De Pere, WI — Mobile Home Park Investments

De Pere, Wisconsin is one of the Green Bay MSA’s most established and desirable communities, sitting directly south of Green Bay along the Fox River. With a population exceeding 26,000, its own downtown district, St. Norbert College providing an institutional anchor, and strong manufacturing employment through the Green Bay-area paper and packaging industry, De Pere offers mobile home park investors a stable, working-class community with consistent manufactured housing demand and a tenant base that values long-term community roots.

De Pere Market Overview

De Pere’s population has grown from approximately 22,900 in 2010 to around 26,500 today — a 16% increase reflecting steady organic growth as Green Bay’s suburbs expand. The city’s economy is diverse: manufacturing (Georgia-Pacific, Procter & Gamble Tissue, and multiple paper/packaging operations along the Fox River), healthcare (Bellin Health is a major regional employer), higher education (St. Norbert College employs approximately 800 people and draws 2,200 students annually), and retail/service operations serving the broader Green Bay metro.

Median household income in De Pere runs approximately $72,000 — solidly working-class to middle-income, reflecting the manufacturing and trades employment base. The community has a strong Catholic tradition and a culture that prizes stability and community investment. Long-term residency is the norm rather than the exception in De Pere.

Why De Pere for Manufactured Housing Investment

De Pere’s manufactured housing market benefits from a workforce that earns enough to afford quality housing but still finds single-family home ownership at $320,000+ increasingly challenging on manufacturing wages. Mobile home park communities in De Pere serve the manufacturing worker, the school teacher, the healthcare aide, and the trades professional who wants to live near their job without paying premium apartment rents. The city’s strong community character and low crime rates make it attractive to families — a key driver of long-term tenancy in mobile home parks.

St. Norbert College adds a secondary demand driver: college staff, adjunct faculty, and college-related service workers represent a steady population of quality tenants who value the college town character of De Pere.

Local Lot Rent Data and Trends

De Pere lot rents started the decade at approximately $240/month in 2015, reflecting the Green Bay area’s historically lower housing costs compared to Wisconsin’s larger metros. By 2025, well-operated parks are achieving $400–415/month — a 67–70% increase over ten years. The Green Bay MSA has seen increased investment attention from out-of-state mobile home park buyers, which has accelerated rent normalization in parks that were significantly below market. Operating parks with rents in the $350–380 range represent value-add opportunities for investors who can bring rents to market over 18–24 months.

Zoning and Permitting Landscape

De Pere has a well-established planning and zoning department. Manufactured housing communities are permitted in designated residential and mixed-use zones, and the city has a track record of working constructively with park operators. The Fox River Valley’s industrial history means that older manufactured housing sites may have legacy infrastructure issues — investors should commission environmental Phase I assessments on acquisitions near former industrial areas. New park development is constrained by De Pere’s established residential character; existing park acquisition and improvement is the practical path.

Infrastructure: City Water and Sewer

De Pere is fully served by municipal water and sewer within the city limits. The city draws water from the Green Bay metropolitan water system and maintains its own sewer infrastructure. Parks within De Pere proper are on municipal utilities. Brown County’s developed infrastructure network provides reliable utility service, and the city has invested in system upgrades to support continued development. Manufactured housing communities on municipal water and sewer in De Pere represent lower-risk operational profiles than rural alternatives.

Proximity to Green Bay MSA Employment Centers

De Pere’s location immediately south of Green Bay on the Fox River provides excellent employment access across the metro. Green Bay’s largest employers — Bellin Health, HSHS St. Vincent Hospital, Georgia-Pacific (Green Bay operations), Procter & Gamble, Schneider National (transportation/logistics), and the Green Bay Packers organization — are all within 15–25 minutes of De Pere residential areas. The Green Bay-area paper and tissue manufacturing industry along the Fox River valley provides stable, well-paying trades employment within easy commute distance.

See also: Green Bay, WI | Howard, WI | Ashwaubenon, WI | Wisconsin Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

What industries drive manufactured housing demand in De Pere?

Primarily paper/packaging manufacturing, healthcare, and construction trades. These industries provide stable employment at wages that make manufactured housing an economically rational choice, and the workforce tends to stay in the region long-term, supporting tenant stability.

How does De Pere compare to Green Bay proper for mobile home park investing?

De Pere typically offers slightly higher-quality tenant demographics (lower crime, higher median income) compared to Green Bay’s urban core, while maintaining similar lot rent potential. Parks in De Pere often trade at modest premiums to Green Bay proper but with lower operational complexity.

What are the typical home types in De Pere parks?

The mix typically includes older single-wide and double-wide homes from the 1970s–1990s, with newer HUD-code homes placed by operators doing capital improvement programs. Transitioning parks from older homes to newer models is a value-add strategy that works well in De Pere’s stable demand environment.

Is St. Norbert College a significant demand driver?

Moderately. College staff and related service workers represent a steady but not dominant share of park residents. The college’s presence adds economic diversity and stability to De Pere’s overall tenant base without creating the seasonal volatility you’d see in a college town with a larger student body.

Internal links: Green Bay, WI | Ashwaubenon, WI | Howard, WI | Wisconsin Guide