Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on Construction Coverage.
After years of elevated real estate prices, mortgage rates, and rents, the housing affordability crisis in the U.S. is more apparent than ever.
Policymakers, economic experts, and everyday households continue to search for solutions to ease the financial burden of securing housing. One option gaining renewed attention is manufactured housing.
Manufactured housing includes homes that are prefabricated in a factory and then transported to their final locations. Due to their simplified designs and more cost-effective materials, manufactured homes are often significantly less expensive to produce than site-built homes.
According to a recent report from the Manufactured Housing Institute, the average cost per square foot of a manufactured home is $87—nearly half the $166 per square foot cost of a traditional site-built home.
This affordability makes manufactured housing an increasingly attractive option for lower- and middle-income families. Today, more than 22 million Americans live in manufactured homes, which account for about one in every 10 new homes built nationwide each year.
In addition to their lower cost, manufactured homes have improved in quality over time, offering better materials, energy efficiency, and more appealing designs.
To better understand the role of manufactured housing in addressing the U.S. housing crisis, researchers at Construction Coverage analyzed the latest Census Bureau data.
The following examines which states are investing most heavily in this type of housing.
15. South Carolina
- Manufactured homes as a share of all new single-family homes: 11.7%
- Total manufactured home shipments: 5,397
- Total site-built single-family home permits: 40,558
- Average sale price of manufactured homes: $136,700
- Median price across all single-family homes: $305,015
14. Missouri
- Manufactured homes as a share of all new single-family homes: 12.1%
- Total manufactured home shipments: 1,590
- Total site-built single-family home permits: 11,528
- Average sale price of manufactured homes: $120,000
- Median price across all single-family homes: $258,266
13. New York
- Manufactured homes as a share of all new single-family homes: 13.4%
- Total manufactured home shipments: 1,616
- Total site-built single-family home permits: 10,453
- Average sale price of manufactured homes: $120,900
- Median price across all single-family homes: $466,085
12. Maine
- Manufactured homes as a share of all new single-family homes: 15.2%
- Total manufactured home shipments: 835
- Total site-built single-family home permits: 4,650
- Average sale price of manufactured homes: $134,900
- Median price across all single-family homes: $407,476
11. Arkansas
- Manufactured homes as a share of all new single-family homes: 15.9%
- Total manufactured home shipments: 1,855
- Total site-built single-family home permits: 9,819
- Average sale price of manufactured homes: $99,200
- Median price across all single-family homes: $217,187
10. Wyoming
- Manufactured homes as a share of all new single-family homes: 16.4%
- Total manufactured home shipments: 320
- Total site-built single-family home permits: 1,632
- Average sale price of manufactured homes: $107,300
- Median price across all single-family homes: $350,409
9. Michigan
- Manufactured homes as a share of all new single-family homes: 17.2%
- Total manufactured home shipments: 3,135
- Total site-built single-family home permits: 15,045
- Average sale price of manufactured homes: $116,000
- Median price across all single-family homes: $252,067
8. North Dakota
- Manufactured homes as a share of all new single-family homes: 18.2%
- Total manufactured home shipments: 368
- Total site-built single-family home permits: 1,651
- Average sale price of manufactured homes: $145,800
- Median price across all single-family homes: $278,398
7. Oklahoma
- Manufactured homes as a share of all new single-family homes: 18.6%
- Total manufactured home shipments: 2,491
- Total site-built single-family home permits: 10,928
- Average sale price of manufactured homes: $121,800
- Median price across all single-family homes: $214,732
6. New Mexico
- Manufactured homes as a share of all new single-family homes: 19.6%
- Total manufactured home shipments: 1,581
- Total site-built single-family home permits: 6,488
- Average sale price of manufactured homes: $132,800
- Median price across all single-family homes: $309,774
5. Alabama
- Manufactured homes as a share of all new single-family homes: 24.8%
- Total manufactured home shipments: 5,744
- Total site-built single-family home permits: 17,423
- Average sale price of manufactured homes: $112,200
- Median price across all single-family homes: $229,883
4. West Virginia
- Manufactured homes as a share of all new single-family homes: 25.8%
- Total manufactured home shipments: 1,221
- Total site-built single-family home permits: 3,515
- Average sale price of manufactured homes: $127,000
- Median price across all single-family homes: $165,329
3. Louisiana
- Manufactured homes as a share of all new single-family homes: 30.4%
- Total manufactured home shipments: 5,302
- Total site-built single-family home permits: 12,120
- Average sale price of manufactured homes: $98,900
- Median price across all single-family homes: $214,738
2. Kentucky
- Manufactured homes as a share of all new single-family homes: 31.6%
- Total manufactured home shipments: 4,118
- Total site-built single-family home permits: 8,919
- Average sale price of manufactured homes: $112,100
- Median price across all single-family homes: $211,951
1. Mississippi
- Manufactured homes as a share of all new single-family homes: 34.3%
- Total manufactured home shipments: 3,929
- Total site-built single-family home permits: 7,518
- Average sale price of manufactured homes: $121,600
- Median price across all single-family homes: $186,696
Methodology
The data used in this analysis is from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Manufactured Housing Survey (MHS), the U.S. Census Bureau’s Building Permits Survey, and Zillow’s Home Value Index (ZHVI).
To determine the states investing most in manufactured housing, researchers at Construction Coverage calculated the total manufactured home shipments as a share of all new single-family homes in 2024 (the sum of manufactured home shipments and single-family housing units authorized by building permits).
In the event of a tie, the state with the greater total manufactured home shipments was ranked higher.
The 2024 average sale price for manufactured homes reflects units of all sizes and excludes land costs, while the median price for single-family homes is based on the ZHVI, which includes both the home and the underlying land.
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