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The Villages, Florida

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The Villages is a census-designated place (CDP) in Sumter, Marion, and Lake counties in the U.S. state of Florida. It forms the core of a broader master-planned, age-restricted community of the same name. Located in central Florida, approximately Template:Convert south of Ocala and Template:Convert northwest of Orlando, the CDP had a population of 79,077 at the 2020 United States census.<ref name="Census 2020"/> The Villages is known for its extensive amenities, including golf courses and recreation centers, and is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford metropolitan statistical area.

History

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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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In the early 1970s, Schwartz and Tarrson developed Orange Blossom Gardens, a mobile home park in northwestern Lake County.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

By the early 1990s, The Villages had grown to over 8,000 residents, with three golf courses and a Winn-Dixie supermarket.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Between 2010 and 2019, The Villages was the top-selling master-planned community in the United States, with 24,440 homes sold.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Villages operates under community development districts (CDDs), which manage infrastructure and amenities. In 2013, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) 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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Expansion

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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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="x121">Template:Cite web</ref>

Community Structure

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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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Geography

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The Villages is a census-designated place (CDP) spanning Sumter, Marion, and Lake counties in central Florida. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP covers a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert, or 3.83%, is water.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020" /> It is located approximately Template:Convert northwest of Orlando and Template:Convert 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.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020"/>

The broader master-planned community extends beyond the CDP, covering approximately Template:Convert across Sumter, Marion, and Lake counties, including areas north of Florida State Road 44 and south to five miles south of County Road 470.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The community maintains an extensive network of private roads, totaling about Template:Convert as of 2018.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Demographics

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Template:US Census population

File:5K run in the Villages Florida.jpg
The finish line of a 5K run in Lake Sumter Landing in 2018.
The Villages CDP, Florida – Racial and ethnic composition
Template:Nobold
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>Template:Cite web</ref> Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Partial<ref name=2020CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref> % 2000 % 2010 Template:Partial
White (NH) 8,100 49,840 75,374 97.20% 96.89% 95.32%
Black or African American (NH) 41 303 525 0.49% 0.59% 0.66%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH) 7 51 50 0.08% 0.10% 0.06%
Asian (NH) 44 340 616 0.53% 0.66% 0.78%
Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH) 1 6 9 0.01% 0.01% 0.01%
Some other race (NH) 1 12 135 0.01% 0.02% 0.17%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 31 122 958 0.37% 0.24% 1.21%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref name="Quick">Template:Cite web</ref> Median household income in 2019 was $63,841.<ref name="Quick" />

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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

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.<ref name="WAY">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Circa 2014, large groups of residents are from the Midwest and Northeast, with Staten Island supplying many of the residents.<ref>Brian, p. 64.</ref>

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 51,442 people, 22,511 households, and 16,721 families residing in the CDP.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Home ownership

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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.<ref name="MoreWomen">Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref name="Trapasso2021">Template:Cite news</ref>

Crime

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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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Economy

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File:Polo Stadium in The Villages Florida.jpg
Polo Stadium in The Villages

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.<ref name="Metcalf2018">Template:Cite web</ref>

Commercial areas include three town centers—Spanish Springs, Lake Sumter Landing, and Brownwood Paddock Square—each around 500,000 square feet, featuring a mix of shops, dining, entertainment, and services.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref name="Metcalf2018"/> Citizens First Bank, a local community bank, operates 12 branches within The Villages.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Commercial spaces maintain high occupancy rates, averaging around 97% as of 2018.<ref name="Metcalf2018"/>

From 2007 to 2017, The Villages Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) saw significant economic growth, with its gross domestic product (GDP) increasing by 51.4% to $2.1 billion.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Between 2010 and 2018, the MSA added approximately 13,900 jobs, primarily in retail, healthcare, and construction, driven by the community’s expansion.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Arts and culture

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Entertainment

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File:Prime Time Twirlers 2023 Outside.jpg
One of multiple baton twirling groups in The Villages, the Prime Time Twirlers.

In 2015, the Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center, a venue with over 1,000 seats, opened.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Studio Tierra Del Sol, a black box theatre with seating for 100, opened in 2016.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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."<ref name="muse.jhu.edu">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=Brianp60>Brian, p. 60.</ref> Many plaques represent the "downtown areas" as if events derived from notions of an idyllic small town in the 1800s had occurred there.<ref name=Brianp65>Brian, p. 65.</ref> Such "American myths" feature in the designs for Brownwood, Lake Sumter Landing, and Spanish Springs.<ref name=Brianp66>Brian, p. 66.</ref>

Other activities

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The Villages operates golf courses, recreation centers, softball fields, a polo stadium called The Villages Polo Stadium,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> a woodworking shop, and a lifelong learning college.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> There are also outdoor target archery ranges.Template:Citation needed

Recreation

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Clubs

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The Villages hosts over 3,500 resident-led clubs, offering activities such as sports, arts, crafts, music, and social gatherings, which foster community engagement among its age-restricted population. Examples include the Pickleball Club, The Villages Woodworkers Club, Line Dance Club, The Villages Single Seniors, The Villages Garden Club, and the Veterans Club, catering to diverse interests from athletics to social connections.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Annual events

