When choosing your next move, location is just as important as the home search. If you’re an outdoorsy person, you might not choose a home in the city. Likewise, if you’re a city person, that home out in the county won’t suit your fancy too much.
With mobile home manufacturers facing rising demand — between 2013 and 2018 the number of mobile homes produced jumped from 60,210 to 96,540 — there are more inspiring options available for you than ever. If you throw a dart at a U.S. map you likely will land near a great mobile home park.
Take a Tour Through the Nation’s Top Cities for Mobile Homes
The top 8 states for mobile homes are New Mexico, South Carolina, West Virginia, Alabama, North Carolina, Arizona, Florida, and Texas. However, you don’t have to limit yourself to those states.
A couple of notes for you here. The data we show is a percentage of mobile homes among all dwellings. So, states like Maine, North Dakota and Delaware may have higher percentages, but they have a much smaller total number of residential dwellings compared with the other states.
Also, we took U.S Census Data and compared it against MHVillage listing volume by metro area to land on our top selections. In our breakdown we will focus on the best mobile home cities, based on location, homesite volume, and local attractions.
Without further ado, here are the best eight places to buy a mobile home.
1. Albuquerque, New Mexico
New Mexico’s largest city has a rich cultural history from the Hispanic, Latino and Native American influences in the Southwest. Albuquerque’s culture and natural resources weave together to create an incredible living experience. One of the most impressive attractions is the Petroglyph National Monument, which has volcanic cones and thousands of petroglyphs carved by indigenous people nearly 3,000 years ago. Albuquerque boasts unique museums like the Rattlesnake Museum and the Turquoise Museum that highlight the area’s natural resources.
In New Mexico, mobile homes are aplenty. The state is ranked first for the highest percentage (16.9%) of mobile homes. Currently, there are dozens of mobile homes for sale in Albuquerque, spread throughout the Albuquerque’s nearly 80 mobile home communities. For an age-restricted community, the spacious Albuquerque Meadows is worth a tour. It touts luxury, country club-like living, and sits at the foot of the Sandia Mountains. For family living, take a look at Four Hills Mobile Home Park. The community has plenty of family-friendly amenities, like three swimming pools and playgrounds, as well as tennis and basketball courts.
2. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
South Carolina is a robust mobile home state. This state ranks second on the list with 16.6% of residential dwellings being mobile homes. Add to that the benefit of a great beach town destination, Myrtle Beach.
Myrtle Beach is a great place to settle. There is enough to do for at least three lifetimes. South Carolina’s vacation-centric city isn’t just for spring breakers, either. You have plenty of attractions and comfortable living outside of S.C.’s party central. (Or if you enjoy the nightlife, stay nearby!) The city offers attractions like no other, including Myrtle Beach Speedway, Ripley’s Aquarium, SkyWheel and multiple waterparks. Also, we could never forget Myrtle Beach as the “Golf Capital of the World” with its impressive 90 courses for you to play.
A bonus to settling in Myrtle Beach is that there are plenty of mobile home parks to choose from, with about 50 communities located in or near the city. Myrtle Beach also is among the top cities with the most used mobile homes for sale, making it simple to search for a pre-owned manufactured home. For golf enthusiasts, Browns Mobile Home Park is located right next to the Whispering Pines golf course. Love shopping? Emerald Forest is just a nine-minute walk from Tanger Outlets. And, of course, for those who live the beach life, Three Lakes Mobile Home Park is a 15-minute drive from the Atlantic Ocean.
3. Charleston, West Virginia
Coming in third for most mobile housing units, West Virginia is perfect for anyone looking for outdoor adventure. Known for its white water rafting tours, West Virginia features incredible outdoor sights like the Potomac Highlands, the Mid-Ohio Valley, and of course, the Appalachian Mountains.
For manufactured homes, West Virginia is quite the hot spot, coming in third for the highest percentage of such dwellings in the state, at 15.1%. If you want to settle into West Virginia, we direct your attention to Charleston, the state’s capital. The city is right between the Elk and Kanawha rivers and is seven miles north of the Kanawha State Forest.
You have a trove of mobile homes for sale in Charleston at area communities. In addition, 15 miles outside Charleston is Sissonville, where there are multiple mobile home parks and homes to consider.
4. Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is Alabama’s fourth-largest city and is filled with a diverse history of French, Spanish, Creole, African and Catholic influence. Located on the Mobile Bay, it also has great water access, with nearby Dauphin Island and the Gulf Shores within a short drive. Interestingly, Mobile is where Mardi Gras originated, launching 15 years before New Orleans was founded. Mobile’s Mardi Gras is recognized as the oldest carnival celebration in the United States.
Alabama comes in fourth for being the state with the most mobile homes, at 13.4%. The average age of a pre-owned mobile home is 2011, which is perfect for people looking for newer models. Currently, you have 36 mobile home communities in Mobile, AL with about two dozen mobile homes for sale or rent. Take a look at Pleasanton Hills Mobile Home Park, which is a spacious and lush community with amenities that include a pool and a large playground for kids to get their energy out.
