Walmart; 42 percent of households do so regularly. Chances are you've heard of it.
If a Walmart has moved into your community, then you've definitely heard of it. The retailer is one of the most prominent targets of NIMBY activism. Walmart opponents say that the chain is bad for workers, bad for small businesses, and bad for communities.