America’s Most Vertical, Horizontal and Mobile Cities - 2026 Study

America’s housing landscape takes many forms. Some cities maximize limited land area by growing vertically, concentrating housing stock in multistory structures. Others have expanded outward, prioritizing traditional, single-family detached houses. This mix of housing types helps define each city’s physical character and how its residents live.

SmartAsset evaluated U.S. cities with populations of 250,000 or more. The analysis identified the most vertical cities, those with the highest shares of residences in multistory buildings;* the most horizontal, those with the greatest concentrations of detached single-family houses; and the most mobile, those with the largest percentages of manufactured homes. The results reveal where urban America builds up and where it spreads out.

Key Findings

New York, Miami and Honolulu are America’s most vertical cities, in a statistical dead heat. Roughly 48.7% to 48.9% of housing units in each are in apartments, co-ops, and condominiums with 20 or more units, and differences this small fall within the margin of error. New York has the largest estimate (48.9% of about 3.7 million units), followed by Miami (48.8%) and Honolulu (48.7%).
Chesapeake, Virginia is America’s least vertical city. Only about 4.8% of residences in the second-most populous city in the Old Dominion are in apartments, co-ops, and condominiums with 20 or more units, the fewest in the nation. Approximately 67.4% of residences are single-family detached houses and 1.6% are manufactured homes.
These Southwest cities are America’s most horizontal. Some of the largest concentrations of single-family, detached homes can be found in No. 1-ranked Gilbert, Arizona (81.7% of residences), No. 2-ranked North Las Vegas, Nevada (75.2%) and No. 4-ranked Henderson, Nevada (68.7%).
More than 1 out of 10 homes in Mesa, Arizona are mobile. Approximately 12.5% of residences in Mesa, Arizona are manufactured homes, the most in the U.S. It’s followed by Laredo, Texas with 7.6%.

* As used here, “vertical housing” refers to residences in buildings with 20 or more units; “horizontal housing” refers to detached single-family houses; and “mobile housing” refers to manufactured homes. In this study, the number of units in a building serves as a proxy for vertical development rather than a direct measure of building height.

Questions and Answers

What is the most vertical city in America?

Among U.S. cities with populations of 250,000 or more, New York, Miami and Honolulu are effectively tied as the most vertical, with 48.9%, 48.8% and 48.7% of housing units, respectively, in buildings containing 20 or more units. Differences this small are too small to treat as meaningful.

What is the least vertical city in America?

Among U.S. cities with populations of 250,000 or more, Chesapeake, Virginia, has the lowest concentration of housing units in buildings containing 20 or more units, at just 4.8%. Detached single-family houses account for approximately 67.4% of the city’s housing stock.

Which American city has the highest percentage of detached single-family houses?

Among U.S. cities with populations of 250,000 or more, Gilbert, Arizona, ranks first, with detached single-family houses accounting for 81.7% of its residential units. North Las Vegas, Nevada, follows at 75.2%, making these two cities the most horizontal among those studied.

Which American city has the highest percentage of mobile homes?

Among U.S. cities with populations of 250,000 or more, Mesa, Arizona, has the highest concentration of manufactured homes, accounting for 12.5% of its housing units. Laredo, Texas, ranks second at 7.6%.

Housing Composition by City

Cities in this list are organized from most to least vertical. As used here, “vertical housing” refers to residences in buildings with 20 or more units; “horizontal housing” refers to detached single-family houses; and “mobile housing” refers to manufactured homes. In this study, the number of units in a building serves as a proxy for vertical development rather than a direct measure of building height. The remaining share in each city, categorized as “other,” includes attached homes such as townhouses; apartments, co-ops and condominiums in buildings with fewer than 20 units; and alternative residences such as houseboats and occupied vehicles.

New York, NY

Vertical housing: 48.9%
Horizontal housing: 9.1%
Mobile housing: 0.2%
Other housing: 41.8%

Miami, FL

Vertical housing: 48.8%
Horizontal housing: 22.4%
Mobile housing: 0.5%
Other housing: 28.2%

Honolulu, HI

Vertical housing: 48.7%
Horizontal housing: 27.1%
Mobile housing: 0.3%
Other housing: 23.9%

Washington, DC

Vertical housing: 42.0%
Horizontal housing: 11.0%
Mobile housing: 0.1%
Other housing: 46.9%

Atlanta, GA

Vertical housing: 40.6%
Horizontal housing: 35.6%
Mobile housing: 0.4%
Other housing: 23.4%

Seattle, WA

Vertical housing: 38.9%
Horizontal housing: 36.8%
Mobile housing: 0.1%
Other housing: 24.2%

