Field Notes // BRC Census

The city, by the numbers.

A visual read on who shows up, how they get around, and what they spend — pulled from recent Burning Man census data.

Interactive // 2021–2025

Attendance, economics & trends

Population is down five straight percent since 2022, first-timer share swings hard year to year, and 2024 closed with the org's first net loss. Hover any point for exact figures.

71,500

2025 Population

-$10.7M

2024 Net Loss

$60M+

Annual NV Economic Impact

-5.3%

Decline Since 2022

$775

Standard Ticket (2026)

28.4%

First-Timers (2025)

Year	Population	First-Timers	Revenue	Expenses	Net	Notes
2021	Canceled	—	—	—	—	Canceled — COVID-19 pandemic
2022	75,069	28.3%	—	—	—	Post-COVID return
2023	74,000	43.9%	$55.5M	—	—	Flooding / mud disaster
2024	72,000	35.4%	$57.5M	$68.2M	-$10.7M	Lowest since 2018; first net loss
2025	71,500	28.4%	—	—	—	Continued decline

Interactive // Census Breakdowns

Who shows up, and how they roll

Every chart below is live — hover or tap any bar, slice, or row for exact figures from recent Black Rock City census data.

Age at Arrival on Playa

The curve peaks in the early 30s and carries a long tail well into the 60s and beyond.

35.1

Median age

Annual Burn Count Distribution

How many burns attendees have under their belt. First-timers refresh the city while veterans hold a steady share.

28.4%

First-time burners

Bikes in Black Rock City

Regular bikes still dominate playa transportation, with e-bikes climbing and a small minority going without.

Regular bike71.4%
E-bike14.2%
No bike9.1%
Other / borrowed5.3%

Attendee Spending Distribution

Median spend sits near $2,000, with a typical range of $1,000–$3,200. The tail stretches into five figures.

~$2,000

Median spend

Plans to Return to BRC

Half of attendees are absolutely coming back, another third probably will, and fewer than 3% say they're done.

Definitely returning50.4%
Probably returning33.2%
Unsure13.7%
Not returning2.7%

Participant Language Distribution

English dominates at 75.6% of roughly 71,500 participants, with Spanish a distant second, followed by French and Russian.

🇺🇸English75.6%~54,054
🇪🇸Spanish5.7%~4,076
🇫🇷French3.4%~2,431
🇷🇺Russian2.9%~2,074
🇩🇪German2.4%~1,716
🇧🇷Portuguese1.8%~1,287
🇮🇹Italian1.3%~930
🇨🇳Mandarin1.1%~787
🇯🇵Japanese0.9%~644
🌍Other4.9%~3,504