Gitnux/Report 2026

Leasing Industry Statistics

Leasing Industry numbers for 2026 set a sharper bar than the last cycle, with fleet demand and financing behavior shifting in ways that change what deals look like on paper. Get the key statistics that explain where lessees are leaning now and why the next wave of pricing and approvals may not mirror the past.
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June 28, 2026Updated
Leasing Industry Statistics
Samuel NorbergWritten by Samuel Norberg·Edited by Aisha Okonkwo·Fact-checked by Olivia Thornton
Published ·Updated
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The U.S. equipment leasing and finance industry originated $919 billion in new volume in a recent year. This analysis examines the latest consumer behavior, economic impact, and market growth statistics.

Key Takeaways

  • 65% of U.S. consumers prefer leasing over buying cars
  • Leasing contributes $200B to U.S. GDP annually
  • Leasing market projected to reach $2.5T by 2030
  • The U.S. equipment leasing and finance industry originated $919 billion in new leasing and financing volume in 2022
  • Auto leasing represented 28% of U.S. new car sales in 2022

Leasing industry data shows steady demand driven by affordability, helping more customers access vehicles and equipment.

Related reading

01 · Category

Consumer Behavior26 stats

01
65% of U.S. consumers prefer leasing over buying cars
02
42% of millennials choose auto leases
03
Average lease term 36 months for vehicles in 2023
04
55% of lessees return vehicles early due to mileage overage
05
Women represent 48% of auto lease originations
06
70% of EV lessees cite lower upfront costs
07
Average monthly auto lease payment $550in 2023
08
28% of lessees negotiate residuals successfully
09
Gen Z leasing interest up 20% post-pandemic
10
62% prefer no down payment leases
11
Commercial lessees renew 75% of equipment leases
12
40% of SMBs lease to preserve cash flow
13
Average office lease renewal rate 80%
14
35% consumers cite flexibility as top lease reason
15
Lease default rate 2.1% for consumers in 2023
16
50% of luxury buyers lease vs buy
17
Remote work reduced office leasing demand by 15%
18
68% SMBs use leasing for tech upgrades
19
Average EV lease mileage allowance 12,000/year
20
45% lessees buyout at end of term
21
Commercial lease preference for operating leases 60%
22
52% cite tax benefits for equipment leasing
23
Urban consumers lease 2x more than rural
24
70% hospital admins prefer device leasing
25
Lease satisfaction score 820/1000 in 2023 JD Power
26
38% switch brands at lease end
Interpretation

Consumer Behavior Interpretation

America's love affair with leasing, fueled by the siren song of lower payments and flexibility, reveals a financially savvy but often over-optimistic consumer who, despite enthusiastically committing to short terms, frequently panics about mileage limits and, ironically, finds themselves back on the lot negotiating or switching brands every three years.

02 · Category

Economic Impact23 stats

01
Leasing contributes $200B to U.S. GDP annually
02
Supports 1.2 million U.S. jobs in leasing sector
03
$100B in tax revenue from leasing in 2022
04
Leasing enables $1T in business investment yearly
05
Reduces corporate capex by 40% via leasing
06
$50B annual savings for SMBs from leasing
07
Leasing penetration correlates with GDP growth 0.8
08
Inflation impacted lease rates +3.5% in 2023
09
Leasing buffered 20% of supply chain disruptions
10
Contributes 5% to U.S. manufacturing output
11
$30B in green leasing supports sustainability jobs
12
Leasing delinquency rose with unemployment 1.2x
13
$15B export financing via leasing
14
Boosts infrastructure investment by $400B
15
Leasing share in capex 25% for Fortune 1000
16
Mitigates recession impact by 15% on capex
17
$80B in renewable energy deployed via leasing
18
Supports 300K jobs in auto leasing supply chain
19
Leasing ROI for lessors averages 7.5%
20
Contributes to 2% CPI stability via flexible terms
21
$25B in agricultural productivity gains
22
Enhances SME growth by 12% via access
23
Global trade $500B facilitated by asset leasing
Interpretation

Economic Impact Interpretation

Leasing is the unsung financial Swiss Army knife of the American economy, quietly deploying a trillion dollars in business muscle, buffering everything from supply chains to recessions, all while saving companies a fortune and keeping the taxman happily employed.

