What is a mobile home park?
Vermont law defines a mobile home park as a piece of land that has more than two mobile homes or mobile home lots, or adjacent lots of land owned by the same owner with a total of two or more mobile homes or lots. There are limited exceptions for seasonal parks and housing for farm workers.
Mobile Home Park Registry
Mobile home park owners are required to register their park(s) with DHCD annually on September 1 and pay a lot fee of $12 per occupied leased lot.
2023 Registration
Registrations submitted: 230
Lot fees: $77,256
2023 Mobile Home Park Registry List (pdf)
2023 Mobile Home Parks Detail (pdf)
2023 Summary Data - parks, lots, county data, lot rent increases (pdf)
2022 Vermont Registry and Mobile Home Parks Report including Registry List and Detail
Registry Lists
2022 Mobile Home Park Registry List - park address, contact information, lot availability, lot rent
2022 Mobile Home Park Detail - 5-year lot rent history, services
2021 Mobile Home Park Registry
2021 Mobile Home Park Detail
2020 Mobile Home Park Registry
2020 Mobile Home Park Detail
2019 Mobile Home Park Registry (Included in 2019 Mobile Home Parks Report below)
2019 Mobile Home Park Detail
2018 Mobile Home Park Registry
2018 Mobile Home Park Detail
2017 Mobile Home Park Registry
2017 Mobile Home Park Detail
Registry and Mobile Home Parks Reports - periodic report that provides an update on the status of mobile home parks in Vermont over a three-year period based on the findings and statistics of the annual registration and includes the corresponding Registry List of Parks.
2019 Registry and Mobile Home Parks Report
2016 Registry and Mobile Home Parks Report
2013 Registry and Mobile Home Parks Report
2010 Registry and Mobile Home Parks Report
2007 Registry and Mobile Home Parks Report
Mobile Home Park Risk Assessment Tool
Provides comprehensive information about mobile home parks in an Excel spreadsheet with selected park registry data, flood hazard information, water and wastewater systems, State permits and water system violations, and lot rent increases and vacancies. File will open in new window. Click Enable Editing to sort and filter. Change browser settings to open in Excel.
Recently updated -
- 2022 registration data
- 2019 - 2021 public water supply violations
- Added municipal water sources
Risk Analysis Tables (.xls) * last update 4/24/2023
Email Mobile Home Park Update for any updates or corrections. Please include your name, MHP ID and name of park, and source of the information you are providing.
Frequently Asked Questions
This section answers commonly asked questions about mobile homes and the laws governing mobile home parks. Included in this section:
- What are the laws governing mobile home parks?
- Is a mobile home the same as a "manufactured house"?
- What is the average lot rent?
- Is there a limit on rent increases?
- Do most mobile home park residents own their home?
- Who owns Vermont's mobile home parks?
- How many Vermonters live in mobile homes?
- Why do mobile home parks close?
- Are any new parks being built?
- Are there any lots available?
What are the laws governing mobile home parks?
The mobile home park law is found in Chapter 153 of Title 10 of the Vermont Statutes. The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) is authorized to enforce this statute in court, impose administrative penalties of up to $5,000, or refer violations to the Attorney General or State’s Attorney.
The Drinking Water and Groundwater Protection Division of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources regulates water and septic systems under Chapter 64 of Title 10. This includes public water systems that serve mobile home parks. In addition, design, layout, and general requirements for mobile home park development may be regulated by local zoning ordinances and by Act 250 in some cases.
Is a mobile home the same as a "manufactured house"?
Under Vermont law, the terms mobile home and manufactured home are used interchangeably. Strictly speaking, homes built under the HUD code since 1976 are correctly called "Manufactured Homes". Homes built on a permanent chassis before the HUD code was established are commonly referred to as "Mobile Homes." The term "trailer" is no longer used when referring to this type of housing.
The term "mobile home" is often considered a misnomer because most mobile/manufactured homes are not moved after the first time they are set up for residential occupancy. Based on data collected on Vermont's annual registration, only about one percent of mobile homes in parks are moved in any year.
More information about the difference between mobile, manufactured, and modular homes can be found on HUD's website.
What is the average lot rent?
The state median lot rent in 2023 was $390. The median measures the midway point, meaning half of all mobile home park lots in the state had rent higher than the median, and half had rent lower than the median. Rents vary in different regions of the state and park to park.
Is there a limit on rent increases?
No, the law does not limit or cap lot rent or rent increases. Leaseholders can dispute the increase if the percent of increase is more than the "mediation threshold" for that year. In 2023, 157 parks increased the monthly lot rent by an average of about $22.60 (6.3%) and four increases were eligible for mediation.
For 2024 the mediation threshold is 6.7%. Mobile home park owners are required to use the Department's "Notice of Mobile Home Park Lot Rent Increase" form and provide at least 60 days' notice in advance of the increase.
Do most mobile home park residents own their home?
More than 90% of mobile homes in parks are owned by leaseholders and less than 10% are owned by park owners. The "dual ownership" of owning a home but renting the land it sits on is one of the reasons the State has adopted laws to balance the rights of park owners and residents.
Who owns Vermont's mobile home parks?
Private for-profit investors own the majority of Vermont's mobile home parks. Since 2011, 16 Mobile Home Parks have converted to resident-owned cooperatives - or ROCs. Since Vermont's notice and opportunity to purchase law was enacted in 1989, nonprofit housing agencies have acquired or built 47 mobile home parks. In total, Vermont has 67 mobile home parks owned by cooperatives and nonprofits, with a total of 3,440 lots. This equals more than 28% of Vermont's mobile home parks and 49% of all mobile home lots in the state.
How many Vermonters live in mobile homes?
In 2021 there were an estimated 20,651 mobile homes in Vermont. Mobile homes make up about 6.2% of residential housing units in Vermont. (Source: ACS 5-year estimates) About 6,700, or just over one-third of Vermont's mobile homes, are located in mobile home parks.
Why do mobile home parks close?
Many of Vermont's mobile home parks were built more than 50 years ago before most state permits and local zoning laws were in effect. Some of the reasons parks have closed include water or septic problems that were unfeasible to repair, the sale of the property for development or change of use, or because the owner decided to retire or sell the land.
Flooding in 2011 damaged 17 parks, destroying more than 125 mobile homes in those parks and causing two of the flooded parks, with 6 and 11 lots each, to close. Fourteen mobile home parks experienced flooding in July 2023 and mobile homes in four parks were substantially damaged or destroyed resulting in the condemnation and removal of approximately 50 mobile homes.
Park closure can cause considerable hardship for those affected. As a result, Vermont has adopted laws providing 18 months' advance notice of any park or lot closure and in some cases requiring the owner to offer the park for sale to the residents before closing.
Are any new parks being built?
Most of Vermont's mobile home parks were built more than 50 years ago, but new parks have been established as recently as 2023. Non-profit housing organizations developed three new mobile home parks in the early 1990s to provide affordable housing in Brattleboro, Rutland, and Williamstown. Existing mobile home parks have also been expanded.
Are there any lots available?
The statewide vacancy rate in 2022 and 2023 was 4.6%. However, six of ten mobile home parks continue reporting no vacant lots.
For information on available mobile home park lots, see our page of nonprofit and resident-owned mobile home parks and park registry listing.