Paddleboarding has exploded over the years! There’s an entire ecosystem of people selling SUP’s, taking part in competitions and creators are being paid to travel and make content about it! This is all because it is not only fun, but it also includes a unique blend of fitness, mindfulness building and also stress relief. But how many people paddle board?

Well…In 2021 there were estimates that as many as 3.74 million people in the U.S. alone paddle boarded that year. That’s insane right? Let’s dive deeper into it.

Here are some more interesting statistics about paddleboarding all with their sources.

12 Amazing Paddleboard Statistics

1. In 2021 there were as many as 3.74 million people in the US that paddleboarded that year
2. The global stand up paddleboard market is worth $2.6 billion in 2023
3. The global stand up paddleboard market is expected to gain $1.65 billion in market value in 2023
4. The accumulated market value is expected to be $4.3 billion by 2033 (growing at 10.05% CAGR)
5. Outdoor Industry Associate reports over 3 million paddleboarders attend events worldwide
6. The North American market has a global market share of around 11.2%
7. The 5 biggest service providers are: Ben Buckler Board, Blue Planet Surf, Funky SUP, Dunn-Rite Products & Hobie Cat Company
8. Inflatable paddleboards account for 75% of all paddleboard sales worldwide
9. In 2019, the average SUP cost approximately $500 to $1,500
10. Over 56.9% of paddleboarders are under the age of 35
11. Stand up paddleboarding is most popular in the Pacific regions of the United States (29.1%)
12. The country that searches about paddleboarding the most is Czech Republix with a 100% interest on Google Trends

When Do People Find Paddleboarding?

According the the 2022 Watersports Participation survey that is done by the UK each year, there are some interesting facts to be found.

Image Source:
https://mymembership.britishmarine.co.uk/media/kxefxeor/watersports-participation-survey-2022-report_summary.pdf#WSPS22

Based on the above chart, there is a very stable split between how many people are interested in paddleboarding by age groups. But there has also been a shift where 55+ year olds have been taking up the sport. You can see that 41% of people have found paddleboarding in the past year, and 39% have found it between 1-2 years ago.

Is this an indicator of how many people paddle board? It’s hard to know – but it does show that it is picking up in growth and this proves the statistics above. And I believe a big part of this has to do with digital retailers like Amazon being able to create a great shopping experience for its customers and get a SUP into more people’s hands. Shopping is approachable now, so it’s easier for the older population to find information and buy a board than ever before.

What Watercraft Do Most People Own?

Image Source:
https://mymembership.britishmarine.co.uk/media/kxefxeor/watersports-participation-survey-2022-report_summary.pdf#WSPS22

Based on the above information we can see that boat and watercraft ownership has dropped from 2021, except for paddleboards which are stable at 4.0%. This is another clear indicator in how many people paddle board because it can suggest that 4% of survey submitters in the UK own a paddleboard (small sample size but still relevant).

How Many People Paddle Board?

So how can we answer the question of how many people paddleboard? We can’t… That’s the truth. We can only guess at the moment. And the best guess based on estimates is 3.74 million people in the US.

References:
https://blog.gitnux.com/stand-up-paddle-board-industry-statistics/
https://www.standuppaddleboardingguide.com/sup-statistics.html
https://www.statista.com/statistics/763907/stand-up-paddling-participants-us/
https://www.factmr.com/report/776/stand-up-paddle-board-market
https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?q=paddleboard&hl=en
https://mymembership.britishmarine.co.uk/media/kxefxeor/watersports-participation-survey-2022-report_summary.pdf#WSPS22