Jersey City, NJ

Vertical housing: 38.4%
Horizontal housing: 7.3%
Mobile housing: 0.1%
Other housing: 54.3%

Minneapolis, MN

Vertical housing: 33.6%
Horizontal housing: 40.2%
Mobile housing: 0.3%
Other housing: 25.9%

Denver, CO

Vertical housing: 32.3%
Horizontal housing: 40.5%
Mobile housing: 0.3%
Other housing: 26.9%

San Francisco, CA

Vertical housing: 30.8%
Horizontal housing: 18.0%
Mobile housing: 0.1%
Other housing: 51.2%

Los Angeles, CA

Vertical housing: 29.9%
Horizontal housing: 36.1%
Mobile housing: 0.6%
Other housing: 33.4%

Madison, WI

Vertical housing: 28.7%
Horizontal housing: 39.9%
Mobile housing: 0.9%
Other housing: 30.5%

Dallas, TX

Vertical housing: 27.8%
Horizontal housing: 41.3%
Mobile housing: 1.1%
Other housing: 29.7%

Boston, MA

Vertical housing: 27.8%
Horizontal housing: 11.9%
Mobile housing: 0.2%
Other housing: 60.1%

Houston, TX

Vertical housing: 27.0%
Horizontal housing: 42.7%
Mobile housing: 1.0%
Other housing: 29.2%

Chicago, IL

Vertical housing: 27.0%
Horizontal housing: 25.6%
Mobile housing: 0.2%
Other housing: 47.1%

Irvine, CA

Vertical housing: 26.5%
Horizontal housing: 37.4%
Mobile housing: 1.0%
Other housing: 35.2%

Austin, TX

Vertical housing: 26.1%
Horizontal housing: 43.4%
Mobile housing: 1.3%
Other housing: 29.2%

St. Paul, MN

Vertical housing: 25.3%
Horizontal housing: 48.5%
Mobile housing: 0.2%
Other housing: 26.0%

Orlando, FL

Vertical housing: 25.1%
Horizontal housing: 31.6%
Mobile housing: 0.2%
Other housing: 43.0%

Portland, OR

Vertical housing: 23.5%
Horizontal housing: 52.3%
Mobile housing: 1.1%
Other housing: 23.2%

Anaheim, CA

Vertical housing: 23.5%
Horizontal housing: 40.5%
Mobile housing: 2.7%
Other housing: 33.3%

Irving, TX

Vertical housing: 23.5%
Horizontal housing: 39.0%
Mobile housing: 1.6%
Other housing: 35.9%

Oakland, CA

Vertical housing: 22.8%
Horizontal housing: 41.5%
Mobile housing: 0.6%
Other housing: 35.2%

Newark, NJ

Vertical housing: 21.6%
Horizontal housing: 12.6%
Mobile housing: 0.2%
Other housing: 65.6%

Tampa, FL

Vertical housing: 21.4%
Horizontal housing: 50.3%
Mobile housing: 1.2%
Other housing: 27.1%

San Diego, CA

Vertical housing: 21.3%
Horizontal housing: 43.1%
Mobile housing: 1.1%
Other housing: 34.5%

Nashville, TN

Vertical housing: 19.4%
Horizontal housing: 49.0%
Mobile housing: 1.4%
Other housing: 30.2%

Santa Ana, CA

Vertical housing: 18.7%
Horizontal housing: 44.2%
Mobile housing: 5.2%
Other housing: 31.8%

San Jose, CA

Vertical housing: 18.7%
Horizontal housing: 51.3%
Mobile housing: 3.4%
Other housing: 26.7%

Plano, TX

Vertical housing: 18.3%
Horizontal housing: 59.8%
Mobile housing: 0.4%
Other housing: 21.4%

St. Petersburg, FL

Vertical housing: 18.3%
Horizontal housing: 55.3%
Mobile housing: 2.2%
Other housing: 24.1%

Cincinnati, OH

Vertical housing: 18.2%
Horizontal housing: 38.3%
Mobile housing: 0.3%
Other housing: 43.2%

Charlotte, NC

Vertical housing: 18.2%
Horizontal housing: 51.1%
Mobile housing: 1.3%
Other housing: 29.5%

Long Beach, CA

Vertical housing: 18.0%
Horizontal housing: 40.5%
Mobile housing: 1.3%
Other housing: 40.2%

St. Louis, MO

Vertical housing: 18.0%
Horizontal housing: 43.4%
Mobile housing: 0.5%
Other housing: 38.2%

