Where Is Manufactured Housing Seeing the Most Growth?

Amid elevated housing costs, manufactured housing is growing in popularity for homeowners seeking more affordable living arrangements. There are more than 22 million Americans living in manufactured homes, which account for about one in every 10 new homes built nationwide each year, Construction Coverage reports. This comes as costs for traditional homes grow. The average cost per square foot of a manufactured home is $87. Comparatively, the cost of a traditional site-built home is about $166 per square foot.

Manufactured housing has rebounded over the past few years

After falling in 2023, shipments of manufactured homes grew to 103,300 units in 2024. As of mid-2025, the annual shipment rate increased to 106,000—indicating a faster recovery than the broader site-built housing market.

The reason for the rebound is largely because of cost, with manufactured homes remaining about 66% less expensive than traditional site-built homes, excluding the cost of land. Updated policies may also support future growth, with many state and local governing bodies easing zoning restrictions and encouraging factory-built housing development.

Where is manufactured housing growing the fastest?

Manufactured housing varies in popularity across the U.S., but the sector has seen particularly strong growth across the South. As of most recent 2024 data, Texas saw the most manufactured home shipments, followed by Florida, and then North Carolina. In these states, there were 18,343 shipments, 7,405 shipments, and 6,768 shipments, respectively.

However, looking at manufactured homes as a share of all single-family homes, Mississippi leads the way at 34.3%, followed by Kentucky at 31.6%, and then Louisiana at 30.4%.

Manufactured housing continues to grow in popularity as building costs increase

• Housing Pros Weary of Current Economic Conditions: Struggling with tariffs on top of already heightened material costs, many construction pros report feeling concerned about the state of the industry. 
• The Case for Manufactured Homes as an Affordable Housing Solution: With over half of U.S. households unable to afford a $300,000 home, manufactured housing is growing in popularity as an affordable option.