At round 57 sq. miles, The Villages is greater than Disney World (39 sq. miles) and virtually as massive as Washington, D.C. (69 sq. miles). Should you ask the locals, it packs simply as a lot punch.
Positioned in Central Florida close to Orlando and residential to greater than 150,000 residents (who name themselves “Villagers”), The Villages is formally a 55-plus neighborhood and payments itself because the number-one-rated master-planning neighborhood within the U.S..
“I work with many retirees who name The Villages dwelling, and for lots of them, making Florida their official residence simply is smart. You get the sunshine, the approach to life, and the tax breaks that include it,” says Rob Edwards, managing director at Edwards Asset Administration in Naples, Florida.
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“Individuals love to speak in regards to the 183-day rule, however it’s not a magic quantity,” Edwards says. “What actually issues is displaying that your life relies right here. And for lots of people in The Villages, that’s already the case — they’ve put down roots, made associates, began working with Florida-based professionals, and constructed a life that clearly says, ‘That is my dwelling now.'”
What’s life like residing in The Villages?
Carole Rader and associates at The Villages.
(Picture credit score: Carole Rader)
Residents agree, noting the various facilities and alternatives for social engagement with their friends.
“Weekends listed here are completely fantastic and at all times filled with actions,” says Carole Rader, who’s lived in The Villages along with her husband for the previous 13 years. “We frequently begin with potluck gatherings at our neighborhood pool or at one among our many associates’ houses all through the neighborhood.”
Of all of the perks and facilities provided at The Villages, Rader’s decide is the free reside leisure each evening from 5 pm to 9 pm in one among three city squares: Spanish Springs, Lake Sumter Touchdown or Brownwood. “Every venue options completely different music types and performers, so we are able to select primarily based on our temper for any given night,” she says.
Ask any Villager in regards to the neighborhood’s way of life and also you’ll hear quite a bit about jam-packed social calendars.
Take Karen and John Keeler, residents of the Village of Ashland, who like to begin their weekends with Saturday morning golf at one among The Villages’ government programs.
“After golf, we at all times go to one of many Squares, the place there are a number of eating places, and have lunch with our golf companions,” Karen Keeler says. “After lunch, we come dwelling and should take a dip in our pool, or learn a ebook, or do our Bible research.”
If the Keelers aren’t {golfing}, they’ll hit the pickleball courtroom at one of many recreation facilities close by. “The Villages is named the Pickleball Capital of the World as a result of now we have so many seniors enjoying on the tons of of pickleball courts which can be accessible in each village,” she explains.
The Keelers say that as a result of they’ve so many associates in the neighborhood, going to somebody’s home for playing cards and dinner on the weekend, or on a weekday, is a standard prevalence. “The factor is,” says Karen, “daily in The Villages looks as if a weekend.”
How do you purchase a house in The Villages?
Farmers’ market outlets close to Paddock Sq. in The Villages, Florida.
(Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
With greater than 70,000 houses in The Villages, you’ve loads of selections relating to shopping for a property.
“One of many nice issues about The Villages is that it has a wide range of dwelling worth factors,” says Jennifer Beeston, government vice chairman at mortgage lender Price.com in Coral Springs, Florida. “In contrast to a standard neighborhood the place a lot of the homes price the identical, in The Villages, you’ve houses starting from $300,000 all the way in which above $1 million.”
Beeston says she has labored with a number of shoppers who wished to make the world their retirement vacation spot. “Usually, they visited a pal there as soon as, and as soon as they did, they had been hooked,” she says. “I’ve but to have a shopper who needs to maneuver from The Villages. I believe that for individuals who need some degree of social exercise and actually desire a neighborhood, it’s a tricky place to beat.”
Previously 12 months, resale costs sometimes ranged from $250,000 to the low $600,000s, with newer builds commanding larger premiums.
“HOA-style charges, referred to as amenity charges, common round $189 per thirty days,” says Leah Miller, a advertising and marketing strategist at Versys Media who often conducts research on community-based residing. “Property taxes are modest in comparison with many coastal states,” she notes, “however dwelling insurance coverage in Florida has grow to be a significant factor. Insurance policies can run from $3,000 to $6,000 yearly, particularly with the elevated hurricane threat and provider exits.”
What taxes will you pay in The Villages?
A lighthouse and harbor in The Villages.
(Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
The Villages’ mixed dwelling gross sales tax price is 7% in 2025, together with state, county and metropolis taxes. The Villages itself has no gross sales tax. Median annual tax payments are larger than in most U.S. states, reflecting larger dwelling values. Greenback-wise, the yearly median tax invoice in Sumter County (the place The Villages is situated) was $3,834 in 2024.
