Recreational Goods Rental Revenue Benchmarks
The average recreational goods rental business in the United States generates $960K in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 2,592 recreational goods rental businesses in the U.S., employing 12,805 workers with an average profit margin of 20.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $40K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Recreational Goods Rental Business Actually Do?
Rental of recreational equipment — bikes, kayaks, ski/snowboard, jet skis, surfboards, boats. Location-driven business.
Who buys: Tourists, first-time-tryers, occasional users avoiding ownership cost.
Average Revenue
$960K
per year
Profit Margin
20.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$194K
per year
Total Businesses
2,592
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$192K
small business avg
Labor Cost
25.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$40K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
0.8
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Recreational Goods Rental Charge?
Recreational equipment rental — bikes, skis, kayaks, jet skis, surfboards. Location-dependent.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Bike rental (per day) | $25–60 |
Kayak / SUP rental (per hour) | $15–35 |
Ski rental (per day) | $25–65 |
Jet ski (per hour) | $85–200 |
Boat rental (per day) | $300–2,500 |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete recreational goods rental business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a recreational goods rental business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the recreational goods rental industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Property expenses | $8 | $79K | Maintenance, repairs, property taxes, HOA fees, utilities on managed properties. |
Wages & benefits | $25 | $240K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $3 | $26K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $8 | $79K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $36 | $343K | Insurance, legal, financing costs, agent commissions to sub-agents. |
Net profit | $20 | $192K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
9.9%
openings/year
Closure Rate
10.07%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+3.78%
annual
Businesses Closed
761
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Recreational Goods Rental Business?
Startup Cost
$50K – $250K
Break-Even
9 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a recreational goods rental business do?
- Rental of recreational equipment — bikes, kayaks, ski/snowboard, jet skis, surfboards, boats. Location-driven business. Tourists, first-time-tryers, occasional users avoiding ownership cost.
- How much do recreational goods rental charge?
- Recreational equipment rental — bikes, skis, kayaks, jet skis, surfboards. Location-dependent. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average recreational goods rental make per year?
- The average recreational goods rental business generates $960K in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $192K per year at a 20.0% profit margin.
- How many recreational goods rental businesses are there in the US?
- There are 2,592 recreational goods rental businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 12,805 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a recreational goods rental business?
- Startup costs for a recreational goods rental business typically range from $50K to $250K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the recreational goods rental industry?
- The average employee in the recreational goods rental industry earns $40K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The recreational goods rental industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 3.8% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (9.9% entry vs 10.1% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 59% of recreational goods rental businesses survive their first 5 years. This is near the national average (~50%), with typical business risk. In 2023, 761 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the recreational goods rental industry earns $40,137/year. This is below the national average of ~$65K — typical for this sector. With 3,324 establishments employing 19,234 people, the typical business has about 6 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The recreational goods rental industry has declined 52% since 2000 (from 14,697 to 7,005 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Recreational Goods Rental revenue with other industries: