United States 

Department of 

Agriculture 

Forest Service 

Trends n 

Research 

Paper NE-489 New Hampsh 

1981 e Campgrounds 

and Peggy S. Nystrom 
The Authors 

PAULA L. CORMER is the Mathematical Statistician for 

the Outdoor Recreation Trends Research Project at the 

USDA Forest Service's Forestry Sciences Laboratory in hrham, New Hampshire. 

PEGGY S. NYSTROM was an intern from Virginia Commonwealth University, Department of Recreation, Richmond, 

Virginia. 

MANUSCRIPT RECEIVED FOR PUBLICATION 

17 FEBRUARY 1981 

Abstract 

The findings of a 1980 census of commercial camping enterprises in New Hampshire are presented, including the growth 

of commercial camping enterprises during the period 1964 to 

1980, campground characteristics, services and facilities, and 

the average costs and returns of operating a campground. 

This report represents the third census of the New Hampshire 

campground industry. The data presented reflect the 1979 

calendar year and are based on a survey of 138 campgrounds 

conducted by the U.S. Forest Service in cooperation with the 

campground owners of New Hampshire. 
The Suwey 

Included in this analysis is information about the characteristics of New Hapshire private campgrounds, such as average length of season, years in business, years of ownership, 

capacity, recreation facilities, campsite fees, operations, employment, revenqe, expenses, and profitability. 

The results presented here are summarized from 1979 operating data provided by a sample of 138 campgrounds. The 

questionnaire was mailed to 189 campgrounds listed in the 

1980 New Hampshire Camping Guide, Wheelers RV Resort & 

Campground Guide (1980 edition), Rand McNally Campground & Trailer Park Guide (1980 edition), and the 1980 

membership list provided by the New Hampshire Campground Owners Association, Responses were obtained from 

138 campgrounds or 73 percent of those receiving the survey. Fifty-one percent (70) of the respondents provided complete infomation about their income, fees charged, and costs 

of operation. 

The Growth of Commercial 

Carnipgrounds in New Hampshire 

During the summers of 1964,1971, and 1980, attempts were 

made to conduct complete censuses of commercial campgrounds in New Hampshire. In 1964,108 campgrounds were 

located. In the 1971 census we found 189 camping enterprises in business and 25 under constmction. In 1980,189 

campgrounds were located. 

The New Hampshire campground industry doubled in size 

every 3 years from 1955 to 1964; by 1971 it had doubled 

again, and reached its peak of 237 enterprises in 1973, Campgrounds that have ceased operation since 1955 number 106, 

a failure rate of 36 percent. 

The regional distribution of commercial campgrounds reveals heavy concentration of enterprises in the lakes region 

and White Mountain region (Table I). 

In 1971, the size stmcture of the industry reveded a strong 

imbalance toward smaller and less economic units (Table 2). 

Campgrounds with fewer than 50 tent or trailer units decreased from 53 percent of the total to 31 percent in 1980. 

The percentage of cmpgrounds with 50 to 99 campsites increased from 28 to 33. And campgrounds with more than 99 

sites increased from 19 to 36 percent. In 1971 an average 

capground had 62 sites; by 1980 the average had increased 

to 89 sites. 

Relatively few owners provided a complete accounting of the 

costs of operating a campground. However, enough data were 

collected on major cost items to produce a partial comparison picture of operating costs (Table 3). 

Campeounds in 1970 had an average gross income of $9,000 

or approximately $145 per site. Campgrounds in 1979 had 

an average gross income of $34,000 or approximately $382 

per site. 

The most common daily rates charged at New bmpshire 

cmpgrounds are shown in Table 4. The seasonal cmping 

rate in 1970 averaged $176; in 1979 it was $385. 

The 189 cmp~ounds in1980 had a projected developed 

capacity of 16,232 1 campsites, not including overflow capacity and undeveloped campsites. This was an increase of 51 

percent over the 11,123 developed sites reported in the 1971 

census. 

A comparison of facilities and services offered at reporting 

campgrounds between 1971 and 1980 reveals substantial investments in modernization (Table 5). 

All but two (I percent) of the 138 campgrounds had some 

campsites with utility connections for electricity or water 

and sewage; in 1971,6 percent of the campgrounds lacked 

utility connections. Seventy-six percent of the 12,285 eampsites at the responding campgvounds had at least an electrical 

connection, up from 70 percent in the last census. The average campground of 89 sites had 28 tent sites (no hook-ups) 

and 61 sites with some combination of utility connections 

(Table 6). In 1971, the average commercial campground in 

New Hampshire had 62 sites (19 tent sites and 43 sites with 

some utility). And in 1964, the average campground had 

about 40 campsites evenly divided between tents and trailers. 

