Key Takeaways
- Arizona metros lead. The Grand Canyon State accounted for three of the top five manufactured housing cities.
- The Sunbelt shines. Every single top-10 state by manufactured homes fell across the Sunbelt.
- Affordability hack. The average new manufactured house cost nearly a third of the national median home price
A more affordable alternative
Manufactured housing is one low-cost solution to the affordability crisis in home buying.
New manufactured homes sold for an average of about $123,300 in 2024. That compared to nearly a third of the $360,600 national median home price. A disparity that large could open a realistic path to homeownership for first-time buyers — especially those having trouble finding a reasonable starter property.
Manufactured homes also have their own competitive mortgage rates.
The Sunbelt shines
Manufactured housing makes up 7.9 million units, or 5.4%, of the national housing inventory. It’s a style more popular across the warmer-weathered Sunbelt stretch of the U.S., typically a region known for affordability and lower costs of living.
Mesa, Arizona tops the list of cities with 29,335 manufactured homes (a 13% share of its overall housing stock), according to a StorageCafe analysis of 2024 U.S. Census American Community Survey data. Phoenix came in second with 20,564 (3%) and Jacksonville, Florida in third with 15,393 (3%).
Below are the top 10 cities by 2024 inventory of manufactured homes, according to StorageCafe:
10. Sunrise Manor, Nevada
Manufactured home inventory: 9,952
Share of manufactured homes: 14%
9. Los Angeles, California
Manufactured home inventory: 10,622
Share of manufactured homes: 1%
8. Houston, Texas
Manufactured home inventory: 10,953
Share of manufactured homes: 1%
7. San Antonio, Texas
Manufactured home inventory: 11,208
Share of manufactured homes: 2%
6. San Jose, California
Manufactured home inventory: 11,668
Share of manufactured homes: 3%
5. Tucson, Arizona
Manufactured home inventory: 14,128
Share of manufactured homes: 6%
4. Largo, Florida
Manufactured home inventory: 14,131
Share of manufactured homes: 28%
3. Jacksonville, Florida
Manufactured home inventory: 15,393
Share of manufactured homes: 3%
2. Phoenix, Arizona
Manufactured home inventory: 20,564
Share of manufactured homes: 3%
1. Mesa, Arizona
Manufactured home inventory: 29,335
Share of manufactured homes: 13%
Manufactured housing hotspot states
Perhaps unsurprisingly, many of the metro areas with high manufactured housing represent the top states as well. Overall, the south accounts for the majority of the hotspots of manufactured homes.
Florida led with an inventory of 824,425 — which comprises 8% of its total housing stock. Texas followed with 776,232 and 6%, and North Carolina came third with 525,544 and 10%. The table below shows the full top 10:
| Rank | State | Manufactured Home Inventory | Manufactured Home Share | Average Price of New Manufactured Homes | Average Home Price | Price Gap: Manufactured vs. Overall |
| 1 | Florida | 824,425 | 8% | $135,100 | $396,900 | 194% |
| 2 | Texas | 776,232 | 6% | $122,500 | $313,200 | 156% |
| 3 | North Carolina | 525,544 | 10% | $125,200 | $333,000 | 166% |
| 4 | California | 507,774 | 3% | $167,000 | $759,500 | 355% |
| 5 | Georgia | 345,541 | 7% | $124,800 | $343,300 | 175% |
| 6 | South Carolina | 325,090 | 13% | $136,700 | $299,500 | 119% |
| 7 | Arizona | 296,171 | 9% | $139,600 | $426,000 | 205% |
| 8 | Alabama | 275,265 | 12% | $112,200 | $233,300 | 108% |
| 9 | Louisiana | 260,511 | 12% | $98,900 | $223,200 | 126% |
| 10 | Tennessee | 244,600 | 8% | $130,200 | $332,600 | 155% |
The bottom line
With prices high and few starter-home options on the market, manufactured homes offer an alternative, low-cost option to enter homeownership.
As with any housing purchase, you should be as prepared as possible and learn how to shop for interest rates. If you’re ready to begin, talk to a local lender today.
Time to make a move? Let us find the right mortgage for you
