A night of camping in New Jersey costs $92.50, the second highest of any state in the nation. The state where camping costs the most is Delaware, $109 per night.
The same type of site in North Dakota costs $44. That $65 difference is larger than the total price of a campsite in a dozen states.
Those are among the findings of the Insider Perks 2026 Outdoor Hospitality Pricing Report, which analyzed 609,863 price points from 2,110 private campgrounds across the 48 contiguous states.
“The $65 gap between the most and least expensive states is bigger than the entire cost of a campsite in Kansas,” said Brian Searl, founder and CEO of Insider Perks, which prepared the report. “If you’re trying to save money on camping, picking the right state matters more than picking the right weekend, the right season, or the right site type. Nothing else comes close.”
Where camping costs the most: Delaware ($109), New Jersey ($92.50), Maryland ($92), Massachusetts ($87.80), Rhode Island ($87.50), Florida ($81.75), Connecticut ($81.67), California ($77.34), New Hampshire ($74.50), Maine ($72.45). Eight of the 10 states where camping costs the most are in the Northeast and New England. These are among the smallest states in the country and most densely populated.
Where camping costs the least: North Dakota ($44), Nebraska ($44), Kansas ($46), Arkansas ($48), Iowa ($49.50), Missouri ($51.44), Oklahoma ($52.50), South Dakota ($53.25), Louisiana ($53.75), Alabama ($54). These states are in the South, Midwest and Mountain areas and are less populated.
What doesn’t move the needle: The national seasonal swing is just 8% — roughly $5 a night between peak June and the January trough. Weekend premiums average 2.4% for RV sites, about $1.62 per night. July 4th adds just 4.7%.
What matters: The median tent site is $45. RV sites $62. Glamping $145. Cabins $154.50. Oceanfront sites average $157.66 — a 128% premium. Full hookups cost 57% more than dry camping.
Hidden gems: The study identified 609 parks averaging 4.70 stars at just $50 per night, concentrated in Arkansas (62.7% of parks qualify), Oklahoma (62.5%), Nebraska (60%), South Dakota (60%) and Tennessee (55.9%).
Across all accommodation types, the national median campground price is $71.50 per night. Nearly six in 10 stays cost under $80.