Campground Characteristics 

Enterprise Size and Competition 

Campgrounds responding to the survey reported a total of 

12,285 developed sites; an additional 422 sites were under 

construction, reflecting a 3 percent rate of expansion. 

Ninety-three percent of the surveyed campgrounds were 

located wholly on their own land. Another 5 percent had 

part of their operation on leased land, and the lremaining 1 

percent were located entirely on leased land (Table 7). 

Of the 119 campgrounds that reported competitor campgrounds within 10 miles, 36 percent reported at least six 

campgrounds within 10 miles. The median number of competitors was 4.1 (Table 8). 

Volume and Trend of Business 

The maximum overnight capacity of a campground is equal 

to total developed sites plus overflow capacity multiplied by 

average number of persons in a camping party. The average 

maximum capacity for all cmpgrounds was 409 persons 

(Table 9). The average "comfortable capacity," a subjective 
assessment by each campground owner, was 293 pePsons (or 

approximately 3.25 persons per developed site). 

The average campground attendance decreased by 2 percent 

in 1979, while income remained the sme (Table 10). Forty 

percent of the campgrounds reported declines in business, 

while 36 percent had increases in 1979. While an overall decline is apparent, volume of business ranges from minus 80 

percent to plus 99 percent. The primary factor affecting 

attendance mentioned by 59 campground owners (60 percent) was the gasoline situation. 

Of the 124 campgrounds responding to the question, 'What 

percentage of your campers are seasonals?", 92 percent rented some sites to season-long cmpers, and these made up 33 

percent of the average campground's attendance. 

Years in Operation and Season Length 

The average campground has been in business for 14 years 

and under the same ownership for the past 10 years, Nearly 

three-fourths of the campgrounds (13 percentj have been in 

operation 10 years or more. The oldest capground reported 

in the study has been in operation for 65 years, and the 

second oldest for 50 years. 

Fifteen percent of the campgrounds were open all year. May 

is the most common month for opening (73 percent), and 

October is the most common month for closing (60 percent) 

(Table 11). July is the leading month for the "peak season'' 

to start (69 percent), and September is the leading month 

for the ""pak season" to end (69 percent) (Table 12). 

Camper Sewices 

A minority of campgrounds offer rentals of camping equipment (Table 13). Trailers are available for rent at 22 percent 

of the campgrounds; however, most campgrounds providing 

this sewice have only one or two units available. 

A majority of campgrounds have camp stores and firewood. 

Other services commonly offered include vending machines, 

boat launching ramps, propane gas, movies, suppers, and 

dances. A complete listing of sevvices is presented in Table 

14. 

In addition to camping, campground operators characteristically offer a variety of recreational activities. Equipped 

playgrounds are available at 64 percent of the campgrounds. 

Other facilities generally available are recreation halls, offered by 54 percent; ballfields, offered by 45 percent; and 

coin-operated games, offered by 43 percent. Other recreation 

facilities frequently found at campgrounds include outdoor 

swimming pools, hiking trails, boat rentals, and stocked fish 

ponds (Table 15). 

Today's modem commercial campgvounds almost universally 

offer such camper necessities as hot showers (91 percent), 

flush toilets (90 percent), and dumping stations (82 percent) 

(Table 16)- 

Costs and Returns 

Revenue 

campsite rentals accounted for 64 percent of average campground income during 1979. Average campsite rental income 

was $20,000 (Table 17). 

The average camping fee, for a family of four using an electrical connection, was $6.51. The average minimum camping 

fee was $5.52. Average surcharges for utilities are reported in 

Table 18. 

P~emium fees for quality sites were charged at 11 percent of 

the campgrounds. Premiums are more common in New 

Hampshire than in the Nation as a whole (1 1 percent vs. 

5 percent) (National Campground Owners Association 1981). 

A minority of campgrounds offer discount fees for sffseason (4 percent), visit length (31 percent), elderly (1 percent), and groups (1 percent). 

At many camping enterprises, equipment rentals, store sales, 

meals, sewices, concession income, and vending machines 

generate more income collectively than do campsite rentals. 

