If you’ve been hoping RV prices might soften a bit—or wondering whether the RV market is finally cooling off—the latest shipment numbers may be worth watching.
According to new figures from the RV Industry Association, manufacturers shipped 29,209 RVs to dealers in April 2026. That’s down 17.4% from the 35,375 units shipped during April of last year. Through the first four months of 2026, shipments totaled 115,260 units, down 13.5% from the same period in 2025.
But before anyone concludes RV sales have suddenly fallen off a cliff, there’s an important detail buried in the numbers: Not every segment of the market is moving in the same direction.
Travel trailers and fifth wheels took the hit
Towable RVs accounted for most of April’s decline.
Manufacturers shipped 25,376 towables during the month, down 20.7% from April 2025. Since towables make up the largest share of the RV market, a drop that large tends to pull overall shipment numbers down with it.
That doesn’t necessarily mean dealers aren’t selling RVs. Shipment reports measure what factories send to dealers, not what customers are buying and taking home. If you’re unfamiliar with how shipment reports work, see our companion article explaining RV shipment numbers without the industry jargon.
Still, when factories start shipping fewer travel trailers and fifth wheels, it’s usually a sign that somebody in the supply chain is tapping the brakes, at least a little.
Motorhomes bucked the trend
Here’s the part that makes the report interesting.
While towables were down sharply, motorhome shipments actually rose.
Manufacturers shipped 3,833 motorhomes during April, up 13.0% compared with the same month a year ago.
Motorhomes remain a much smaller slice of the overall RV market than towables, so the increase wasn’t enough to offset the decline in travel trailers and fifth wheels. But it does suggest the market isn’t weakening across the board.
In other words, RV buyers may be getting more selective, but they haven’t disappeared.
Why are shipments falling?
The RV Industry Association’s report doesn’t offer explanations, so we can only look at the broader picture.
Financing costs remain higher than many buyers would like. Household budgets continue to feel pressure from inflation. Fuel prices have also become a growing concern for some travelers, especially with renewed uncertainty in global oil markets.
Dealers may also be managing inventory carefully. If lots are already well stocked, dealers can slow new orders from manufacturers until more units are sold.
Whatever the reason, April’s numbers represent a noticeable change from the optimism that many in the industry were expressing earlier this year.
Park models had a strong month
One smaller segment posted impressive growth.
Park Model RV shipments reached 539 units, up 29.9% from the same month last year.
Park models represent only a small portion of overall RV shipments, but the category has shown surprising resilience compared with some traditional RV segments.
What this means for RVers
For current RV owners, this probably doesn’t mean much—at least not yet.
For prospective buyers, however, the numbers are worth watching.
If shipment declines continue for several months, dealers may face increased pressure to move inventory. That can eventually translate into discounts, incentives or more willingness to negotiate.
On the other hand, one month does not make a trend. The RV industry has always been cyclical, and shipment totals can swing significantly from month to month.
The biggest takeaway from April’s report isn’t simply that shipments fell. It’s that different parts of the RV market are telling different stories.
Travel trailers and fifth wheels had a rough month. Motorhomes didn’t.
Whether that’s the start of a larger shift or simply a temporary detour won’t become clear until a few more months of reports are in the books.
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RVT1263b
Thank you for the news, Russ and Tina. DW and I spent Monday gathering information to inform the purchase of RV #3. We closely looked at three models under consideration. Two were disqualified for various reasons. The current leader in the club house must withstand close scrutiny of two additional candidates. All five are diesel pushers. Once a candidate is chosen, then deliberation between new (specified exactly as we want, given binding constraints) and used (close to all we want at a large discount relarive to MSRP) will begin. Time will tell, so, … we’ll see. Have a great day and safe travels!
I have no idea how many RV’s are sold in my area of DFW North, but the RV sales lots are full, and folks keep building used car facilities.