It’s usually helpful for retirees to ascertain Florida residency. “Florida has no state revenue tax, no property or inheritance taxes, and homestead protections,” Miller says. “For retirees drawing from 401(ok)s, pensions, or Social Safety, it may well imply vital financial savings. That stated, some might select to retain main residency of their dwelling state for proximity to household, voting entry, or tax causes particular to their retirement revenue sources.”
The homestead tax exemption, solely allowable for residents who declare Florida houses as a everlasting residence, can cut back a property’s taxable worth by as much as $50,722 for the 2025 tax 12 months, however the exemption can be recalculated every year primarily based on the Client Value Index. Some particular homestead exemptions for residents 65 years of age and older, with particular annual revenue limits, will also be granted within the state of Florida.
What healthcare is obtainable in The Villages?
Residents have easy accessibility to medical care, with main, specialty care and care facilities solely a golf cart away. The neighborhood additionally presents high-end care at its UF Well being Spanish Plaines Hospital. Pressing care and telehealth companies are additionally accessible by way of The Villages’ EZ-Care Companies.
All the space’s well being facilities settle for most non-public well being care, together with Medicare and Medicaid. Similar-day appointments are simple to get, based on The Villages’ web site.
What are the professionals and cons of residing in The Villages?
A gathering at The Villages.
(Picture credit score: Shaun Michael Lewis/Clearwater Properties)
Earlier than deciding to purchase a spot in The Villages, it’s advisable to go to first and discover the completely different properties and neighborhoods, which all have their very own identification and vibe.
“We constructed a brand-new dwelling within the Pine Hills neighborhood, and it has been the proper place for this chapter of our lives,” stated Paul Piubeni, Resident of the Village of Pine Hills, The Villages, Florida. “The Villages has grown tremendously over time and now spans three counties, however Pine Hills maintains that close-knit neighborhood really feel that we had been in search of.”
Rader says The Villages would possibly truly be underrated by individuals who have not skilled it firsthand. “I usually describe it as ‘Disneyland for Adults,’ and I imply that in probably the most constructive approach attainable,” she explains.
Throughout the day, Rader and her husband make use of the quite a few golf programs and pickleball courts distributed all through the neighborhood. “There are over 100 pickleball courts… 40-plus government [golf courses] and about 13 to 14 championship golf programs, so there’s by no means a scarcity of locations to play,” she says. “Sundays at all times embrace church companies, that are an essential a part of our weekly routine and one other option to join with our neighbors.”
Beth Jones and her husband, Jeff, have owned three houses in The Villages since 2004 and at the moment break up their time between the neighborhood and their Michigan residence.
“My mom lived right here in The Villages within the early 2000s — and as of late, not solely will we reside right here, however my three sisters and their husbands even have houses in The Villages, and all of us go back-and-forth to Michigan all year long,” she says.
Jones describes the expertise as a continuous “recess” or a large faculty campus for retirees. “It’s enjoyable, retains us energetic, and there may be a lot to do on any given day and any given hour. In our case, we like to golf and we dabble at pickleball,” she says. “We love music and dancing to reside music on any of the city squares any day of the week, year-round. We like to socialize and luxuriate in all of the choices, golf equipment, lessons and driveway events within the Villages.”
At $300 every month, the Joneses’ amenity price covers the next:
- All the fundamentals (water, sewer, trash)
- Common leisure all through The Villages
- Lots of of pickleball courts and softball fields, plus 1000’s of area of interest golf equipment
- Entry to the entire swimming pools and dozens of recreation facilities
- Free golf on the entire government golf programs and the chance to play on the championship programs (for a surcharge)
As Jones sees it, a uncommon draw back of The Villages is the large measurement of the neighborhood.
“The con for some folks can be that it’s too massive, and through peak season, when all of the snowbirds are right here, the visitors and the wait time at eating places could be a little longer than traditional, however by no means a lot that you just wouldn’t nonetheless exit and luxuriate in every part,” she says. “You simply must have somewhat extra endurance.”
That’s a sentiment shared by different Villages residents, a few of whom span two generations.
“My mom lives in an assisted residing facility in The Villages, which makes it very handy to reside right here and watch over her,” says Lori Duffy, a resident of Sabal Chase in The Villages. “On Saturdays, I work round the home after which decide up my mother and take her to church within the late afternoon, and often we take pleasure in going out to a pleasant restaurant for dinner.”
Duffy says retiring in The Villages presents a real high quality of life: “There are such a lot of actions to select from that might hold you busy from morning till evening.”
She additionally appreciates the family-friendly environment in The Villages, which isn’t at all times the case with many retirement communities.
“One of many issues I really like in regards to the city squares is that it’s open to the general public, which implies we see younger kids and households,” she says. Plus, medical clinics and our personal hospital are inside a golf cart journey, in addition to buying, groceries and church buildings. The truth is, you’ll be able to go most in every single place all through all the size of The Villages in a golf cart.”
