More and more Americans are turning to mobile homes to skirt rising housing costs — and San Antonio is part of the trend.
The Alamo City has about 11,200 total mobile homes, accounting for 1.8% of its total housing inventory. It sits just ahead of Houston on the list, which has 11,000 mobile homes.
Texas as a whole is one of the nationwide leaders in mobile homes. The state is home to more than 775,000 manufactured houses, behind only Florida.
At about $122,500, the average mobile home in Texas costs roughly half as much as a typical house. Still, the report notes that pricing for mobile homes doesn’t include the cost of the land itself. Residents sometimes lease the piece of land the mobile home sits on.
A new law passed in the Texas Legislature’s 2025 session could spur more mobile homes. Senate Bill 785 requires municipalities to allow mobile homes in at least one zoning district.
“With costs at half the value of a standard home, manufactured housing remains a cornerstone of affordability in the U.S.,” the report said. “While generally widespread across the US, its footprint is uneven, with some areas much better equipped than others to respond to the need for more diverse housing options.”
Many mobile homes have been spruced up in recent years, the report said. It noted “stylish interiors,” open floor plans and smart home technology as features that “rival their site-built counterparts.”
Arizona had the two cities with the most mobile homes: Mesa with 29,300 and Phoenix with 20,500.
Richie David, a mobile home owner in Austin, said the low cost drew him to make the purchase of a manufactured house.
“It brings together the best aspects of affordability and durability that exist in traditional housing,” David said, according to the study. “Families want spaces that are safe and comfortable, without committing to decades of excessive debt, and manufactured housing enables that.”
