Which Counties in Pennsylvania Have the Most Mobile Home Parks?

3/16/2026

Which Counties in Pennsylvania Have the Most Mobile Home Parks?

Understanding Where Manufactured Housing Communities Are Concentrated in Pennsylvania

Manufactured housing communities — commonly called mobile home parks — are an important part of Pennsylvania’s housing landscape. These communities provide affordable housing for tens of thousands of residents across the Commonwealth.

Pennsylvania contains well over 1,200 mobile home parks, ranging from small rural communities with fewer than 20 homesites to large professionally managed developments with several hundred homes.

Because zoning restrictions and development barriers make it difficult to build new parks, most existing manufactured housing communities were developed decades ago. As a result, these parks are often concentrated in specific regions and counties that historically allowed this type of housing.

For investors, park owners, and real estate professionals, understanding where these communities are most common can provide valuable insight into the manufactured housing market.

Below are several Pennsylvania counties that contain some of the highest concentrations of mobile home parks.

 

Lancaster County

Lancaster County likely contains one of the largest concentrations of mobile home parks in Pennsylvania.

Several factors contributed to this:

  • strong agricultural economy
  • large rural population
  • relatively permissive zoning historically 
  • high demand for affordable housing

Manufactured housing communities are scattered throughout rural townships across the county.

Because housing prices in Lancaster County have increased significantly in recent years, mobile home parks continue to provide an important affordable housing option for many residents.

 

York County

York County also contains a significant number of manufactured housing communities. Located between Baltimore, Harrisburg, and Lancaster, the county has long supported a strong manufacturing and logistics economy.

Mobile home parks are common in rural townships throughout York County, where land historically allowed for larger manufactured housing developments. 

 

Berks County

Berks County contains many manufactured housing communities located throughout its rural areas and smaller towns.

The county’s proximity to both Philadelphia and the Lehigh Valley has increased housing demand in recent years, making manufactured housing communities an important part of the region’s housing supply. 

 

Luzerne County

Luzerne County, which includes the city of Wilkes-Barre, contains a large number of mobile home parks. Many of these communities were developed to serve workers in regional industries and continue to provide affordable housing options today.

Manufactured housing communities can be found throughout rural townships as well as suburban areas surrounding Wilkes-Barre.

 

Monroe County

Monroe County, located in the Pocono Mountains region, also contains numerous mobile home parks. The region has experienced population growth in recent years as residents relocate from nearby metropolitan areas such as New York and northern New Jersey.

Manufactured housing communities in Monroe County often serve:

  • local workers
  • retirees
  • residents

seeking affordable housing alternatives

 

Butler County

Butler County, north of Pittsburgh, contains a significant number of mobile home parks. Many of these communities serve residents commuting to the Pittsburgh metropolitan area.

The county’s mix of suburban and rural areas has historically supported manufactured housing development. 

 

Beaver County

Beaver County also contains numerous mobile home parks, many of which were originally developed to house workers in the region’s industrial economy. Today these communities continue to serve residents throughout the county.

The county’s proximity to Pittsburgh and regional employment centers supports stable housing demand.

 

Washington County

Washington County contains a large number of mobile home parks located throughout rural and suburban communities. Energy development associated with the Marcellus Shale natural gas industry has also contributed to housing demand in the region.

Manufactured housing communities often provide affordable housing for workers in the energy and construction sectors.

 

Westmoreland County

Westmoreland County, located east of Pittsburgh, contains many mobile home parks located throughout its smaller towns and rural areas. The county’s large geographic area and numerous rural townships have historically supported manufactured housing development.

 

Mercer County

Mercer County in northwestern Pennsylvania contains numerous mobile home parks serving agricultural communities and small towns.

Because land prices historically remained relatively affordable, manufactured housing communities became common throughout the county.

 

Crawford County

Crawford County also contains many mobile home parks located in rural communities throughout the county.

Agriculture and smaller manufacturing industries historically supported housing demand in this region. 

 

Centre County

Centre County contains several manufactured housing communities serving residents near State College and Penn State University.

Although the number of parks may be smaller than in more rural counties, housing demand associated with the university contributes to strong occupancy in many communities.

 

Regions With the Highest Concentration of Parks

While parks exist throughout Pennsylvania, several regions stand out as having particularly high concentrations.

Western Pennsylvania Counties surrounding the Pittsburgh metropolitan area contain many mobile home parks, including:

  • Butler County
  • Beaver County
  • Washington County
  • Westmoreland County
  • Mercer County

These communities historically served industrial and manufacturing workers.

 

South-Central Pennsylvania

The agricultural counties of south-central Pennsylvania contain many parks, including:

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

These regions combine agricultural economies with growing population centers.

 

Northeastern Pennsylvania

The Scranton-Wilkes-Barre and Pocono regions also contain many manufactured housing communities.

Key counties include:

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

 

Why Mobile Home Parks Are Concentrated in Certain Counties

Several historical and economic factors explain why mobile home parks are more common in certain parts of Pennsylvania.

 

Land Availability

Rural counties often had larger parcels of land available for development.

 

Historical Zoning

Many parks were built decades ago when zoning regulations were less restrictive.

 

Housing Demand

Manufactured housing communities often developed in areas with strong demand for affordable workforce housing.

 

Agricultural and Industrial Economies

Regions with agricultural or industrial employment historically supported the development of mobile home parks.

 

Why Existing Mobile Home Parks Are Valuable Today

Today, very few new mobile home parks are built in Pennsylvania due to zoning restrictions and community opposition.

Because of this limited supply, existing manufactured housing communities often attract strong investor interest.

Investors are drawn to mobile home parks because they offer:

  • stable rental income
  • long-term tenant retention
  • strong demand for affordable housing
  • limited competition from new development

 

Final Advisory Perspective

Manufactured housing communities are widely distributed across Pennsylvania, but they tend to be concentrated in counties with strong rural populations, agricultural economies, and historically permissive zoning policies.

Counties such as Lancaster, York, Berks, Luzerne, Monroe, Butler, Beaver, Washington, Westmoreland, and Mercer contain some of the largest numbers of mobile home parks in the state.

For investors researching opportunities or park owners evaluating their property’s position in the market, understanding where mobile home parks are concentrated provides valuable insight into the manufactured housing industry across Pennsylvania.

As housing affordability continues to be a major issue throughout the country, manufactured housing communities will likely remain an essential part of Pennsylvania’s housing market.