In fact, campsite rental income, as a percentage of gross, 

has become a common indicator of entergrise success because every campground receives some income from sources 

other than cmpsite rentals; the lower the percentage, the 

more ""fully-integrated" the operation (Table 19). When examining their revenue data, it is important to understand that 

the data contain a wide range of cmpground operations 

from overnight stops to resort campgrounds having equipment rentals, stores, lunch counters, services, concessions, 

and vending machines. 

The average total cost of campground operation for the 

campgrounds in this survey was $35,000 in 1979 (Table 20). 

Of that amount, about one-fourth goes for labor, and onefifth for purchased goods and supplies. The average campground's per-site cost for utilities is $33.71; for advertising, 

$11.24; for insurance, $22.47; for property taxes, $22.47; 

for debt services, $56.18; for depreciation, $67.42; and miscellaneous expenses, $44.94. Fifteen percent of the responding campgrounds also reported expenses for purchased (contract) services of $33.71 per site, and $89.89 for leasing privately owned land-or $45.98 per acre. Labor costs average 

about $4,000 per paid employee. 
Profitabilitly 

Success in any business is equated with profitability, Profitability in the cmpgxound business is difficult to deternine 

for a vdety of reasons. Many eamp@ound owners have 

other sources of income and apparently feel that they can 

afford to put more money into the cmpground than they 

may get out of it in the short run, 

Profitability of campff~ounds varied greatly in 1979, An examination of financial data indicated that 41 percent of 

the cmpg~oundsuffered a loss, Of those making a profit, 

about 70 percent made a proQt of less than $10,000 (Table 

21). 

Summary 

The objective of the census of commercial campground 

operations is to provide descriptive statistics about the industry to: 

(1) improve understanding of plrivate campground economics throughout the Enmeid community and in government. 

(2) develop a data base on industw economics that will provide a point of comparison for identifjring t~nds in the 

campground industry. 

(3) examine the perfommce of the New Nmpshire cmpground industry for the 1979 season, 

(4) provide a basis for evaluating individual enteaprises 

against state-wide averages. 

The 138 cmpguounds in this survey are 73 pereent of the 

state's camping enterprises. Representative samples, partieularly where income and cost data are involved, are impossible to obtain for such a large and diverse industry. The 

following data are therefore presented as state averages: 

Average New Nmpshire cmpgvound Statistics 

Cmpground size (acres) 

Total developed campsites 

Overflow capacity (famiily units) 

Mmimum capacity (persons) 

Days operated at maximum capacity 

1979 attendance as a percentage 

of 1978 

Days open (for 86% who are 

not open all year) 

Opening date 

Closing date 

Peak season 

Years in operation 

Total employees 

Receipts 

Cost of operation 

October 22 

July to September 

14 

4 

$34,000 

$35,000 

If our 73-percent sample ws representative, the characteristics of New IEampshire9s campground industry in 1979 

weye: 

Total persons employed 

Wages paid 

Property taxes paid 

Interest paid 

Income generated 

Acreage involved 

Overnight capacity 

Camper days provided 

Number of enterprises 

Considering income alone, it would appear that the commercial campground inclustry in New Harnpshive is a 

$6-million contributor to the economy. 

We express our deepest appreciation to the 138 campground 

ownem who unselfishly shared their 1979 business records 

with us, and to Wilbur F. LaPage for his cooperation and 

assistance, 

Literature Cited 

LaPage, Wilbur F, and Steven Foster 

1965, The privately-owned campgrounds of New Hampshire, 

Report No., 7. New Hampshire State Planning hojeet, 62 p. 

Lapage, Wilbur F., Paula L. Cornier, and Steven 6. Maurice. 

1972. The commercial campground industv in New Hampshire: A report on a 1911 campgvound census. USDA For. 

Sew. Res. Pap. NE-255.41 p. 

National Gmpground Owners Association, 

1981. American campground indusw 1979 economic analysis and 1980 occupancy data, National Cmpgxound Owners Association. 31 p, 
APPENDIX 

Form approved 

OMB # 40s-80012 

NEW HAWSHIRE CAWGROUND 

DECENNIAL ECONOMIC SURVEY 

Please complete and return this survey by JULY 11, 1980, 

in the enclosed pre-stamped envelope. 

We have designed this questionnaire to minimize its burden 

on your time. The instructions and definitions provided are 

intended to facilitate the collection of comparable data--please 

follow them as closely as possible. The definitions are arranged 

as they appear in the questionnaire. 

The data must include the summer season and an entire 12- 

month period. If you wish to send us a copy of your financial 

statements, we will complete a questionnaire for you. All 

information will be kept strictly confidential. 

