If you are considering moving into a tiny house, one of your options is to live in a tiny home community surrounded by other residents who share your passion for tiny living.
Large tiny house communities still are not very common. Strict zoning regulations in many states make it difficult to live full-time in a tiny home.
But the demand for tiny living continues to increase. Homebuyers around the country are attracted to the benefits of downsizing, and do not want to take “no” for an answer.
That means that in some states, tiny house communities are starting to take off. There are even some larger communities out there with dozens or even hundreds of spaces.
In this post, we will share some of the largest US tiny home communities with you. But first, let’s go over states where tiny house living is popular. We will also share some of the benefits of tiny home communities and offer some advice on choosing the right spot to live.
In Which States are Tiny House Communities Most Popular?
Here are some states where you may find flourishing tiny house communities:
- Utah
- Texas
- New York
- Arizona
- North Carolina
- Oregon
- Washington
- Florida
- Colorado
- California
Why Live in a Tiny Home Community?
Tiny house communities are not your only options if you live in a tiny home. You may be able to build your home on your own property. In some cases, you also may be able to park your home in an RV park or manufactured home community.
There are pros and cons no matter where you decide to live. But here are some potential advantages of living in a tiny house community:
- Meet likeminded people. When you live in a tiny house community, you will get to know others who made the same lifestyle decisions you did. Your new neighbors could end up being your new best friends.
- Get help and offer it. If this is your first time living in a tiny house, you are going to need to learn the ropes. If you live in a tiny house community, there will be experts living near you who can help you if you require it. You also will be able to pay it forward eventually after you become the expert.
- Live among other beautiful tiny houses. Chances are good that if you are considering moving into a tiny house, you love to look at them and take virtual tours. Who wouldn’t want to live where they can see gorgeous tiny homes every day?
- Rent if you want to. Not sure yet if tiny living is right for you? One of the best ways to find out is to rent a tiny house. There are communities that let you do that.
- Avoid trailer parks. If you have a park model home, that is technically an RV, which means you may have the option of placing it in an RV park. But RV park living may not appeal to everyone, and tiny house communities offer an alternative.
How to Choose a Tiny Home Community
We have already talked about renting vs. owning a tiny house. Here are some other considerations to help you select the right tiny house community:
- Location: Pick a location you like! Consider the scenery, the proximity to highways and towns, and how close leisure opportunities are.
- Requirements for residents: Check the community’s requirements for your tiny home as well as any additional requirements. Find out what the application process is like.
- Quality and spacing of sites: How large are the sites, and how far apart are they? Are they parallel to each other? Are they angled?
- Greenery: In a hot location, grass reflects less sun than pavement, and trees can offer shade. This can be important in a tiny home.
- Climate: Speaking of hot locations, think about whether you would prefer to live in a hot, cold, or temperate setting. Tiny houses may be easier to keep climate-controlled than RVs depending on their designs, but it may still be a challenge to keep them temperate year-round in harsh climates. Rain and snow may also be problematic depending on the roof design (a flat roof could result in pooling water and leaks).
- Amenities: Check into what kinds of amenities are available at the tiny home communes that interest you. Some communities may not offer much, while others may go all-out. Amenities could include swimming pools, tennis courts, dog parks, clubhouses, laundry facilities, WiFi, boat launches and fishing docks, shared kitchens, community gardens, and more.
- Aesthetics: Choose a tiny house community that suits your aesthetic tastes, especially if you are getting a house that includes large windows. You want to be looking out each day on a scene that you find appealing, not feeling like you need to draw the drapes shut just to avoid looking at an eyesore.
- Pricing: Find out how much it will cost you to park your home in a tiny house community each month. There may be quite a wide price range here, so shop around for what fits your budget.
- Culture: One of the biggest factors to consider when choosing a tiny house community is the culture. What is the community itself like? Do people mingle a lot and live cooperatively, or do they largely keep to themselves? Is there a lot of drama? Is it quiet? Noisy? Will you fit in?
- Administration: Closely tied to the culture of a tiny house community is its administration. Who owns the community? Who is in the office each day, and who looks after the grounds? Are you likely to get along with them? What are their priorities in the community? What are their goals?
