Staten Island, NY — Mobile Home Park Investments

Metro: New York-Newark-Jersey City MSA  |  Population: 495,000 (2024 est.)  |  Borough of New York City

Staten Island Market Overview

Staten Island (Richmond County) is the least densely populated and most suburban of New York City’s five boroughs, with approximately 495,000 residents spread across 58 square miles. Often described as “the forgotten borough,” Staten Island has a distinctly suburban character — dominated by single-family homes, strip malls, and car culture — connected to Manhattan by the iconic Staten Island Ferry. The borough’s economy is anchored by healthcare (Staten Island University Hospital, Richmond University Medical Center), retail, and municipal employment.

Staten Island has the highest median household income of any NYC borough (~$80,000) and the highest homeownership rate (~68%). The borough’s housing market features the city’s most affordable home prices — median around $550,000 — and a significant inventory of working-class neighborhoods along the North and South shores.

Why Staten Island for Manufactured Housing

Staten Island is the closest any NYC borough comes to having conditions favorable for manufactured housing — suburban character, lower land values, car-dependent lifestyle, working-class demographic base. That said, no active manufactured housing communities currently operate within the borough. Land values, combined with NYC zoning, still preclude the asset class.

However, Staten Island’s proximity to northern New Jersey (via the Goethals Bridge and Bayonne Bridge) and its large working-class population make it a key demand generator for manufactured housing communities in the immediate NJ suburbs. Parks in Union County, Middlesex County, and Monmouth County, NJ serve Staten Island workers seeking more affordable alternatives to standard apartment rentals.

Lot Rent Data and Regional Context

No manufactured housing communities operate in Staten Island today. In the closest NJ markets:

• Union County, NJ (10–20 min via Goethals Bridge): $830–$1,050/month
• Middlesex County, NJ: $750–$1,000/month
• Monmouth County, NJ: $650–$900/month

The rising regional trend is driven partly by Staten Island overflow demand — workers who commute via the bridges to the borough’s healthcare and retail employers while seeking more affordable housing in NJ communities.

Zoning and Permitting Landscape

Staten Island is zoned under the NYC Zoning Resolution. A significant portion of the borough is zoned R1–R3 (low-density single-family), which is more permissive in character than most of Brooklyn or Queens, but still offers no manufactured housing use designation. The borough’s Greenbelt area and wetlands restrict development in significant portions of the island’s interior, limiting overall housing supply and supporting home prices despite the borough’s more suburban feel.

Infrastructure

Staten Island is fully served by New York City municipal water, though much of the island historically relied on well water until the mid-20th century buildout of the city system. Today, all developed areas have city water and sewer access. This infrastructure profile — full municipal utility coverage — is the standard investors should seek in any manufactured housing acquisition in the surrounding NJ market.

Proximity to Employment Centers

Staten Island residents access employment via the Staten Island Ferry (to Lower Manhattan), the Verrazzan Bridge (to Brooklyn), and the Goethals and Bayonne Bridges (to New Jersey). The borough’s healthcare sector employs tens of thousands locally. NJ Turnpike and Route 1 access makes the NJ manufacturing and logistics corridor accessible from Staten Island’s west shore, supporting demand for manufactured housing communities in adjacent NJ communities like Linden, Rahway, and Woodbridge.

Frequently Asked Questions

Has Staten Island ever had mobile home parks?

Historically, Staten Island’s suburban development pattern included some manufactured housing in the mid-20th century. The borough’s rapid residential development during the 1980s–2000s converted most undeveloped land to conventional single-family housing. No active manufactured housing communities are known to exist today.

What makes Staten Island different from other NYC boroughs for housing?

Staten Island has the highest homeownership rate, lowest density, and most suburban character of any borough. Its residents and culture are more similar to northern New Jersey suburbs than to the rest of NYC — making manufactured housing options in nearby NJ more culturally and practically aligned for Staten Island residents seeking affordable alternatives.

What lot rents can investors expect near Staten Island?

In northern NJ communities accessible from Staten Island via the Goethals and Bayonne Bridges, lot rents range from $800 to $1,100/month. These parks benefit from steady demand from NYC metro workforce members employed in healthcare, logistics, and retail.

What’s the investment thesis for parks serving Staten Island workers?

Healthcare, municipal, and retail employees who work on Staten Island often live in northern NJ or other nearby suburbs. Parks within 20–30 minutes drive of the borough’s employment centers capture stable, long-tenure residents with steady employment in essential-service industries — a profile that supports strong rent collection and low turnover.

Explore more NYC metro guides: New York City | Jersey City, NJ | Elizabeth, NJ | Newark, NJ