Name of campground 

Address 

City Zip Code 

Telephone 

Person to contact if further information is required: 

Person to whom the final report should be send: 

THANK YOU! 
I. FACILITY AND SERVICE IWENTORY 

(Insert number) (Check one) 

Under 

a. Campsites: 

With electricit 

Total develo 

Overflow capacit 

(family units) 

b. Camping Shelters: 

Rental trailers 

Rental tents 

Rental lean-tos 

Rental cabins 

Other (descri 

c. Service Facilities: 

Store (s) 

Lunch co 

Dining rooms 

Meals delivc 

Vend-i~g chines 

Marinas 

Boat launching 

Boat dock space - 

Cable TV connect ion 

Firewood 

Prcp~ne gas 

Rec. vehicle 

Kec. vehicle 

Guide services 

Recreation dir 

Hayrides 

Dances 

Sports instrlt 

~urs~/doc torBabysit tins 

Other (Describe) I 
(Insert number) 

Recreation Facilities: 

Swimming pools (outdoor) 

Hiking trails 

Rental boats (no motor) 

Rental trail bikes 

Rental snomobiles 

Rental horses/poni 

Stocked fish ponds 

Playgrounds (equip 

-- 

Sanitarv Facilities: 

Flush toilct b?dgs,- 

Vault toilet bidgs. 

Pit toilet bldgs. 

Other toilet faci 

Dumping stations 

'r30 t s ho;.-e r s 

Automatic washers 

Clothes dryers 
OPERATION DATA 

a. Number of years in operation years 

b. Number of years owned by you years 

c. Acres owned acres 

d. Acres leased acres 

e. Miles to nearest public campground miles 

f. Miles to nearest private campground miles 

g. Number of other campgrounds within 10 miles campgrounds 

h. Opening date this year 

i. Closing date this year 

j. Dates of your "peak season" from to 

k. What is the maximum capacity of your campground? persons 

1, How many days did you operate at maximum? days 

m. What do you feel is a "ccomfortable capacity?" persons 

n. Wow many paid employees do you have? persons 

o, How many total employees do you have? persons 

p, By what percentage did your payroll increase this year? percent 

q. Did your total attendance increase or decrease ? 

r. By what percentage? percent 

s. Did your total campground income increase or decrease ? 

t. By what percentage? percent 

u. What percentage of your campers are repeat visitors? percent 

V. What percentage of your campers are seasonals? percent 

w. Would you briefly comment on this year's camping business--Wnat weather 

conditions, travel factors, or changes in your operation and marketing 

might have affected your perfornance this year as opposed to l978? 
3. 1979 REVENUE AND EXPENSES 

a. Revenue: 

Campsite rentals 

Equipment rentals 

Store sales 

Meals 

Services 

Concession income 

Vending machines (incl . games) 

Other campground income 

Gross revenue 

b. Expenses: 

Salaries & wages (incl. benefits) 

Advertising, promotion, publicity 

Utilities 

Insurance 

Property taxes 

Interest 

Land use fees: public land lease 

private land lease 

Depreciation and amortization 

Purchased goods and supplies 

Purchased services 

P.liscellaneous expenses 

Total expenses 

4. FEES GMRGES 

(round to nearest $1,000) 

Amount : 

S 

a. Please attach a copy of your 1979 fee schedule - OR - describe your 

camping fees below, 

b, Will your fees be increased for the 1980 season? Yes No 

c, (If "yes") please attach a copy of your 1980 fee schedule - OR - describe the changes below. 
Tables 

Table No, 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 

10. 

11. 

12. 

13. 

14. 

15. 

16. 

17. 

18. 

19. 

20. 

2 1. 

Location of New Hampshire camping enterprises in business; 1964,1971,1980 

Distribution of small, medium, and large campgrounds in New Hampshire; 1971,1980, (in 

percent) 

Average costs per site 

Daily rates at New Hampshire campgrounds 

Facilities and services offered at New Hampshire cmpgrounds, in percent 

Campsite com binations 

Land ownership and leasing 

Proximity of competitive public and private 

cmpgrounds 

Operation data for 1979 

Percentage of decline in 1979 camping business 

attributed to the 1979 gasoline situation and to 

weather 

Percentage of New Hampshire campgrounds 

opening and closing each month 

Percentage of New Hampshire campgrounds 

starting and ending their "peak season" each 

rnonth 

Percentage of campgrounds with camping 

shelters for rent 

Sewice facilities offered at private cmpgrounds 

in 1979, in percent 

Recreation facilities offered at private campgrounds, in percent 

Sanitar~facilities at private campgrounds, in 

percent 

Average revenue reported by 70 New Hampshire campgrounds in 1979 

Utility surcharges at New Hampshire campgrounds 

Percentage of total income provided by cmpsite rentals, New Hampshire cmpgrounds, 

