Mobile home parks in Marion County: what to know before you buy or move in

About 18% of the homes in Marion County are mobile homes, according to the Census Bureau, more than twice the state average. The Florida Department of Health's January 2026 list shows 116 licensed mobile home parks in the county with about 9,000 spaces, most with an Ocala or Belleview address. Many mobile homes here are not in parks at all but on private land in the unincorporated county.

Where the parks are

Ocala has about half of the county's parks and seven in ten of its park spaces. Outside Ocala and Belleview, parks are few and small, and most mobile homes sit on private land.

Source: Florida Department of Health list of licensed mobile home parks, January 2026. Grouped by the park's mailing city, which can include unincorporated areas around the city.

High ground, but not storm free

The county says Marion sits about 110 feet above sea level, so widespread flooding is unlikely, though flash flooding does happen. Wind is the bigger risk. Before Hurricane Milton in 2024, Marion ordered a mandatory evacuation for people living in mobile homes, RVs and modular type homes, and asked them to shelter with family in a site-built home or in a public shelter. Marion is Wind Zone II, like most of inland Florida.

• Check the anchors and straps on any home you buy. They matter here as much as on the coast.
• Ask how the park handled power and water during Milton.

A county that is growing fast

Marion is one of the faster growing counties in Florida, with many people moving in from the coast to get away from insurance and housing costs. Growth brings more buyers for park homes and more interest in park land. At least one Belleview park sold for redevelopment in 2024. Ask who owns the park and whether the land is being sold or rezoned.

Park or your own land

In Marion, buying a few acres and setting a home on it is a real option, which is less common closer to Tampa. On private land you pay no lot rent, but you take care of the well, the septic, the driveway and the permits, and the zoning has to allow a mobile home. In a park, the park takes care of most of that, and you pay lot rent.

Permits

Marion County Building Safety in Ocala permits mobile home setups in unincorporated areas through its online system. Ocala and Belleview have their own building offices. A licensed installer pulls the setup permit.

Before you sign

1. Get the park rules, the age policy if it is a 55+ park, and the approval process in writing.
2. Ask for the prospectus and the lot rental agreement and read them before you sign.
3. Ask who owns the park and the rent history for the last three to five years.
4. Ask how the park handled the last storms and where residents go to shelter.
5. If you are bringing a home, get the park's rules on year, size and add-ons in writing.