QUICK FACTS:
Are Tiny Houses Legal In Massachusetts: YES*
Tiny House Costs In Massachusetts: $30,000 – $100,000
Tiny House Friendly Cities: North Hampton, Auburn, Pembroke
B&B Tiny Houses North Adams, MA
Brady-Built Tiny Houses Auburn, MA
Backcountry Tiny Homes Hampstead, NH
It specializes in the design and construction of tiny houses on wheels, with five tiny house on wheel designs that are built to order. When you buy from Backcountry, you have the option of purchasing your house as a shell or turnkey model. The company also provides custom carpentry services and has an online shop for tiny house-specific items like small furniture and stairs.
Wright Trailers Seekonk, MA
Wright Trailers is unique in that it also offers frames for tiny houses on wheels! Visit the website to peruse a selection of gooseneck, masthead, deck over, and pan style tiny homes on wheels. You can also work with their staff to create a custom frame design.
Drinkwater Trailer Sales Pembroke, MA
Tri-State Truck ‘N Trailer Northhampton, MA
Tiny Houses For Sale In Massachusetts
There are many reasons to settle in Massachusetts for the long haul. According to a survey by WalletHub, Massachusetts currently ranks the second best to live in in the continental U.S.!
Massachusetts is currently undergoing a huge economic boom in many different industries like tech, agriculture, and hospitality. The diversity of work in the state makes it a smart move for young professionals or families to live long term.
The state also offers high-quality schools at all levels, a higher proportion of safe neighborhoods than most other states, and one of the highest median incomes in the entire country. If you’re searching for a tiny home to live in in the Bay State long term, take a look at these local listings.
There’s a lot to experience on a vacation in Massachusetts. One of the original 13 colonies, Massachusetts is filled to the brim with historical landmarks and attractions that reveal the foundational stages of the country’s development. For the history buffs and generally curious, Massachusetts offers Boston’s Freedom Trail, Chesterfield Gorge, Monument Mountain, Walden Pond, and much more.
The state also boasts the gorgeous beaches of Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard for a peaceful getaway with family and friends. Check out these tiny houses on Airbnb to book your next trip in Massachusetts.
There are many kinds of tiny house communities that allow you to find peace and recharge. Some tiny home villages are resorts where you can stay for weeks on your next family vacation, while others are permanent intentional living communities full of abundant benefits. Check out some of the tiny house communities in Massachusetts, as well as well as in neighboring states like New Hampshire and New York.
Village Hill Cohousing
Located in North Hampton, Massachusetts, Village Hill is an intentional living community for those who want to live simply with others. Established in 2019, the community is made up of 28 small, individual dwelling units near the downtown area of Northampton. The community is near many walking and bike paths and bus routes, which makes it a quality community for eco-minded members who want to live an off-grid lifestyle.
Members of Village Hill have access to shared facilities including a Common House, garden, large kitchen, and play areas. They share core values such as creating an ecologically sustainable neighborhood of beauty and peace while they we support one another. They also encourage healthy living and wellness, kindness and compassion, and personal growth.
Tuxbury Tiny House Village
Tuxbury Tiny House Village is located less than an hour north of Boston in South Hampton, New Hampshire. The village is perfect for your family’s next vacation, offering guests plenty of space to rest and recharge.
The tiny houses at the village range from 180 to 275 square feet and features of each house are listed online. A stay at Tuxbury Tiny House Village allows you to relax along the tranquil shores of Tuxbury Pond, lounge by the pool, or enjoy the area’s favorite vineyards and wineries, apple orchards, farms, and restaurants. Additionally, the village is located 30 minutes from Massachusetts’ Salisbury Beach, many museums, and several outlet malls. Check out the website to book your stay!
Think Big! A Tiny House Resort
Think Big! A Tiny House Resort is a family-run tiny house vacation rental resort located in the Catskill Mountain region, just a couple of hours north in South Cairo, New York — about an hour Southwest of Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
Think Big! has an in-ground heated pool open from May to October, with year-round hiking trails, a waterfall, kayaks, tubing, a floating raft, and animal to befriend including goats, bunnies, and ducks. The gardens abound with fresh, seasonal vegetables, and guests receive complimentary eggs from the chickens year-round.
Tiny living is about much more than the size of the house you live in. While taking up less space is a huge aspect of adopting the tiny life, the lifestyle is also a holistic experience. It encompasses things like gardening and growing your own food, the art of minimalism, mindfulness and intentional living, and much more. One way to get a taste of all of the elements of the simple life is to join a social group.
Check out these groups and workshops in Massachusetts. I also encourage you to look for your own social groups and comment your findings at the bottom of our page. Or, better yet, start your own group and tell us about it!
Tiny House People of Massachusetts
Tiny House People of Massachusetts is a Facebook group that those in the state of Massachusetts are welcome to join. The group invites anyone who is dreaming of living in a tiny house, currently building a tiny house, or have family or friends living in a tiny house and hope to learn more. The 2,500-member group is primarily located in Massachusetts, but there isn’t a locational limit on who can join.
South Shore Gardening Group
This Facebook group of over 13,000 members exists for anyone who has a passion for gardening in the state of Massachusetts. The social group is based in the South Shore area of Massachusetts and uses the page to share information and experiences related to gardening, plants, flowers, shrubs, trees, planting supplies, and landscaping in the area. You are welcome to share helpful gardening books, resources, tips for gardening beginners, and more!
Cambridge Mindfulness And Compassion Workshops
A huge aspect of the tiny life is living mindfully — making the effort to set intentions that will help you become your best self. The Cambridge Health Alliance in Cambridge, Massachusetts offers weekly in-person mindfulness sessions for those looking to live their life in a way that reflects these values. Examples of courses and workshops offered are Mindfulness and Self Compassion, Mindfulness and Living Well, Stress Reduction, and more. Check out the website to learn more and sign up.