5. Newport, North Carolina
North Carolina is a great place to settle for people who prefer mild winters, a laid-back lifestyle and access to beaches. Well, guess what? Newport is a North Carolina city that has all three and more.
This city is a perfect fit for outdoorsy types. Newport is in the Croatan National Forest, one of four national forests in North Carolina. Croatan National Forest is surrounded by water in the form of rivers and the Bogue Sound, creating beautiful natural resources like bogs, saltwater estuaries and pocosins. Speaking of water, the city also is minutes away from Atlantic Ocean beach access.
Sounds like a decent place for you to settle, right?
North Carolina ranks high for the number of mobile homes among other dwellings. In North Carolina, 13.2% of housing units are mobile homes. We suggest checking out Bogue Pines Mobile Home Park, located right off the banks of Bogue Sound. A trip to the beach is only a 13-minute car ride. As for the park itself, Bogue Pines is an all-ages community that offers large, wooded lots, a pool, a fishing pond, trails, and more. It has 22 mobile homes available that average around $55,000, which falls below North Carolina’s average mobile home price of $86,807. The average home age is impressive as well, with 2019 being the average model year of a home in Bogue Pines, beating out North Carolina’s 2009 average.
6. Tucson, Arizona
Like New Mexico, Arizona is a haven for gorgeous natural resources and its deep cultural roots. The state is home to Grand Canyon National Park, one of the seven wonders of the natural world. It’s also a haven for archaeological treasures, including Painted Rocks, Casa Grande Ruins, Kartchner Caverns State Park, Antelope Cave, the Petrified Forest and more.
Tucson is Arizona’s second-largest city, which means you can experience the benefits of city life while offering plenty of opportunities to enjoy the state’s natural resources. There are four mountain ranges immediately surrounding Tucson — The Tucsons, Santa Ritas, Catalinas and Rincons — which means ample hiking, rock climbing and rappelling opportunities.
With 10.5% of the state’s dwellings being mobile homes, Arizona has plenty of options spread throughout its vast landscape. There currently are hundreds of mobile homes for sale in Tucson in a great array of community types.
That’s a lot for you to choose from!
All-ages community Mesa Ridge has gorgeous grounds with plenty of amenities like recreational activities, a clubhouse, pool, and playground. For an age-restricted community, perhaps Trails West Mobile Home Park will pique your interest. The park offers benefits like a monitored entry, heated pool and spa, a library, private lake, as well as RV and boat storage. Fairview Manor is another 55+ community in Tucson. It provides residents a swimming pool, clubhouse, spa, billiards room, RV/boat storage, and planned social activities.
7. Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland is well known for its mobile-home living. Located inland, this Florida city has 38 recognized lakes to enjoy and is only an hour’s drive to Tampa Bay. Or you can drive an extra 30 minutes to Clearwater, where you can enjoy stunning white-sand beaches along the Gulf of Mexico. However, these aren’t the only water-centric options available. This is Florida living we’re talking about! A 90-minute drive in the opposite direction will take you to Vero Beach, a gorgeous setting right on the Atlantic Ocean.
In Florida, there are plenty of mobile homes available, with the largest total number of such dwellings in the nation. The percentage of mobile homes compared to total residential structures in the state is 9.1%. For water and warm-weather lovers, Lakeland is a paradise — and filled with plenty of mobile home options. Currently, there are more than 350 mobile homes for sale in Lakeland across the area’s 180-plus mobile home communities. That’s a hefty amount to pick from, so let us highlight a few for you. Cypress Lakes and Schalamar Creek (which has an 18-hole championship golf course!) are age-restricted communities with a Floridian resort feel. For all-ages communities, you might start with Stoll Manor Mobile Home Park and Greenbrier Village, which has been described as Lakeland’s best-kept secret.
8. Austin, Texas
This city is for anyone who is looking for a quirky city that keeps them on their toes. After all, Austin’s slogan is “Keep Austin Weird”. Austin is the venue for South by Southwest, one of music and film’s biggest and best-known festivals. There is no shortage of entertainment in Austin, with events, shopping and dining in the city, and outdoor attractions like beautiful natural swimming holes, hiking in McKinney Falls State Park, and water activities on Lady Bird Lake.
Texas is a particularly a hot spot for mobile-home living. In Texas, 7.3% of the homes are manufactured. The state’s total number of manufactured homes trails only Florida. And Austin is filled with diverse mobile home options. There are about six dozen mobile homes for sale or rent in Austin, and nearly 70 communities to explore. For those looking for ultra-modern living, take a peek at Loma Vista, an all-ages community with beautiful homes and amenities. Similar to Loma Vista is Oak Ranch, which is a sprawling community built in 2012. Oak Ranch offers a large fitness center and swimming pool, as well as plenty of family-friendly activities.
Peruse MHVillage to Find Your Ideal Home Destination
Kickstart your search by taking a gander at other popular, affordable markets for buying a mobile home. We are always looking to provide new local coverage for potential buyers and renters, so send us a message with a city you’d like to learn more about.
