North Carolina’s housing stock has developed differently from the national trend, with newer construction and a higher proportion of mobile homes. The state’s median housing age is 10 years younger than the national figure. While over half of all U.S. housing units were built before 1980, only about a third (34.8%) of North Carolina’s homes date to that period.
Much of this growth occurred from the 1980s onward, as population increases—driven largely by migration—spurred new construction across the state. However, older homes remain concentrated in many rural counties, where less recent investment in new housing is evident. Nineteen counties have more than half their housing stock built before 1980, including Anson (61.7%), Washington (60.3%), Richmond (59.4%), Stanly (57.7%), and Martin (56.4%). In contrast, counties such as Brunswick (14.7%), Wake (18.7%), Currituck (18.7%), Union (20.1%), and Hoke (20.9%) report much lower percentages of pre-1980s homes due to rapid development in recent decades.
Mobile homes represent another distinctive feature of North Carolina’s housing landscape, making up 11.3 percent of all units—about twice the national average of 5.7 percent according to the US Census Bureau data (https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/NC/PST045223). Eighty-four counties have a higher share of mobile homes than the state average; six counties—Warren, Greene, Robeson, Gates, Sampson, and Tyrell—report that over one-third of their total housing consists of mobile units.
Urban areas show significantly lower rates: Durham County has just 1.3 percent mobile homes; Mecklenburg stands at 1.5 percent; Wake and New Hanover each have 2.7 percent; Guilford reports 3 percent; Forsyth comes in at 3.3 percent (https://fred.stlouisfed.org/release/tables?rid=441&eid=118697#snid=119919). Still, these urban centers collectively house about as many mobile homes as those rural counties with the highest proportions.
Mobile homes help meet affordable housing needs but are often more susceptible to damage from natural disasters like hurricanes or tornadoes—a growing concern for North Carolina residents given increasing weather-related risks (https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/). Although there have been improvements in manufactured home standards to address climate resilience and safety concerns, many existing units remain vulnerable due to their locations.
There remains an ongoing need for both affordable and resilient housing throughout North Carolina—not only in fast-growing regions but also in areas without significant population gains—to support current residents and attract newcomers for economic stability.
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