Raleigh, NC

Vertical housing: 17.6%
Horizontal housing: 43.7%
Mobile housing: 1.3%
Other housing: 37.4%

Cleveland, OH

Vertical housing: 17.6%
Horizontal housing: 45.9%
Mobile housing: 0.5%
Other housing: 36.0%

Milwaukee, WI

Vertical housing: 17.6%
Horizontal housing: 39.1%
Mobile housing: 0.4%
Other housing: 42.9%

Pittsburgh, PA

Vertical housing: 17.3%
Horizontal housing: 43.6%
Mobile housing: 0.4%
Other housing: 38.7%

Phoenix, AZ

Vertical housing: 15.9%
Horizontal housing: 59.8%
Mobile housing: 2.8%
Other housing: 21.5%

Reno, NV

Vertical housing: 15.4%
Horizontal housing: 50.1%
Mobile housing: 3.6%
Other housing: 30.9%

Philadelphia, PA

Vertical housing: 15.1%
Horizontal housing: 8.5%
Mobile housing: 0.4%
Other housing: 76.1%

Baltimore, MD

Vertical housing: 15.0%
Horizontal housing: 14.7%
Mobile housing: 0.2%
Other housing: 70.1%

Kansas City, MO

Vertical housing: 14.7%
Horizontal housing: 61.5%
Mobile housing: 0.7%
Other housing: 23.1%

Tucson, AZ

Vertical housing: 14.7%
Horizontal housing: 51.8%
Mobile housing: 6.1%
Other housing: 27.4%

Lincoln, NE

Vertical housing: 14.4%
Horizontal housing: 55.5%
Mobile housing: 1.5%
Other housing: 28.7%

Omaha, NE

Vertical housing: 14.2%
Horizontal housing: 62.5%
Mobile housing: 0.8%
Other housing: 22.5%

Chula Vista, CA

Vertical housing: 13.6%
Horizontal housing: 52.0%
Mobile housing: 4.0%
Other housing: 30.4%

San Antonio, TX

Vertical housing: 13.5%
Horizontal housing: 58.7%
Mobile housing: 1.5%
Other housing: 26.4%

Glendale, AZ

Vertical housing: 13.4%
Horizontal housing: 59.2%
Mobile housing: 5.7%
Other housing: 21.7%

Durham, NC

Vertical housing: 13.4%
Horizontal housing: 50.8%
Mobile housing: 0.7%
Other housing: 35.1%

Detroit, MI

Vertical housing: 13.4%
Horizontal housing: 64.3%
Mobile housing: 0.4%
Other housing: 21.9%

Aurora, CO

Vertical housing: 12.9%
Horizontal housing: 53.1%
Mobile housing: 1.5%
Other housing: 32.5%

Fort Worth, TX

Vertical housing: 12.6%
Horizontal housing: 64.8%
Mobile housing: 1.7%
Other housing: 20.9%

Riverside, CA

Vertical housing: 12.5%
Horizontal housing: 63.7%
Mobile housing: 2.7%
Other housing: 21.1%

Columbus, OH

Vertical housing: 12.3%
Horizontal housing: 44.3%
Mobile housing: 0.7%
Other housing: 42.6%

Albuquerque, NM

Vertical housing: 11.9%
Horizontal housing: 62.0%
Mobile housing: 3.5%
Other housing: 22.6%

New Orleans, LA

Vertical housing: 11.8%
Horizontal housing: 46.0%
Mobile housing: 0.5%
Other housing: 41.7%

Jacksonville, FL

Vertical housing: 11.6%
Horizontal housing: 59.2%
Mobile housing: 3.7%
Other housing: 25.5%

Colorado Springs, CO

Vertical housing: 11.6%
Horizontal housing: 60.4%
Mobile housing: 2.2%
Other housing: 25.9%

Sacramento, CA

Vertical housing: 11.3%
Horizontal housing: 59.1%
Mobile housing: 1.8%
Other housing: 27.8%

Tulsa, OK

Vertical housing: 11.1%
Horizontal housing: 61.8%
Mobile housing: 1.3%
Other housing: 25.8%

Greensboro, NC

Vertical housing: 11.0%
Horizontal housing: 52.3%
Mobile housing: 1.2%
Other housing: 35.5%

Buffalo, NY

Vertical housing: 10.7%
Horizontal housing: 36.2%
Mobile housing: 0.2%
Other housing: 52.8%

Las Vegas, NV

Vertical housing: 10.1%
Horizontal housing: 62.1%
Mobile housing: 1.3%
Other housing: 26.5%