1979 

Average expenses reported by 70 New Hampshire campgrounds in 1979 

Profitability of commercial cmpgrounds 

(before taxes), in percent 

Table 1 .-Location of New Hampshire camping 

enterprises in business; 1964, 1971, 1980 

Gounty or region 1964a 197Ib 1980 

County: 

Belknap 

Carroll 

Cheshire 

Coos 

Grafton 

Willsboro 

Merrimac k 

Rockingham 

Strafford 

Sullivan 

Total 

Region: 

White Mountains 35 49 47 

Dartmou th-Lake Sunapee 16 17 18 

Lakes 3 7 72 61 

Monadnock 7 23 13 

Memimac k 5 27 20 

Seacoast 8 26 30 

Total 108 2 14 189 

aNew Hampshire State Planning Project 1965. 

bLaPage et al. 1972. 

Table 2.-Distribution of small, medium, and large 

campgrounds in New Hampshire; 1971,1980, 

(in percent) 

Number of sites 197 la 1980 

Fewer than 50 

50-99 

100 or more 

Table 3.-Average costs per site 

Expense categov~r 1971a 1980 

Salaries & wages 

Advertising 

Utilities 

Insurance 

Property taxes 

Interest 

Depreciation 

Purchased goods & supplies 

Purchased services 

Miscellaneous 
Table 4.----Daily rates at New Hampshire Table 7.-Land ownership and leasing 

campgrounds 

Type of cmpsite 1971a 1980 

Tent site ; no utility hookups $3 .OO $5.00 

Cmpsite with electuiciw 

or water conneetions $3 -50 $6 .00 

Campsite with electricity , water, and sewage connections $4 .OO $6.50 

Item NH NEa USa 

Acres owned 67 65 45 

Number of enterprises 

with leased landb 9 3 13 

aNational Campground Owners Association 1981. 

bIncludes both private and public land. 

Table 8.-Proximity of competitive public and 

private campgrounds 

Table 5.-----Facilities and services offered at New 

Hampshire campgrounds, in percent 

Facility or sewice 1971a 1980 

Hot showers 

Dumping statiovls 

Firewood 

Camp store 

Reereation hall 

Washers, dryers 

Swimming pool 

Rental trailers 

ataPage et al. 1912- 

Table 6.---Campsite combinations 

Type of site NH NEa + USa 

With electricity 69 120 105 

With water 68 116 104 

With sewer 38 5 6 57 

With no hookups 28 30 30 

Total developed sites 8gb 152 135 

Overflow capacity 23 54 56 

(family units) 

Number of campgrounds 138 34 137 

aNational Campground Omers Association 1981. 

beompares with 84.33 average for 1958 reported by Woodall 

Publishing Co. 

CNortheast: Maine, New Hampshire, Vernon t, Massachusetts, 

Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, 

Pennsylvania, 

Item NH NEa USa 

Miles to nearest public 

campground 

Miles to nearest private 

campground 5 6 8 

Number of other campgrounds 

within 10 miles 5 5 5 

aNational Campground Owners Association 1981. 

Table 9.-Operation data for 1979 

Item NH NEa USa 

Maximum capacity in persons 409 775 663 

Number of days operated 

at maximum 14 25 30 

""Comfortable capacity " 

in persons 293 644 497 

Percent change in 

attendance (v. 1978) -2 -5 -9 

Percent change in 

income (v. 1978) 

Percent of campers who 

are repeat visitors 56 56 q8 

Percent of campers who 

are seasonals 33 2 3 19 

aNational Campground Owners Association 1981. 
Table 10.-Percentage of decline in 1979 camping 

business attributed to the 1979 gasoline situation 

and to weather 

Factor NH NEa USa 

Gasoline situation 60 44 5 1 

Weather conditions 20 32 28 

Other causes 19 24 2 1 

aNational Campground Owners Association 1981. 

Table I I .-Percentage of New Hampshire campgrounds opening and closing each month 

Month Campgrounds Campgrounds 

opening closing 

March 

April 

May 

June 

August 

Septern ber 

October 

November 

Decern ber 

Open all year 

Table 12.-Percentage of New Hampshire 

campgrounds starting and ending their "peak 

season" each month 

Month Peak season Peak season 

starts ends 

May 

June 

July 

August 

September 

October 

November 

Table 13.-Percentage of campgrounds with 

camping shelters for rent 

Item MH NEa USa 

Rental trailers 22 44 2 5 

Rental tents 5 9 8 

Rental lean-tos 3 9 4 

Rental cabins 12 12 9 

Other 6 91 7 

aNational Campground Owners Association 1981. 

