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The RV industry has been consistently growing year after year. In the last few years, the industry has seen millennials living in RVs, retirees swapping to the RV life, and the age 35-55 crowd taking a larger market share than the typical 60+ buyers.
And that's just the beginning.
In this report, we cover:
- Key RV industry statistics
- An analysis of RV industry trends
- What states sell the most RVs
- RV industry news
- The RV consumer demographic profile
- RV market values and economic impact over time
- Why people buy RVs and why the industry is growing

RV Sales by Month 2019-2020

The chart above shows RV sales year-over-year from 2019 to 2020. Year over year there were 43.4% more RV shipments, not including December, which doesn't have data released yet. (RV News)
The RV Market's Economic Impact

As you can see in the chart above, the RV industry has steadily grown to record highs over the last eight years, hitting 504.6 thousand units shipped in 2017. What does that equate to in dollars? And how has this impacted the U.S. economy? Let's see:
RV Consumer Demographic Profile Data
This section of the report covers all the studies and statistics related to the average RV shopper and their consumer demographic profile data.
RV Direct Wholesale & Manufacturing Stats
This section will discuss the impact of RV wholesale direct manufacturing and the economic impact of RV manufacturers:
Why Do People Buy RVs?
Here are some statistics on why people decide to buy recreational vehicles:
What Kind of RVs Are People Buying?
There are a dozen types of RVs, from Class A's to Fifth Wheels to Teardrop Trailers and Camper Vans. So which types of RVs are people buying? Let's take a look:
How Do People Use Their RVs?
What do the statistics say about how people are using their RVs? Here's what we know:
Full-Time RVing Statistics
It's becoming more and more popular for people to sell most of their possessions and live in an RV full time. While there haven't been many studies on this group yet, we did find these two:
RV Sales By State (Chart)
The last known report of RV sales by state was done in 2017 by RVs Move America, a subsidiary of RVIA[1]. According to their reports, here is a breakdown of RV sales by state:
State | RV Sales | # of RV | Total Direct Economic Output |
---|---|---|---|
AK | $28.8 M | 834 | $130.7 M |
AL | $55.7 M | 8,924 | $506.7 M |
AR | $34.2 M | 5,186 | $176.3 M |
AZ | $174.4 M | 11,644 | $525.9 M |
CA | $549.8 M | 13,303 * | $2.2 B |
CO | $119.9 M | 13,091 | $311.1 M |
CT | $67.8 M | 2,165 | $223.4 M |
DC | $6.9 M | 0 | $36.4 M |
DE | $23.6 M | 1,250 | $80.9 M |
FL | $306.2 M | 27,504 | $966.2 M |
GA | $103.4 M | 10,713 | $402.4 M |
HI | $3.5 M | 3 | $26.6 M |
IA | $79.0 M | 11,401 * | $1.4 B |
ID | $40.1 M | 9,452 * | $223.9 M |
IL | $173.8 M | 10,687 | $509.4 M |
IN | $129.4 M | 421,860 * | $6.8 B |
KS | $40.6 M | 1,543 | $177.4 M |
KY | $67.8 M | 5,459 | $333.2 M |
LA | $57.0 M | 9,293 | $249.5 M |
MA | $69.8 M | 2,688 | $226.0 M |
MD | $47.0 M | 2,722 | $153.5 M |
ME | $15.9 M | 2,166 | $124.3 M |
MI | $150.4 M | 8,031 * | $695.9 M |
MN | $187.4 M | 2,230 * | $469.3 M |
MO | $81.2 M | 177 * | $321.1 M |
MS | $38.9 M | 5,425 | $143.9 M |
MT | $39.3 M | 4,440 | $139.0 M |
NC | $104.7 M | 10,927 | $465.4 M |
ND | $19.6 M | 2,002 | $70.9 M |
NE | $30.2 M | 3,595 | $139.2 M |
NH | $29.6 M | 3,269 | $138.4 M |
NJ | $79.7 M | 4,131 | $242.0 M |
NM | $61.2 M | 3,477 | $133.2 M |
NV | $92.6 M | 4,938 | $161.9 M |
NY | $225.9 M | 13,907 | $569.0 M |
OH | $134.0 M | 8,495 | $845.1 M |
OK | $63.4 M | 8,510 | $279.9 M |
OR | $165.6 M | 24,937 * | $1.0 B |
PA | $170.6 M | 13,709 | $726.5 M |
RI | $6.6 M | 215 | $62.8 M |
SC | $41.7 M | 7,825 | $273.4 M |
SD | $28.5 M | 2,214 | $113.9 M |
TN | $65.1 M | 7,903 | $771.9 M |
TX | $424.2 M | 46 * | $1.8 B |
UT | $55.5 M | 8,899 | $217.2 M |
VA | $70.5 M | 7,766 | $328.3 M |
VT | $13.0 M | 2,047 | $85.4 M |
WA | $155.7 M | 893 * | $469.3 M |
WI | $89.6 M | 11,641 | $474.4 M |
WV | $23.3 M | 2,209 | $154.7 M |
WY | $18.4 M | 1,287 | $93.3 M |
*Represents # of RVs manufactured rather than shipped. These states have more RV manufacturers and don't need to import units.
Which states sell the most RVs? The states that sell the most RVs are Indiana ($6.8 B), California ($2.2 B) and Texas ($1.8 B).
Note: If you use the above chart anywhere online, please give credit to https://www.thewanderingrv.com/rv-industry-statistics-trends-facts/
RV Industry Trends Analysis
Economists believe the RV industry is a good indicator of the US's economic health. When sales are high, wages and investments are also strong. When sales suffer, it's a potential indicator of a recession.
For example, in 2007 (right before the recession), industry sales were down 10%, despite economic growth indicators showing a 4% growth. This could mean that the 2019 "slight decline" is a signal for another recession, but this is purely speculation.
According to the video below discussing the major issues facing the RV industry, if the industry can expand into high-interest areas (such as Europe and Japan), the potential for export revenues could triple by 2028. Additionally, Canada will continue to be a strong importer of RVs and Mexico can additional export opportunities as income rises.
Sources
[1] https://www.rvia.org/rvs-move-america
https://www.rvia.org/news-insights/after-two-consecutive-record-years-rv-shipments-decline-slightly-2019-
according-industry-forecast
https://www.rvia.org/business-indicators
https://www.rvia.org/media/401
https://www.statista.com/topics/1319/camping-and-recreational-vehicles/
Want more statistics? Check out these other reports:
Once I get an RV, I’ll fall under the statistic of taking a lot of trips. As you said, about 90% of people take at least three trips a year. I’d plan on taking at least seven or more.
That’s awesome, Callum! You’ll have to let us know when you get out there – maybe we’ll see you on the road one day 😉