Manufactured Home Shipments Slipped 21% in 2023

According to the recently released Manufactured Housing Survey (MHS) results for 2023, with additional analysis provided by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), 89,169 manufactured homes were shipped last year. That is a 21% decrease from the 112,882 homes shipped in 2022.

NAHB notes that the Census Bureau defines a manufactured home as a movable dwelling, 8 feet or more wide and 40 feet or more long, designed to be towed on its own chassis, with transportation gear integral to the unit when it leaves the factory, and without need of a permanent foundation. No building permit is required for a manufactured home.

Despite the 2023 decline, the ratio of shipments to new single-family site-built home construction starts remained consistent between 1 to 9 and 1 to 10. In 2023, that number was 1 to 10, meaning that for every new manufactured home shipped, 10 new single-family site-built homes started construction. Of the total 2023 shipments, 35.7% (or 31,830) of homes were either sold or leased, while 2022 saw 49% (or 46,696) of homes being sold or leased.

Regionally, the South continued to receive the majority of shipments at 66%. The Midwest followed with 14%, the West with 11%, and the Northeast with 6%. Texas remained the leading state for shipments, accounting for 15,073 homes, which represents 17% of the total. Altogether, the top ten states comprised over 60% of the shipment share, highlighting a concentrated market presence.

Out of the total homes shipped, 70% (or 59,950) of homes were placed at their final destinations. Among the placed homes, 21% were titled as real estate property, while the majority (76%) were classified as personal property. Additionally, only 29% of the placed homes were situated within a manufactured housing community. Census doesn’t have an official definition of a manufactured housing community, but as an example of the industry’s term of art, Law Insider defines it as “any area where two or more manufactured home lots are leased specifically for the use of manufactured homes,” according to NAHB.