The latest Zonda Master Plan Outlook report reinforces what builders have recognized for years, but can now quantify with greater precision: master-planned communities (MPCs) consistently outperform individual subdivisions across most price points, product types, and regions. Even in a slower third quarter, the national MPC advantage held firm.
A Consistent Pace Advantage
Nationally, MPC projects posted an average sales pace of 2.3 homes per month, compared with 2.1 for individual communities. That 9% premium may appear modest, but its durability is meaningful. Even as rates remained elevated and buyers grew more price-sensitive, MPCs continued to outperform—while staying above pre-pandemic norms.
For context, 2021 saw one of the widest gaps on record: 3.2 monthly sales in MPCs vs. 2.7 in individual subdivisions. Although demand has normalized since then, the structural forces behind MPC performance remain intact.
The Price Tiers Where MPCs Pull Away
For detached projects, which make up the bulk of MPCs, the data shows that MPCs outperform most clearly at the bookends of the market.
- Entry-level: In the entry-level segment (<$300K), MPCs averaged 4.4 sales per month, compared with 2.9 in individual communities—a 51% premium.
- High-end: At the $850,000–$900,000 tier, MPCs pulled ahead sharply (1.5 vs. 1.0, a 48% premium). At $950,000–$1million, the spread widened further to 62%. For $1 million and higher, it narrowed slightly to 50% (1.4 vs. 1.0)
There were two tiers where individual detached communities outpaced detached MPCs in sales pace: $750,000-$800,000 and $800,000-$850,000, but these tiers accounted for a minimal share of overall sales volume. However, the MPC advantage is broadly present across the pricing spectrum.
MPC Sales Share: A Quiet Shift
Even as MPCs continue to outsell individual communities, their share of total market-rate detached sales has trended downward—from 35% in 2018 to 25% in 2025. This shift isn’t a performance issue; it reflects the rise of smaller, newer MPCs with lower planned unit counts, which naturally reduces aggregate share even as per-project paces stay strong.
Attached product tells a similar story: MPCs account for 17% of attached market-rate sales despite representing only 13% of attached projects, again showing outperformance on a per-project basis.
Why MPCs Will Keep Winning
The reasons for MPC outperformance are expected to remain consistent and include the following:
- Segmentation depth. MPCs offer multiple builders, multiple product types, and clear pricing ladders. That creates more opportunities for buyers to find the right fit and more ways for builders to maintain velocity.
- Amenity-weighted value. Trails, parks, pools, and community centers still matter. Amenities give buyers a lifestyle package that standalone subdivisions often cannot replicate.
- Predictability. Buyers value the clarity of MPC guidelines, architectural oversight, and long-term planning.
- Scale. Larger communities can absorb fluctuations in demand more easily, smoothing out dips in individual product lines.
The insights in this article were taken from more in-depth research reports published in Zonda’s Master Plan Outlook subscription.
