Mobile vs. Manufactured Homes: What’s the Difference?

Mobile and manufactured homes are not the same product, though many use the terms interchangeably. Mobile homes have a deep history in the United States dating back to the 1930s when the first trailers were manufactured at scale. Over time, these trailers became larger and more elaborate evolving into the homes so many Americans live and vacation in today. Throughout their evolution, trailers became mobile homes and mobile homes became manufactured homes, but what differentiates the two from one another?

How a ‘House Trailer’ Became a Mobile Home

Originally, trailers were used for vacationers and travelers who wanted to camp on the go. They were a convenient and cost effective way to get away for short periods of time. As the manufacturers grew product offerings, families began using what was called ‘house trailers’ as permanent residences. While the trailers had wheels, the homes rarely moved position.

By the 1950s, house trailers started to have a bad reputation. The industry decided to change the public opinion by rebranding and calling them mobile homes. Like house trailers, mobile homes had wheels, were not permanently attached to the property, and remained in place. However, mobile homes were assigned VIN numbers and families could finance them with a loan similar to that of a car. The problem with this rebrand was that none of the manufacturers were held accountable for a quality living space. Homes could be built cheaply, but not necessarily safely.

A New Standard of Living & Introduction of the ‘Manufactured Home’

As more mobile homes started to be manufactured for public consumption, and more families moved into these mobile homes as their permanent residence the government mandated that the homes must meet a minimum standard of quality and safety during the manufacturing process. This is the standard we know today as the HUD code, and is responsible for the name change from mobile home to manufactured home.

The HUD code was enacted on July 15, 1976 and is the primary difference between a mobile home and a manufactured home. The quality and safety standards include:

The HUD code allowed for manufactured homes to be the same quality as any single family home. This ensures a higher quality of life for individuals living in them while holding the industry accountable to the quality of its product offerings.

When to Use ‘Mobile Home’ or ‘Manufactured Home’

The difference is simple. If a home was manufactured before July 15, 1976 it is a mobile home. If it was manufactured after July 15, 1976 it is a manufactured home. Most of the homes you see today in manufactured home communities are, in fact, manufactured homes that meet the HUD code.

The public perception of manufactured homes is always changing, and more recently have come into favor as an affordable, high-quality lifestyle choice. More and more types of manufactured homes are coming to market such as Modular Homes, Tiny Homes, and even some elaborate RVs. As the public becomes more educated on the topic, the more common place it will be to choose this type of permanent residence. Interested in purchasing a manufactured home? See what we have for sale here.