How Many Mobile Home Parks Are in Pennsylvania?

3/16/2026

How Many Mobile Home Parks Are in Pennsylvania?

Understanding Manufactured Housing Communities Across the Commonwealth

Mobile home parks — more accurately known as manufactured housing communities — are an important part of Pennsylvania’s housing landscape. These communities provide affordable housing for tens of thousands of residents across the Commonwealth, particularly in rural areas, small towns, and outer suburban markets.

Over the past decade, manufactured housing communities have also become one of the most sought-after real estate asset classes among investors. Strong tenant stability, predictable income, and limited new development have made mobile home parks increasingly attractive investments.

One of the most common questions investors, researchers, and property owners ask is:

How many mobile home parks exist in Pennsylvania?

While exact numbers vary depending on how communities are classified, industry estimates suggest that Pennsylvania contains approximately 1,200 to 1,400 mobile home parks of various sizes. These communities range from small rural parks with fewer than ten homesites to large professionally managed developments with several hundred homes.

Understanding where these parks are located and how they are distributed across the state provides valuable insight into the manufactured housing industry.

Why Pennsylvania Has So Many Mobile Home Parks

Several historical and economic factors contributed to the large number of manufactured housing communities in Pennsylvania.

Rural Geography

Pennsylvania contains vast rural areas with small towns and agricultural communities. These regions often supported manufactured housing communities because land was available and affordable.

Manufactured housing offered a cost-effective housing option for residents working in nearby towns or agricultural industries.

Industrial and Energy Economies

Many mobile home parks were originally developed to house workers in industries such as:

• steel manufacturing
• coal mining
• natural gas development
• manufacturing
• construction

These industries created demand for affordable workforce housing across many parts of the state.

Mid-20th Century Development Boom

Many mobile home parks were developed between the 1950s and 1980s, when manufactured housing became widely accepted as an affordable housing solution.

During this period, zoning regulations were often less restrictive, making it easier for developers to build manufactured housing communities.

Types of Mobile Home Parks in Pennsylvania

Manufactured housing communities across Pennsylvania vary widely in size and structure.

Small Rural Parks

Many parks in Pennsylvania contain fewer than 25 homesites. These communities are often located in rural areas and may be family-owned properties that have operated for decades.

Small parks frequently serve residents working in nearby towns or agricultural areas.

Mid-Sized Manufactured Housing Communities

Mid-sized parks often contain between 50 and 150 homesites. These communities are commonly found in suburban or small-town markets and may be professionally managed.

Many investors focus on acquiring parks in this size range.

Large Manufactured Housing Communities

Some communities contain several hundred homesites.

Large parks often include amenities such as:

• paved internal roads
• community buildings
• playgrounds
• recreational areas

These properties often attract institutional investors and large manufactured housing operators.

Regions of Pennsylvania With the Most Mobile Home Parks

Mobile home parks are located throughout Pennsylvania, but they are more concentrated in certain regions.

Western Pennsylvania

Western Pennsylvania contains a large number of manufactured housing communities.

Important counties include:

• Butler County
• Beaver County
• Washington County
• Westmoreland County
• Mercer County
• Crawford County
• Armstrong County
• Indiana County

Many parks in this region were developed to support workers in manufacturing and energy industries.

South-Central Pennsylvania

South-central Pennsylvania also contains many manufactured housing communities.

Counties with significant park concentrations include:

• Lancaster County
• York County
• Berks County
• Lebanon County
• Adams County

These regions combine agricultural economies with growing suburban housing markets.

Northeastern Pennsylvania

The Scranton–Wilkes-Barre region and Pocono Mountains contain numerous mobile home parks.

Important counties include:

• Luzerne County
• Lackawanna County
• Monroe County
• Pike County
• Wayne County

Manufactured housing communities in this region serve both permanent residents and workers in tourism-related industries.

Central Pennsylvania

Central Pennsylvania contains numerous smaller manufactured housing communities.

Important counties include:

• Centre County
• Mifflin County
• Juniata County
• Snyder County
• Union County

These areas contain many rural communities where manufactured housing provides affordable housing options.

Southeastern Pennsylvania

Southeastern Pennsylvania generally contains fewer mobile home parks compared with other regions of the state. Higher land values and more restrictive zoning policies have limited the development of manufactured housing communities near the Philadelphia metropolitan area.

However, some counties still contain several parks, including:

• Lancaster County
• Berks County
• Chester County
• Montgomery County

Why New Mobile Home Parks Are Rarely Built Today

One reason existing mobile home parks have become valuable real estate assets is that very few new parks are built today. Several factors contribute to this trend.

Zoning Restrictions

Many municipalities have adopted zoning regulations that limit or prohibit new manufactured housing communities.

Community Opposition

Local opposition to new mobile home parks can make the approval process difficult for developers.

Infrastructure Costs

Developing a modern manufactured housing community requires significant investment in:

• water systems
• sewer systems
• internal roads
• stormwater management

These costs can make new developments financially challenging.

Why Investors Are Interested in Mobile Home Parks

Mobile home parks have attracted increasing investor interest over the past decade.

Investors are drawn to these properties because they often provide:

• stable cash flow
• long-term tenant retention
• relatively low operating costs
• strong demand for affordable housing

Because new parks are rarely built, existing communities represent a limited supply real estate asset class.

The Role of Manufactured Housing in Affordable Housing

Manufactured housing communities provide an important housing option for residents who may not be able to afford traditional homeownership.

In many parks, residents own their homes and rent the land beneath them. This structure allows households to achieve homeownership at a lower cost than site-built housing.

As housing costs continue to rise across the United States, manufactured housing communities are increasingly recognized as an important part of the affordable housing solution.

Final Advisory Perspective

Pennsylvania contains approximately 1,200 to 1,400 mobile home parks, making it one of the states with a significant number of manufactured housing communities. These parks are located throughout rural areas, small towns, and suburban markets across the Commonwealth.

Regions such as Western Pennsylvania, South-Central Pennsylvania, and Northeastern Pennsylvania contain some of the highest concentrations of manufactured housing communities.

Because zoning restrictions and development challenges make it difficult to build new parks, existing communities have become increasingly valuable real estate assets.

For investors, developers, and property owners, understanding the distribution and role of mobile home parks across Pennsylvania provides valuable insight into the manufactured housing industry and the opportunities it presents.