October 6, 2026
Manufactured Homes in Goshen, Indiana: How a HUD-Code Home Differs From an RV or Park Model
Goshen is the county seat of Elkhart County, the heart of the RV industry and right next door to LaGrange County, where Champion’s Topeka plant builds the homes we sell. With so many factory-built products made around here, buyers sometimes ask whether a manufactured home is really so different from an RV, a park model or a tiny home. It is — and the difference matters for where you can put it, how you finance it and how you live in it.
Different products, different rules
- A HUD-code manufactured home is built to the federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards, the HUD code. It is designed as a permanent, year-round residence and carries a HUD label on each section.
- An RV is a vehicle built to recreational-vehicle standards, meant for travel and seasonal use, not as a permanent home.
- A park model RV is a larger recreational unit, usually for seasonal use in a campground or resort. It is not a HUD-code home.
- A “tiny home” can be almost anything — an RV, a park model, or a small site-built house. The label tells you nothing until you know which code it was built to.
Why the difference matters
Placement. Zoning rules usually treat a permanent dwelling very differently from a recreational vehicle. Many places do not allow living in an RV year-round on a residential lot. Ask the county about your parcel before you buy anything.
Financing and insurance. Lenders and insurers treat a HUD-code home, an RV and a park model differently. You choose your own lender; our financing guide explains the loan types for manufactured homes.
Living. A manufactured home has full-size rooms, residential appliances and insulation designed for year-round living in its climate zone.
See the difference in person
Walk a Champion home and you will see it quickly. Browse the floor plans, read manufactured vs. modular for the other comparison buyers ask about, and come to the showroom. We sell the home and arrange delivery; site work and setup are yours to contract.
Common questions
Can I live in a park model year-round?
That depends on local rules and the unit itself. Ask the county, and know that a park model is not a HUD-code home.
How do I tell what I am looking at?
Look for the red HUD label on each section and the data plate inside. A HUD-code home has both.