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The Villages host The Senior Games each April, where approximately 2,000 residents compete in hundreds of athletic events. The top five athletes in each age division then compete in the Florida Senior Games. For 18 years, The Senior Games have taken place in The Villages.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Parks and recreation

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The Villages offers extensive recreational facilities and activities tailored to its age-restricted population, primarily funded through a monthly amenities fee of approximately $189.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> These include golf courses, recreation centers, resident-led clubs, parks, and trails, fostering an active lifestyle for residents.<ref name="DistrictRec">Template:Cite web</ref>

Golf courses

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File:TheVillagesGolf.jpg
The 18th green at Tierra Del Sol, one of the twelve country club golf courses at The Villages

The Villages operates 56 golf courses with 729 holes, including 42 nine-hole executive golf courses, 12 country club championship courses, and two specialty putting courses.<ref name="GolfGuide2022">Template:Cite web</ref> A golf instruction academy provides lessons and clinics for residents.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Recreation centers

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The Villages operates over 100 recreation centers, offering facilities for sports, fitness, and social activities.<ref name="Pearlman2020">Template:Cite news</ref> These include courts for pickleball, tennis, bocce, shuffleboard, and horseshoes, as well as swimming pools, billiards, fitness centers, and spaces for theatrical and musical productions.<ref name="DistrictRec"/> Notable centers, such as the Eisenhower Regional Recreation Center, feature unique amenities like military history exhibits.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Enrichment Academy, launched in 2017, offers over 140 fee-based courses in topics like scuba diving, culinary arts, and photography.<ref name="DistrictRec"/>

Clubs and activities

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Over 3,000 resident-led clubs provide opportunities for social and recreational engagement, including the Pickleball Club, The Villages Woodworkers Club, Line Dance Club, The Villages Single Seniors, The Villages Garden Club, and the Veterans Club.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Additional activities include archery, air gun ranges, volleyball, croquet, and fishing, with specialized programs like S.T.A.R. for adults with special needs.<ref name="DistrictRec"/> Weekly events, such as live music and trivia, occur at town squares and recreation centers.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Parks and trails

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The Fenney Recreational Center showing a portion of the Fenney Springs Nature Trail.
The Fenney Recreational Center showing a portion of the Fenney Springs Nature Trail.

The Villages features numerous parks, dog parks, and fitness trails, open daily from dawn to dusk.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Notable areas include Lake Sumter Landing’s waterfront park, Fenney Springs Nature Trail, and four dog parks (Paradise, Mulberry, Atlas, and Dudley).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> These spaces support activities like walking, picnicking, and pet recreation, enhancing the community’s outdoor lifestyle.<ref name="DistrictRec"/>

Government

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The Villages operates under a system of Community Development Districts (CDDs) and local government jurisdictions across Sumter, Marion, and Lake counties, serving its age-restricted population.<ref name="DistrictGov">Template:Cite web</ref> The community is known for high voter turnout, with approximately 80% participation in elections as of 2012, and a significant Republican voter base.<ref name="TampaBay2012">Template:Cite news</ref>

Representation

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The Villages is located in Florida's 11th congressional district, represented by Republican Daniel Webster.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At the state level, it falls within Florida Senate District 12, represented by Republican Dennis Baxley, and Florida House of Representatives District 26, represented by Republican Keith Truenow.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> County representation includes Sumter County Districts 1 and 3, Marion County District 3, and Lake County District 1.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Local government

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Most of The Villages is governed by 17 Community Development Districts (CDDs), special-purpose local governments under Florida law, responsible for infrastructure maintenance, recreation, public safety, sanitation, and open spaces.<ref name="DistrictGov"/> Each CDD is managed by a board of supervisors, with funding from property taxes and user fees, such as the monthly amenities fee.<ref name="DistrictGov"/> Four additional districts—Village Center (VCCDD), Sumter Landing (SLCDD), Brownwood (BCDD), and North Sumter County Utility (NSCUDD)—handle commercial areas, utilities, and services, overseen by boards composed of developer affiliates due to the absence of residents in these zones.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Portions in Lady Lake fall under municipal jurisdiction, outside some CDDs.<ref name="DistrictGov"/> Two homeowners associations, the Property Owners Association (POA) and The Villages Homeowners Association (VHA), address resident concerns and community standards.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Politics and elections

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The Villages is a stronghold for the Republican Party, with registered Republicans outnumbering Democrats two-to-one as of 2012.<ref name="TampaBay2012"/> Its high voter turnout and conservative lean make it a frequent stop for Republican candidates, including former presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump, who visited in 2004 and 2019–2020, respectively, and vice presidents Dick Cheney, Sarah Palin, and Mike Pence.<ref name="TampaBay2012"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The community’s political significance stems from its large, engaged retiree population, drawing campaign visits from figures like Marco Rubio, Rick Scott, and Mitt Romney.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Education

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Primary and secondary education

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The Villages is primarily an age-restricted community, prohibiting full-time residents under age 19 except in three designated family-unit neighborhoods (Bison Valley, Oak Meadows, and Spring Arbor) or through hardship exemptions granted by the Village Center Community Development District.<ref name="districtgov">Template:Cite web</ref> School zoning applies for tax purposes and the few families residing in these neighborhoods.

