Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on Construction Coverage.
After over two years of spiking real estate prices, mortgage rates, and rents, the housing affordability crisis in the U.S. is more apparent than ever. Policymakers, economic experts, and regular U.S. households have been searching for tools to alleviate the pressure of housing costs.
Expanding manufactured housing is one possible solution.
The category of manufactured housing includes housing units that are prefabricated in a factory and then transported to their ultimate destinations. Because these units tend to have simple designs and materials that make them efficient to produce, they are often significantly less expensive than site-built homes.
For lower- and middle-income families, this more affordable option has significant appeal.
Manufactured housing varies in popularity across the U.S.
Here are the states with the most new manufactured homes. The report was produced by researchers at Construction Coverage. The researchers analyzed the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau and Zillow. For more information, see the methodology at the end.
1. Mississippi
- Manufactured homes as a share of all new single-family homes: 33.5%
- Total manufactured home shipments: 3,353
- Total site-built single-family home permits: 7,020
- Average sale price of manufactured homes: $126,100
- Median price across all homes: $176,655
2. Alabama
- Manufactured homes as a share of all new single-family homes: 31.4%
- Total manufactured home shipments: 7,312
- Total site-built single-family home permits: 15,968
- Average sale price of manufactured homes: $114,600
- Median price across all homes: $222,005
3. Kentucky
- Manufactured homes as a share of all new single-family homes: 29.3%
- Total manufactured home shipments: 3,627
- Total site-built single-family home permits: 8,755
- Average sale price of manufactured homes: $130,800
- Median price across all homes: $201,843
4. West Virginia
- Manufactured homes as a share of all new single-family homes: 26.6%
- Total manufactured home shipments: 1,070
- Total site-built single-family home permits: 2,947
- Average sale price of manufactured homes: $138,200
- Median price across all homes: $155,148
5. Louisiana
- Manufactured homes as a share of all new single-family homes: 25.0%
- Total manufactured home shipments: 4,586
- Total site-built single-family home permits: 13,727
- Average sale price of manufactured homes: $119,000
- Median price across all homes: $200,028
6. Michigan
- Manufactured homes as a share of all new single-family homes: 24.9%
- Total manufactured home shipments: 4,968
- Total site-built single-family home permits: 15,015
- Average sale price of manufactured homes: $109,700
- Median price across all homes: $237,028
7. Oklahoma
- Manufactured homes as a share of all new single-family homes: 19.0%
- Total manufactured home shipments: 2,570
- Total site-built single-family home permits: 10,942
- Average sale price of manufactured homes: $119,400
- Median price across all homes: $198,995
8. New Mexico
- Manufactured homes as a share of all new single-family homes: 19.0%
- Total manufactured home shipments: 1,706
- Total site-built single-family home permits: 7,254
- Average sale price of manufactured homes: $122,400
- Median price across all homes: $293,325
9. Maine
- Manufactured homes as a share of all new single-family homes: 16.4%
- Total manufactured home shipments: 963
- Total site-built single-family home permits: 4,918
- Average sale price of manufactured homes: $123,000
- Median price across all homes: $385,666
10. Arkansas
- Manufactured homes as a share of all new single-family homes: 15.8%
- Total manufactured home shipments: 1,778
- Total site-built single-family home permits: 9,465
- Average sale price of manufactured homes: $119,200
- Median price across all homes: $199,830
11. New York
- Manufactured homes as a share of all new single-family homes: 15.6%
- Total manufactured home shipments: 2,042
- Total site-built single-family home permits: 11,057
- Average sale price of manufactured homes: $122,100
- Median price across all homes: $449,285
12. North Dakota
- Manufactured homes as a share of all new single-family homes: 14.8%
- Total manufactured home shipments: 340
- Total site-built single-family home permits: 1,964
- Average sale price of manufactured homes: $146,100
- Median price across all homes: $249,529
13. Oregon
- Manufactured homes as a share of all new single-family homes: 14.1%
- Total manufactured home shipments: 1,691
- Total site-built single-family home permits: 10,312
- Average sale price of manufactured homes: $142,200
- Median price across all homes: $496,690
14. Kansas
- Manufactured homes as a share of all new single-family homes: 13.3%
- Total manufactured home shipments: 852
- Total site-built single-family home permits: 5,567
- Average sale price of manufactured homes: $100,800
- Median price across all homes: $216,151
15. Wyoming
- Manufactured homes as a share of all new single-family homes: 12.8%
- Total manufactured home shipments: 282
- Total site-built single-family home permits: 1,924
- Average sale price of manufactured homes: $122,900
- Median price across all homes: $338,857
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 data.
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 2022 (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.
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