A new poll of 1,000 adults by the Amherst Group has found that four out of five Americans (81%) would live in a modular home, as nearly all surveyed (90%) found something appealing about those homes, and more than 70% interested in seeing more alternative types of housing in their neighborhood.
For the study, Amherst Group defines “modular housing” as traditional homes precision-built offsite and placed on a permanent foundation.
“While the offsite construction process has been around for decades, it has yet to be adopted as a mainstream way to generate high-quality housing supply at scale,” said Sean Dobson, Chairman, CEO and CIO of Amherst Group. “As a result, homebuilding remains overdue for disruption and innovation. Amid ongoing supply constraints in the U.S., we think modular construction is an important part of the solution. We are encouraged to see from this data that the majority of Americans welcome the idea of living in a modular home, especially as they continue to value the quality and durability of their home in addition to its impact on the environment.”
Key Survey Findings
- Misconceptions: 44% of those surveyed thought a modular home was a mobile or manufactured home, installed on a temporary foundation. That said, over two-thirds were somewhat or very familiar with modular homes.
- Modular appeal: Nearly two-thirds (65%) of those surveyed found that modular homes’ faster construction time was appealing. Over half (56%) were impressed by the flexibility of designs, both interior and exterior, and 41% thought that more inspections and precision tool technology led to higher quality homes.
- Gen Z Loves the Modular Green: 43% of Gen Z respondents identified minimal waste production during the construction process as a reason to live in a modular home, the largest percentage of any generation. Modular housing construction results in a circular economy that reuses and recycles materials, reducing waste by 40% while also reducing carbon emissions and solid waste to the landfill.
- Greater Selection: Nearly three-quarters (71%) of those surveyed were interested in seeing a greater variety of housing in their neighborhoods. Nearly 60% didn’t care how a home was built, as long as it was high quality, at an affordable price point, and in a desirable location.
Joe Butler, Head of StudioBuilt at Amherst Group, said: “Modular homes are traditional, precision-built homes that are constructed offsite, and while there are misperceptions as to exactly what a modular home is, one message is clear, consumers expect high-quality, individualized housing options and desire more efficiency and control when it comes to the construction process. The StudioBuilt division at Amherst, where we construct homes at our studio in Cuero, Texas, gives us the ability to meet this demand quickly and create new housing supply at scale without sacrificing quality.”
This survey was conducted by Wakefield Research among 1,000 adults ages 18+, nationally representative, between July 30th and August 1st, 2024, using an email invitation and an online survey. Data has been weighted to ensure an accurate representation of nationally representative U.S. adults ages 18+.
Click here for more on Amherst Group’s study on modular housing.
