Manufactured Homes: An Alternative Means of Housing Supply

Manufactured homes play a measurable role in the United States housing market by providing an affordable supply option for millions of households. There are 7.2 million occupied manufactured homes in the U.S., according to the American Housing Survey (AHS), representing 5.4% of total occupied housing and a source of affordable housing, in particular, for rural and lower income households.

According to Eye On Housing, Often thought of as synonymous to “mobile homes” or “trailers”, manufactured homes are a specific type of factory-built housing that adheres to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD’s) Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards code. To qualify, a manufactured home must be a “movable dwelling, 8 feet or more wide and 40 feet or more long”, constructed on a permanent chassis.

The East South Central division (Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee) have the highest concentration of manufactured homes, representing 9.3% of total occupied housing. The Mountain region follows with 8.5%, while the South Atlantic region holds 7.7%.