Stockton, CA

Vertical housing: 9.9%
Horizontal housing: 66.8%
Mobile housing: 1.3%
Other housing: 22.0%

Lexington, KY

Vertical housing: 9.9%
Horizontal housing: 58.4%
Mobile housing: 1.1%
Other housing: 30.7%

Lubbock, TX

Vertical housing: 9.8%
Horizontal housing: 64.5%
Mobile housing: 1.6%
Other housing: 24.1%

Fresno, CA

Vertical housing: 9.8%
Horizontal housing: 61.2%
Mobile housing: 2.5%
Other housing: 26.5%

Chandler, AZ

Vertical housing: 9.5%
Horizontal housing: 67.5%
Mobile housing: 2.1%
Other housing: 21.0%

Indianapolis, IN

Vertical housing: 9.1%
Horizontal housing: 59.0%
Mobile housing: 1.2%
Other housing: 30.7%

Arlington, TX

Vertical housing: 9.1%
Horizontal housing: 59.8%
Mobile housing: 1.6%
Other housing: 29.5%

Toledo, OH

Vertical housing: 8.9%
Horizontal housing: 65.2%
Mobile housing: 2.0%
Other housing: 23.8%

Winston-Salem, NC

Vertical housing: 8.9%
Horizontal housing: 61.6%
Mobile housing: 2.0%
Other housing: 27.5%

Memphis, TN

Vertical housing: 8.7%
Horizontal housing: 59.5%
Mobile housing: 1.1%
Other housing: 30.6%

Mesa, AZ

Vertical housing: 8.7%
Horizontal housing: 55.1%
Mobile housing: 12.5%
Other housing: 23.6%

Louisville, KY

Vertical housing: 8.7%
Horizontal housing: 63.4%
Mobile housing: 1.4%
Other housing: 26.5%

Wichita, KS

Vertical housing: 8.3%
Horizontal housing: 66.0%
Mobile housing: 2.7%
Other housing: 23.0%

Oklahoma City, OK

Vertical housing: 8.1%
Horizontal housing: 67.3%
Mobile housing: 3.0%
Other housing: 21.6%

Anchorage, AK

Vertical housing: 7.9%
Horizontal housing: 47.4%
Mobile housing: 4.0%
Other housing: 40.7%

Virginia Beach, VA

Vertical housing: 7.8%
Horizontal housing: 54.6%
Mobile housing: 1.0%
Other housing: 36.7%

Corpus Christi, TX

Vertical housing: 7.7%
Horizontal housing: 64.4%
Mobile housing: 3.3%
Other housing: 24.6%

Laredo, TX

Vertical housing: 7.6%
Horizontal housing: 67.2%
Mobile housing: 7.6%
Other housing: 17.7%

Fort Wayne, IN

Vertical housing: 7.4%
Horizontal housing: 68.2%
Mobile housing: 2.3%
Other housing: 22.1%

Gilbert, AZ

Vertical housing: 7.1%
Horizontal housing: 81.7%
Mobile housing: 0.3%
Other housing: 10.9%

Henderson, NV

Vertical housing: 7.1%
Horizontal housing: 68.7%
Mobile housing: 1.5%
Other housing: 22.7%

El Paso, TX

Vertical housing: 7.0%
Horizontal housing: 67.0%
Mobile housing: 3.0%
Other housing: 23.0%

Bakersfield, CA

Vertical housing: 6.2%
Horizontal housing: 71.8%
Mobile housing: 3.0%
Other housing: 19.0%

North Las Vegas, NV

Vertical housing: 5.2%
Horizontal housing: 75.2%
Mobile housing: 1.3%
Other housing: 18.3%

Chesapeake, VA

Vertical housing: 4.8%
Horizontal housing: 67.4%
Mobile housing: 1.6%
Other housing: 26.2%

Methodology

Data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey five-year estimates were analyzed for U.S. cities with populations of at least 250,000. To identify the most vertical cities, the number of housing units in buildings containing 20 to 49 units and 50 or more units was combined and divided by the total number of housing units in each city. The same calculation was performed for single-family detached houses to identify the most horizontal cities and mobile homes to identify the most mobile cities. All calculations include occupied and vacant housing units. The number of units in a building serves as a proxy for vertical development rather than a direct measure of building height. Because the analysis relies on survey estimates rather than a complete census of housing units, differences between cities may fall within the estimates’ margins of error. Rankings reflect the estimated composition of each city’s housing stock and should not be interpreted as statistically significant differences between cities. Source data providers are not affiliated with and do not endorse or sponsor this study or its findings.