All the while, housing costs are rising dramatically all over the country as interest rates continue to hurt people. Consequently, more families and individuals are seeking out RVs as a realistic solution to the growing unaffordability of conventional housing. Dante Reynolds celebrated his 12th birthday stuck in an RV—heralding this rapidly growing trend far from home. On the other hand, Andrea Stitt’s extended family has regaled talk show audiences with their adjustment to life in a 22-foot travel trailer. Recent reporting by Stacy Kranitz for NBC News sheds light on these lifestyles, highlighting both the challenges and adaptations faced by those living in RVs.
The challenges that more permanently shunt families into RVs largely arise from economic emergencies. For example, Andrea Stitt’s family suddenly ended up in an RV after a medical crisis sent their finances into a tailspin. They now park their travel trailer on remote federal lands, where they can stay for free for two weeks at a time, a necessity when they cannot afford the nightly rates at campgrounds, which range from $25 to $45. Stitt reflects on her situation, saying, “I’m either going to have to be a rich person or a poor person because middle class isn’t possible anymore.”
The Reynolds family Dante’s family strung together some serious sacrifices to adopt this lifestyle. They cleared out decades’ worth of mementos, toys and home comforts. Afterwards, they chose to have a yard sale to get rid of most of their things, donating whatever they hadn’t sold. “I’ve adapted to this lifestyle because we have to adapt,” Ricky Reynolds, Dante’s father, said. If we don’t evolve, we won’t improve, and if we don’t improve, we’re pissed off, and if we’re pissed off, well that’s just terrible. You don’t want to be mad.
For Debbie Williams, a 66-year-old woman living in an RV—and longtime resident—of the valley, these same sentiments ring true. She had originally intended to use the $100,000 profit from the sale of her home to purchase another home. After withdrawing a $22,500 loan to buy a used RV, she ended up hitting the road herself. Williams has difficulty affording non-subsidized rental units. Now, living on an annual income of $58,000 from his disability and Social Security payments, he has mortgage payments of about $350 a month to contend with. “At my age, do I want to do a 30-year loan on a house and then struggle because I would have to pay the mortgage?” she questioned.
RV dwellers encounter distinct challenges that are inherent to living this lifestyle. As a result, Williams is able to live at a Georgia campground without having to pay rent. In exchange, she offers her services through volunteer time to Hurricane Helene clean-up efforts. Francis, another 66-year-old who lives in an RV, chose to install a stove in his RV. He is loath to use it, as he fears what he calls “catastrophic gas leaks.” “My motto, I think it’s a military term, is improvise, adapt and overcome,” Francis stated.
The RV Industry Association doesn’t dispute this intention. After all, RVs are not designed for living in full time. A Census Bureau experimental survey projects that at least 342,000 people permanently or temporarily resided in an RV/boat/van this year. That’s a crushing 41% increase since 2019. This trend reflects how millions of Americans are increasingly seeking more adaptable models of living as housing prices continue to rise.
Andrea Stitt’s family has heavily customized their travel trailer to fit their lifestyle and travel needs. Their arrangement has a covered pen for their large dog and extra shed space outside their rig. Stitt admits that this lifestyle presents challenges: “This lifestyle doesn’t accommodate things like sitting at a table.”
The explosion of interest in RV living is actually a symptom of the larger economic bite many Americans are feeling right now. Dan Emmanuel noted the ongoing housing affordability crisis: “There’s just a huge housing affordability challenge in this country, and that’s part of a larger cost-of-living challenge I think we’re generally having.” More families—including the Reynolds and Stitt’s families—are adopting this as a permanent way of life. From the get-go, they face the joy and heartache of RV life with their trademark honesty and humor.
Along the way, Dante Reynolds has picked up some important life lessons as he’s made this transition. “I’ve learned more in three months than I have in my whole entire 11 years of being alive,” he expressed. That said, the experience has bred resilience and adaptability among these families as they face their new normal head on.