Last year, Go RVing finished an overview of motorhome owner demographics from the RV Owner Demographic Profile and is shifting its focus to look at towable RV owners.
Folding camping trailers, sometimes referred to as “pop-up campers,” are owned by 6% of RVers, according to the Demographic Profile. Young families make up 24% of these RV owners, while 26% are millennials and Gen Zers. 53% are first time owners, according to the study.
Folding camping trailers are used on average 12 days out of the year, most often in summer (87%), followed by fall (55%), spring (29%) and winter (14%). Over a third (36%) of folding camping trailer owners choose to stay at private campgrounds, while 40% prefer national park campgrounds. Another 63% reported they stay at state parks or recreation area campgrounds.
Pop-up trailer owners shared their outdoor recreation activities they enjoy, which were:
outdoor sports (50%), fishing (41%), and water recreational activities (32%). The owners also said their top three reasons for RVing are spending time outdoors (22%), simply unwinding and relaxing (20%), and visiting a location with natural beauty (9%). Other outdoor activities they bring with them included bicycles (28%) and kayaks (15%).
In terms of the owners’ demographics:
- 35% are between the ages of 18-34
- 65% are ages 55 and older
- 51% are female
- 48% are male
- 39% are retired
- 28% are employed full-time
The average annual income for 48% of folding camping trailer owners is over $65,000, and 27% of these RV owners live with children in the home.
RVIA members can view the full report here.