The Villages Charter Schools, a K–12 charter school in unincorporated Sumter County, serves children of employees working directly for The Villages, its subcontractors, or businesses located within the community.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Children residing in family-unit neighborhoods or granted exemptions do not automatically qualify for enrollment unless a parent meets these employment criteria.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Post-secondary education

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The Villages offers lifelong learning opportunities through the **Enrichment Academy**, launched in 2017 by the Recreation and Parks Department. The academy provides over 140 fee-based, noncredit courses covering topics such as scuba diving, literature, philosophy, culinary arts, foreign language, photography, and technology. Classes are held at designated recreation centers and approved sites throughout the community.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Media

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Television channels from the Orlando market serve the Villages, although channels from the Tampa market also cover the area. It is also served by radio stations from both the Orlando and Ocala areas and by area newspapers such as the Orlando Sentinel, the Tampa Bay Times, the Leesburg Daily Commercial, and the Ocala Star-Banner.

A documentary called Some Kind of Heaven, about four residents of The Villages, was released in January 2021.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The documentary The Bubble, also released in 2021, depicts life inside The Villages.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Local media

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The Villages developers or their successors own and operate three media properties:

Public radio station WMFV (89.5) serves the area and is owned by the same group as Orlando public radio station WMFE-FM, with some variations from WMFE's master schedule.

Infrastructure

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Transportation

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File:Villages FL golf arch03.jpg
Golf cart bridge over US 27/US 441
File:Bridge over SR 44 at Brownwood.jpg
Golf cart bridge over SR 44 at Brownwood Paddock Square

Highways

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The Villages development is bounded roughly by US 27/US 441 to the east, US 301 to the west, County Road 42 to the north, and County Road 468 well south of 466A with the development of several new villages, Fenney, and the Brownwood town center in that area. On December 10, 2013, The Villages of Lake-Sumter Inc. agreed to an $8 million deal to purchase the Pine Ridge Dairy tract in Fruitland Park, Florida with a planned construction of 2,038 new Villages homes.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Although County Road 466 previously served as the central east–west corridor, the addition of homes and facilities south of County Road 466 and in the city of Fruitland Park, Florida has turned County Road 466A into a secondary east–west corridor.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Buena Vista Boulevard and Morse Boulevard serve as significant north–south corridors.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The construction of four additional golf cart overpasses were finished between 2020 and 2023. The Chitty Chatty Bridge, crossing Florida State Road 44 near Rohan Recreation Center and Lake Deaton Plaza, opened to traffic in October 2020. A second overpass, the Brownwood Bridge, which crosses SR 44 near Brownwood Paddock Square, opened to traffic the following December. A third overpass, the Water Lily Bridge crossing Florida's Turnpike near Water Lily Recreation Center, opened in March 2021. The Southern Oaks Bridge, also crossing the Turnpike just south of the Okahumpka Service Plaza, opened in August 2023.

Public transportation

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Sumter County Transit operates The Villages shuttle. They provide various weekday loops through the Villages.<ref>Sumter County Transit</ref>

The Villages developers operate a trolley-style bus tour of the community from the sales and information center at The Market Square in Lake Sumter Landing.

Until 2004, when the train was shortened to Savannah, Georgia, Amtrak's Palmetto (then on a New York–Tampa itinerary) served adjacent Wildwood. Amtrak's Amtrak Thruway bus service stops in The Villages. The bus travels from Jacksonville to Dade City and is timed to meet arrivals and departures of the Silver Star train in Jacksonville.

Autonomous vehicles

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In early 2018, The Villages was chosen for a pilot program offering autonomous taxis in the area of Lake Sumter Landing. This made The Villages one of the first cities in the United States to offer paid taxi services using autonomous vehicles throughout the community.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In the early stages of the program, the vehicle was to have a safety driver in the driver's seat, and later, the driver was to be removed, with the automobile monitored from a control station. The taxis were to be operated by Voyage Auto, a startup company from San Jose, California. Template:As of, The Villages held a 0.5 percent stake in Voyage Auto.<ref name="Mark">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Notable people

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Criticism

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The effort to present a "fanciful past" for The Villages through fictionalized plaques and building details demonstrates "the role that history plays in retirement migration."<ref name="muse.jhu.edu"/><ref>Brian p. 59.</ref> Critics have negatively compared this presentation to the approach of Disney theme parks, claiming that the plaques generally do not address ethnic minorities or conflict.<ref name=Brianp65/> Amanda Brian argued in her book, "The Villages' 'history' whitewashes Florida's past and celebrates a straightforward tale of economic growth."<ref>Brian, p. 68.</ref>

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References

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Template:Reflist

Further reading

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  • Blechman, Andrew D. (2008). Leisureville: Adventures in America's retirement utopias. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press.
  • Oppenheim, Lance (Director). Some Kind of Heaven (color documentary, running time 1 hr. 21 min.). Released January 15, 2020, in the United States. Filmed in The Villages, Florida. Production companies: 30WEST, Los Angeles Media Fund, Protozoa Pictures.
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