Helpful Tools: Average Expenses

Helpful Tool:
Average Expenses of RV Parks
and Campgrounds

During our 26 years in the campground industry, we've had access to financial information on hundreds of RV parks. We've computerized this information in a confidential manner and determined average expenses as a % of gross revenue.

For example, what do RV parks spend on average for advertising, insurance, payroll, repair/maintenance, etc.? Included in this analysis are overnight parks, destination resorts, franchised parks and independent parks. These parks were scattered over 36 states and, we believe, are an excellent benchmark from which to compare your subject park.

Although we have hundreds of campground financial statements dating back to the early 1980's, we wanted current information and, thus, have used in these averages only the statements from 2000 forward.

We break down all the expenses into two simple categories - Cost of Goods and Adjusted Hard Operating Expenses.

Cost of Goods. This is what the park owner pays (wholesale cost) for items they resell -- such as groceries, gifts, propane, etc.
Adjusted Hard Operating Expenses. We have adjusted the reported expenses by taking out any one-time expenses to more accurately reflect a normal year's budget. Also, these expenses do not include any mortgage payments, depreciation or owner's salary. We deducted these items in order to determine actual, hard operating expenses.

The Cost: $35 Call (828) 452-1535 to order by VISA or MC.
Average Expenses of RV Parks and Campgrounds

Following is an outline of the actual information you will receive:
(but without the % filled in, obviously).

Average Expenses
(as a Percentage of Gross Income)


Cost of Goods:	%
Adjusted Operating Expenses:
Accounting/Legal	%
Advertising	%
Automobile	%
Insurance	%
Office Expense	%
Payroll (not owner's)	%
Repairs/Maintenance	%
Supplies	%
Taxes	%
Utilities	%
Other (bank fees, travel, royalties, dues, licenses, etc)	%
Total Adjusted Operating Expenses:	%
Total Cost of Goods & Operating Expenses:	%
As you might imagine, once a park exceeds $400,000 in gross income, some of the expense category percentages begin to change. Following is a breakdown of the major expense categories for large parks.
Parks Grossing Over $400,000 Cost of Goods = % Adj. Operating Expenses = % Total = %
Major Expense Categories:
Advertising
Insurance
Payroll (no owner's)
Repair and Maintenance
Utilities