Study Shows Indiana’s RV Industry Impact

Thor relocated its headquarters to Elkhart County in 2013.

A new study from the Virginia-based Recreational Vehicle Industry Association shows the sector continues to have a major impact in Indiana. The RVs Move America Economic Impact Study indicates the RV industry contributes $32.4 billion to the Hoosier economy each year.

The RVIA, which has an office in Elkhart, says the study "includes all companies involved in the manufacture, sale, rental, repair, storage, and service of recreation vehicles, as well as the aftermarket industry and the financing and insurance of RV purchases and the economic impact of recreation vehicle travel." Indiana tops the list of states for its total economic activity, accounting for more than a quarter of the $114 billion overall economic impact the RV industry has on the country.

"What the study reveals is that RVs are not just the familiar highway scene of an American summer," Garry Enyart, chairman of the RVIA, said in a news release. "Indeed, RVs are the heart of an industry that has become an American juggernaut, a business that has tripled in size since the Great Recession of 2009."

The study says the RV industry supports more than 126,000 Hoosier jobs, nearly 650 businesses and $7.8 billion in wages. It also results in $3.1 billion in total taxes paid.

You can connect to the full study by clicking here.