Table 14.-Service facilities offered at private 

campgrounds in 1979, in percent 

Service offered NH NEa USa 

Store 

Lunch coun tern 

Dining rooms 

Meals delivered to sites 

Vending machines 

Marinas 

Boat launching vamps 

Boat dock spaces 

Cable TV connections 

Firewood 

Propane gas 

GasoIine pumps 

Rec. vehicle repaivs 

Ree. vehicle sales 

Guide sewices 

Recreation director 

Movies 

Suppers 

Hayrides 

Dmces 

Sports instruction 

Nurse/doctor 

Babysitting 

Other 

"National Campground Owners Association 1981, 
Table "re-Recreation facilities offered by private 

campgrounds, in percent 

Table 18.-Utility surcharges at New Hampshire 

campgrounds -- 

Facility offered NH NEa USa 

Swimming pools (outdoor) 

Swimming pools (indoor) 

Recreation halls 

Coin operated gmes 

Beach frontage 

Hiking trails (owned) 

Hiking trails (access to) 

ltentitl boats (w/motors) 

Rental bats (no motor) 

Rentd trail bikes 

RenM snowmobiles 

Rental homes/ponies 

Stocked fish ponds 

Playgrounds (equipped) 

Ball fields 

Other (tennis, shuffleboard, etc.) 

aNational Campground Owners Association 1981. 

Table 16.-Sanitary facilities at private 

campgrounds, in percent 

Bush toilet buildings 

Vault toilet buildings 

Pit toilet buildings 

Other toilet facli ties 

Dumping stations 

Not showers 

Automatic washers 

Clothes dryers 

Other (irons, portasewers, bbs, etc.) 

aNational Campground Owners Association 1981. 

Table 17.--Average revenue reported by 70 New 

Hampshire campgrounds in 1979 

Source Average Number of 

revenue campgrounds 

Gmpsite rentals 

Equipment rentals 

Store sales 

Meafs 

Services 

Concession income 

Vending machines (incl. games) 

Other campground income 

Total receiptsa 

aAverage of 70 responding campgrounds-not the sum of 

preceding figures. 

Utility 

Average Number of 

campgrounds charge 

Electricity $1 -05 26 

Electricity & water $1 -17 67 

Electricity, water & sewer $1.69 42 

Table 19.-Percentage of total income provided by 

campsite rentals, New Hampshire campgrounds, 1979 

Percent of income Percent of enterprises 

90-100 46 

7 0- 89 26 

50-69 21 

30-49 5 

Less than 30 2 

Table 20.-Average total expenses reported by 70 

New Hampshire cai'npgrounds in 1979 

Expense category Average Number of 

cost campgrounds 

Salaries & wages (incl. benefitsja 

Advertising, promotion, publicity 

Utilities 

Insu ranee 

Property taxes 

Interest 

Land use fees: 

public land lease 

private land lease 

Depreciation and amortization 

Purchased goods and supplies 

Purchased services 

Miscellaneous expenses 

Total expensesb 

aThe average number of paid employees was 2; the average 

number of total employees was 4. 

bAverage total reported-not the sum of preceding figures 

which do not add because sample size varies. 

CLess than $500. 

Table 21 .-Profitability of commercial campgrounds 

(before taxes), in percent 

Profit NH NEa US 

Loss 41 31 28 

$0-9,999 42 34 3 7 

$10,000 and over 17 34 35 

aNational Campground Owners Association 1981. 
Seventies. NE. Forest Exp. Stn., Broomall, Pa. 

(USDA Forest Serv. Res. Pap. NE-489) 

The findings of a 1980 census of commercial camping enterprises 

in New Hampshire are presented, including the growth of commercial camping enterprises during the period 1964 to 1980, campground characteristics, services and facilities, and the average costs 

and returns of operating a campground. This represents the third 

census of the New Hampshire campground industry. The data presented reflect the 1979 calendar year and are based on a survey of 

138 campgrounds conducted by the U.S. Forest Service in cooperation with the campground owners of New Hampshire. 

ODC: 907.2 

Keywords: New Hampshire private campgrounds, growth, campground characteristics, services and facilities, costs and