Appendix Q is formatted specifically for tiny houses on foundation, so tiny homes on wheels or other mobile homes and trailers follow separate guidelines. Let’s dive into what’s legal in Massachusetts.
Are Tiny Houses On Foundation Legal In Massachusetts?
Yes! Due to the state’s adoption of Appendix Q, Massachusetts does abide by specific safety laws and building codes for tiny houses on foundation that are smaller than 400 square feet. However, this does not mean you can build a tiny house on a foundation wherever you want in Massachusetts. You’ll still have to adhere to your municipality’s zoning codes, which are broken down by city and county below.
As a general rule of thumb, here are some of the regulations Appendix Q lays out:
- Habitable space and hallways in tiny houses shall have a ceiling height of not less than 6 feet, 8 inches.
- Bathrooms, toilet rooms, and kitchens shall have a ceiling height of not less than 6 feet 4 inches.
- Obstructions such as beams, girders, ducts, and lighting shall not extend below the minimum ceiling height.
- Lofts may have ceiling heights less than 6 feet, 8 inches.
- Lofts shall have a floor area of not less than 35 square feet and shall not be less than 5 feet in any horizontal dimension.
- The loft guards shall be located along the open side of the lofts.
- Loft guards shall not be less than 36 inches in height or one-half of the clear height to the ceiling, whichever is less.
- Tiny houses shall meet the requirements of Section R310 in the One-and-Two-Family Dwelling Building Code for Emergency Escape and Rescue Openings (Read the PDF here).
- In sleeping lofts, egress roof access windows shall be deemed to meet the requirements of Section R310 (Read the PDF here).
- Windows shall be installed such that the bottom of the opening is not more than 44 inches above the loft floor, provided the egress roof access window complies with the minimum opening area requirements of Section R310.2.1 (Read the PDF here).
Additionally, it’s worth noting that tiny homes on a chassis are limited to a maximum of 400 square feet including all additions and appurtenances, but not including lofts.
Are Tiny Houses On Wheels Legal In Massachusetts?
Yes they are, but they are often hard to live in full time. Tiny houses on wheels are regulated differently than tiny homes on foundation in the state of Massachusetts because they are considered recreational vehicles.
Recreational vehicles include mobile homes, RVs, and trailers, and must be registered with the state and used under the regulations of their respective category.
What’s difficult about this classification is that you cannot legally park an RV year-round outside of a designated area for recreational vehicles. This is heavily regulated under local zoning laws and makes it difficult to live permanently in a tiny home on wheels in Massachusetts.
However, some cities and counties make exceptions to this setback. If you hope to know whether a tiny house on wheels or on a foundation is legal where you live, contact your respective representative.
Tiny House Laws in Key Massachusetts Counties: Local Zoning Ordinances
Some counties are tiny house friendly while others make it harder to live tiny in the area. Several of the 14 counties in Massachusetts have created their own regulations for those who are hoping to live tiny.
Barnstable County, Massachusetts
Barnstable County is particularly accommodating to the tiny housing community thanks to a few tiny house enthusiasts who contacted social worker Maureen O’ Regan. The county is especially accommodating of accessory dwelling units, allowing detached ADUs if the ADU or main house has been occupied by the owner for six months. It is legal for the ADU to be used as a long-term rental property, however Airbnbs are not yet allowed as ADUs.
Middlesex County, Massachusetts
In Middlesex County, ADUs are allowed, but the primary house must be owner occupied and both units must be owned by the same land owner. Tiny homes on foundation are allowed as the primary dwelling, while tiny homes on wheels are still up in the air.
Nantucket County, Massachusetts
Nantucket County allows tiny houses on wheels if they fall under the description provided by Zoning Bylaw 139, which defines the dwellings as “a detached structure containing a dwelling unit with less than a total of 500 square feet constructed on a moveable trailer to be attached to a foundation pursuant to a building permit.”
Tiny House Building Codes In Key Cities Of Massachusetts
Cities also have the power to amend statewide laws and create their own rules surrounding tiny homes to make it easier to live tiny in the Bay State. Let’s look at the legality of tiny houses in key cities in Massachusetts.
Cheshire, Massachusetts
Cheshire is special because, unlike other cities across the state, it allows mobile homes to be permanently lived in. However, this rule only applies to certain districts. You can live long term in a trailer, mobile home, or RV in A-R and B districts when you receive a special permit from the Cheshire City Council. However, living full time in an RV is not allowed in R-1 districts.
New Ashford, Massachusetts
New Ashford, Massachusetts also allows you to live in a tiny house on wheels, but only if you are building a permanent home on the same property and plan to live in the tiny house temporarily. This can be limiting to tiny house enthusiasts in New Ashford.
Southborough, Massachusetts
The city of Southborough is open to allowing tiny houses on wheels as permanent dwellings. Owners of abutting land must approve of this usage. Additionally, you must apply for permission with the Southborough City Council. The council will then have three months to approve or deny your request.
Tiny House Building Codes In Massachusetts:
Tiny House Laws In Massachusetts:
*Disclaimer: The information provided on this website should not be taken as an expert opinion, consultation, or advisement of any kind. Building codes, home building, zoning, local laws etc are complicated and ultimately your responsibility to execute legally and safely. You must do your own research, consult with and verify with all applicable authorities, local officials, regulatory bodies, code and zoning officials, and city/state/federal governments. See our full legal page for further information here: https://thetinylife.com/about-us/legal/
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