The Villages, Florida
The Villages is a census-designated place spanning Sumter, Marion, and Lake counties in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the central area of a larger master-planned, age-restricted community known as The Villages. Situated in central Florida, about south of Ocala and northwest of Orlando, the CDP had a population of 79,077 at the 2020 United States census. It is Part of the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford metropolitan statistical area.
History
In the 1960s, Michigan businessman Harold Schwartz began selling land in the area now known as the Villages through mail-order sales. In 1968, a federal law prohibiting real estate sales by mail order forced Schwartz and his business partner, Al Tarrson, to halt this practice.In the early 1970s, Schwartz and Tarrson developed Orange Blossom Gardens, a mobile home park in northwestern Lake County. By the early 1980s, the community had sold approximately 400 units. In 1983, Schwartz bought out Tarrson’s interest and brought his son, H. Gary Morse, into the business. Inspired by successful retirement communities like Del Webb's Sun City, Morse expanded amenities, including golf courses and recreation centers, and pursued nearby commercial development. In 1992, the community was officially renamed "the Villages".
By the early 1990s, the Villages had grown to over 8,000 residents, with three golf courses and a Winn-Dixie supermarket. Between 2010 and 2019, the Villages was the top-selling master-planned community in the United States, with 24,440 homes sold.
The Villages operates under community development districts, which manage infrastructure and amenities. In 2013, the Internal Revenue Service ruled that $426 million in bonds issued by a CDD were not tax-exempt, as the district did not qualify as a government entity, resulting in approximately $750,000 in legal fees for residents.
Expansion
Since the 2010s, the Villages has expanded southward, acquiring land in Sumter and Marion counties. In 2017, the Holding Company of the Villages purchased 8,000 acres south of Florida State Road 44 and 2,600 acres near County Road 470 for residential and commercial development, with plans for approximately 4,500 homes.Community Structure
The Villages is governed by community development districts and neighborhood declarations of restrictions, regulating aspects like landscaping and exterior modifications. An architectural review committee, composed of residents, oversees property alterations. As an age-restricted community, at least 80% of homes must have a resident aged 55 or older, and persons under 19 may not reside permanently, except in designated family subdivisions.Geography
The Villages is a census-designated place spanning Sumter, Marion, and Lake counties in central Florida. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP covers a total area of, of which is land and, or 3.83%, is water. It is located approximately northwest of Orlando and northeast of Tampa, with the city of Wildwood to the west and south, and the town of Lady Lake and city of Fruitland Park to the east.The broader master-planned community extends beyond the CDP, covering approximately across Sumter, Marion, and Lake counties, including areas north of Florida State Road 44 and south to five miles south of County Road 470. The community maintains an extensive network of private roads, totaling about as of 2018.
Demographics
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2000 | Pop 2010 | % 2000 | % 2010 | ||
| White | 8,100 | 49,840 | 75,374 | 97.20% | 96.89% | 95.32% |
| Black or African American | 41 | 303 | 525 | 0.49% | 0.59% | 0.66% |
| Native American or Alaska Native | 7 | 51 | 50 | 0.08% | 0.10% | 0.06% |
| Asian | 44 | 340 | 616 | 0.53% | 0.66% | 0.78% |
| Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian | 1 | 6 | 9 | 0.01% | 0.01% | 0.01% |
| Some other race | 1 | 12 | 135 | 0.01% | 0.02% | 0.17% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial | 31 | 122 | 958 | 0.37% | 0.24% | 1.21% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 108 | 768 | 1,410 | 1.30% | 1.49% | 1.78% |
| Total | 8,333 | 51,442 | 79,077 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 79,077 people, 45,634 households, and 30,701 families residing in the CDP.
As of 2019, persons under five years accounted for 0.1% of the population, persons under 18 years accounted for 0.8%, persons 65 years and over accounted for 81.6%, and 53.6% of the population was female. Median household income in 2019 was $63,841.
In 2018, the median age for both sexes in the Villages metropolitan statistical area is 67.4, with this being 29 years older than a typical American and five years older than the median age of residents in the next-oldest county in the United States, which is on the Hawaiian island of Molokai.
According to Politico, as of 2018, the Villages was the home of the largest veteran population anywhere in the United States that does not have a military base, with 16.3 percent of the population former military.
Circa 2014, large groups of residents are from the Midwest and Northeast, with Staten Island supplying many of the residents.
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 51,442 people, 22,511 households, and 16,721 families residing in the CDP.
Home ownership
In the Villages, home ownership reflects the community's status as an age-restricted retirement destination. According to a 2020 analysis by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, women purchased 468 homes compared to 406 by men, a ratio of approximately 1.15:1, indicating a higher proportion of female buyers compared to other U.S. metropolitan areas.A 2021 Realtor.com report noted that the average down payment for homes in the Villages was 27.1%, among the highest in the United States, with a median home list price of $366,950.
Crime
According to an investigative report by WFTV News in Orlando, crime in the Villages is low and usually imported from other areas outside the community. The report stated that property crime and crimes of opportunity are approximately one-third lower than the average for the state of Florida. According to federal statistics, the statistics for violent crimes in the Villages area is half the state average. Rates of driving under the influence charges are approximately equivalent to those of other similarly sized places in Florida.Economy
The Villages supports a diverse economy centered on retail, healthcare, and services tailored to its age-restricted population. As of 2016, the community had developed approximately 5.7 million square feet of commercial space, hosting businesses such as restaurants, specialty retail, and medical facilities.Commercial areas include five town centers—Spanish Springs, Lake Sumter Landing, Brownwood Paddock Square, Eastport, and Sawgrass Grove—each around 500,000 square feet, featuring a mix of shops, dining, entertainment, and services. The community hosts 18 grocery stores, including nine Publix supermarkets, three Winn-Dixie stores, the Fresh Market, Sprouts Farmers Market, Target, two Walmart Supercenters, and a Walmart Neighborhood Market. Citizens First Bank, a local community bank, operates 12 branches within the Villages. Commercial spaces maintain high occupancy rates, averaging around 97% as of 2018.
From 2007 to 2017, the Villages Metropolitan Statistical Area saw significant economic growth, with its gross domestic product increasing by 51.4% to $2.1 billion. Between 2010 and 2018, the MSA added approximately 13,900 jobs, primarily in retail, healthcare, and construction, driven by the community’s expansion.
Arts and culture
Entertainment
In 2015, the Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center, a venue with over 1,000 seats, opened. The Studio Tierra Del Sol, a black box theatre with seating for 100, opened in 2016.Fictitious historical markers and architectural details provide an atmosphere for the residents. One historian wrote, "The Villages' faux history gives a patina of stability and continuity to a highly volatile region and stage of life." Many plaques represent the "downtown areas" as if events derived from notions of an idyllic small town in the 1800s had occurred there. Such "American myths" feature in the designs for Brownwood, Lake Sumter Landing, and Spanish Springs.