5 of the Largest Tiny Home Communities in the US
Now that you know what to think about when you are choosing a tiny house community in which to reside, we can share some of the biggest tiny house communities in the country with you.
1. Sprout Tiny Homes Community in Salida, CO: 200 Tiny Homes
Just last year, Treehugger reported that Salida, Colorado “will be the home of the largest tiny home community in the US,” and that “200 tiny homes, a community building, an exercise facility, a restaurant, and other amenities will be built along the Arkansas River in Salida.”
Salida is the work of tiny house builder Sprout Tiny Homes. The homes on the site will be available for rent. There will be a significant price range with monthly rates proposed to start at $700 and range as high as $1,450. The average cost to rent in Salida is $1,400, so many of these rentals will be quite economical for the area.
Along with the exercise facility, community building, and restaurant discussed, this tiny house community will boast 96 storage units, a pair of parks for residents, and a walking trail by the river.
2. Tiny Tranquility in Waldport, OR: 43 Sites
Tiny Tranquility is a park that accommodates tiny houses and vintage RVs. There are a total of 43 sites, and both long-term site rentals and nightly rentals are available. Tiny Tranquility writes, “Tiny Tranquility was developed to cater to people who would like to live in their tiny homes and vintage trailers on a longer term basis or who want to have a longer-term landing spot for their trailer for periodic visits. We intentionally decided that we did not want a continuous stream of larger trailers and motorhomes entering and exiting the park for short term stays, as is typically the case at traditional RV parks.”
If you ever have lived in an RV park, you are familiar with the tendency for park owners to favor seasonal guests over long-term residents. The fact that this park was intentionally designed to do the opposite is wonderful.
Rates at this time of this writing are $650-$700 a month. That is mid-range for RV parks in Oregon, and not a bad deal considering the community is right next to the ocean. Tiny Tranquility also has a community greenhouse where residents may pay an additional fee to rent space.
3. Spur, TX: 1,000 Residents
Spur, TX, is a little different from other tiny house communities. It is not just a park, but an actual town. Spur writes, “. Our population is around 1,000 and we are one of two towns in Dickens County, a 900 square mile wonderland of canyons, cotton fields and an abundance of wildlife.”
In July 2014, Spur passed a resolution that made it “the nation’s first tiny house friendly town.”
We did not find an exact listing of how many tiny houses are currently located there, but Spur says that within just two years, they had already sold 70 lots. The website offers a quiz you can take to see if you would fit in well in Spur.
4. LuxTiny: White Mountains of Arizona: 45 Spaces
Like the Salida tiny house community, the LuxTiny community is also under construction and is likewise the work of a tiny house builder. Amenities at the Arizona community will include a garden and a walking path.
Both renting and purchasing are mentioned on the website, with the rate of $799 per month listed. Originally, the community would have had 50 sites, but the builder decided that 45 would be a better number.
5. Orlando Lakefront: Orlando, FL: 30+ Sites
https://www.orlandolakefrontth.com/
The information about the Orlando Lakefront community is somewhat confusing, but the website’s FAQ says, “We currently have about 30 tiny homes at Orlando Lakefront, but more are joining our community all the time!”
Short-term tiny house rentals are available at the site, but not long-term rentals. You can, however, stay long-term if you bring your own tiny home or RV.
Some of the Largest Tiny Home Communities are for Homeless Individuals
Our focus in this post has been on tiny home parks to visit or stay in long-term for those who are able to afford monthly rents.
But we do want to note that some of the nation’s largest tiny house communities were created as temporary housing for homeless individuals. An example is Avivo Village in Minneapolis, which has 100 homes.
Tiny house communities like these help provide dignity and resources to those in need, facilitating a transition to more permanent housing once residents are able to get back on their feet. We love to see the difference these communities are making around the country.
Find Your Tiny House Community
You have had a chance to check out some of the biggest tiny home communities nationwide now, and you know a bit about what you should consider when you are choosing a tiny house community in which to reside.
If you are thinking about moving into a tiny house of your own soon, be sure to research these communities in detail. Who knows? Your future home could be listed right here on this page.