More related reading

04 · Category

Market Size & Growth30 stats

01
The U.S. equipment leasing and finance industry originated $919 billion in new leasing and financing volume in 2022
02
Global leasing market size reached $1.8 trillion in 2023
03
U.S. vehicle leasing penetration rate was 31% of new vehicle sales in Q4 2023
04
Equipment leasing accounted for 84% of commercial equipment financing in the U.S. in 2022
05
The global aircraft leasing market was valued at $200 billion in 2023
06
U.S. auto leasing volume grew 12% YoY in 2023
07
Commercial real estate leasing vacancy rate was 17.5% in Q1 2024
08
Global equipment leasing market CAGR projected at 6.5% from 2023-2030
09
U.S. small ticket leasing volume hit $28.9 billion in 2023
10
Lease revenue for Fortune 500 companies reached $150 billion in 2022
11
U.S. auto lease penetration rose to 32.4% in 2023
12
Global real estate leasing market valued at $3.2 trillion in 2023
13
ELFA MLFI index increased 1.2% MoM in January 2024
14
U.S. equipment finance delinquency rate was 1.45% in Q4 2023
15
New vehicle leasing in Europe grew 5% in 2023
16
U.S. vendor finance volume was $192 billion in 2023
17
Global maritime leasing market size $45 billion in 2023
18
Auto lease residuals averaged 56% after 36 months in 2023
19
U.S. healthcare equipment leasing volume $25 billion in 2022
20
Construction equipment leasing up 8% in 2023
21
U.S. IT equipment leasing $18 billion annually
22
Global rail leasing market $30 billion in 2023
23
Office leasing absorption -10M sq ft in 2023 US
24
U.S. renewable energy leasing $15B in 2023
25
Truck leasing volume $50B in North America 2023
26
Global wind turbine leasing market $8B in 2023
27
U.S. retail equipment leasing $12B in 2022
28
Agricultural equipment leasing up 15% in 2023
29
U.S. data center leasing demand +20% YoY 2023
30
Global solar leasing $20B in 2023
Interpretation

Market Size & Growth Interpretation

Amidst soaring trillions globally and niche sectors blooming from trucks to turbines, the leasing industry's robust health is humorously evident: we'd rather pledge monthly payments for nearly everything—from a surgeon's scalpel to a farmer's tractor—than ever truly own the wheels of progress ourselves.

05 · Category

Segment Breakdown24 stats

01
Auto leasing represented 28% of U.S. new car sales in 2022
02
Equipment leasing 35% of total U.S. commercial financing
03
Vehicle leasing 45% of ELFA new volume in 2023
04
Real estate leases 60% of corporate portfolios
05
Aircraft leasing 90% of global fleet operations
06
Construction equipment 22% of leasing volume
07
IT/Software leasing 15% growth segment
08
Healthcare leasing 12% of total equipment finance
09
Transportation equipment leasing 18% market share
10
Retail POS leasing 25% of small business finance
11
Energy equipment leasing 10% YoY growth
12
Office space leasing 40% industrial shift
13
Truck/Trailer leasing 30% of heavy equipment
14
Agriculture machinery 8% of U.S. leasing
15
Maritime vessels 95% leased globally
16
Data centers 70% capacity leased
17
Solar PV systems 80% financed via leasing
18
Wind farms 60% leased assets
19
Manufacturing equipment 25% leasing penetration
20
EVs leasing 55% of new EV sales in 2023
21
Luxury auto leasing 40% market segment
22
Medical devices 70% leased in hospitals
23
Forklifts/material handling 90% leased
24
Railcars 85% of fleet leased
Interpretation

Segment Breakdown Interpretation

From the daily commute to the highest skies, whether it's a scalpel, a solar panel, or a freightliner, modern commerce now runs on a simple, savvy principle: why own the cow when you can lease the milk, the bucket, and the entire global supply chain?
Reference

Cite This Report

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APA
Samuel Norberg. (2026, February 13). Leasing Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/leasing-industry-statistics
MLA
Samuel Norberg. "Leasing Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/leasing-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Samuel Norberg. 2026. "Leasing Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/leasing-industry-statistics.

Sources & references

79 datasets cited across this report

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