The Villages, FL is a census-designated place located about 58 miles northwest of Orlando. It is bordered by Fruitland Park, Wildwood, Lady Lake, Belleview, Bushnell, Coleman, and Leesburg.
The community was established by local businessman Harold Schwartz who developed The Villages back in the 1960s. It initially began as a middle-class community but quickly expanded into more of a retirement community for people 55 years and older. It was recently voted as the best-selling master-planned community of the decade between 2010-2019.
Commonly called the nickname “Florida’s Friendliest Hometown”, residents love living in The Villages.
Known for hosting more than 50 golf courses, some of the top locations in The Villages include the Hacienda Hills Golf & Country Club, the Bonifay Golf & Country Club, the Glenview Country Club, and The Nancy Lopez Legacy Golf & Country Club.
Notable people from The Villages include famous professional golfer Nancy Lopez, actress Megan Boone, and former MLB baseball player Ray Knight.
As you check out this complete guide, you’ll learn what you need to know before moving to The Villages, one of America’s most popular retirement communities.
Table of Contents
1. People of The Villages, FL – Population & Demographics
How many people live in The Villages? The area continues to see impressive growth with more than 28,000 newcomers relocating to The Villages since 2010. The current population in The Villages is 79,372 people with a median age of 72 years old.
The Villages demographics are 97% Caucasian, 1% Asian, and 1% Hispanic or Latino. Ancestry in The Villages includes about 23% German, 18% Irish, 17% English, 12% Italian, 7% Polish, and 4% French. There is a local gender ratio that leans in favor of women with about 54% female and 46% male.
Marital status statistics show that 75% of residents living in The Villages are married. There are approximately 1.8 people per household.
The median household income in The Villages is $68,233.
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2. The Villages Neighborhoods
How big are The Villages in Florida? Taking up about 31.3 square miles, The Villages are split between Marion County and Sumter County. Local zip codes are 32159, 32162, 34484, 34491, and 34785. Most phone numbers in the community have a 352 area code.
The Villages time zone is Eastern Standard Time (EST) and Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) during daylight savings time.
There is an elevation in The Villages of 75 feet above sea level.
Residents can easily travel from The Villages to Orlando about 58 miles away, which takes about 1 hour.
The Villages Recreation Department operates 14 parks and outdoor amenities across the area.
Where should you live in The Villages? With plenty of beautiful, safe communities to choose from, a few of the best neighborhoods in The Villages are:
Village of Duval
With 1,550 homes in the community, the Village of Duval is one of the most popular neighborhoods in The Villages. Residents love the convenience and comfort of living in this top-rated community.
- Homes for sale in Village of Duval
- Average price of a home: $245,000
Village of Collier
The comfortable Village of Collier is surrounded by nice amenities and plenty of enjoyable things to do.
- Homes for sale in Village of Collier
- Average price of a home: $347,450
Cottages at Summerchase
The Cottages at Summerchase offers midsize homes that are competitively priced and easy access to nearby activities around town.
- Homes for sale in Cottages at Summerchase
- Average price of a home: $347,450
3. Cost of Living in The Villages, FL
The average cost of living in The Villages is about 3% higher than the national average but only about 0.6% higher than the Florida state average. Residents enjoy lower prices for transportations, groceries, and healthcare, but also tend to pay more for home utilities and The Villages real estate market.
People moving to The Villages can expect an average monthly utility bill of about $146.30 per month.
There is no state income tax in The Villages, following the standard set by Florida.
How much does it cost to live in The Villages, FL? According to Numbeo, these are some basic prices you can expect for expenses in the area.
The Villages Typical Living Expenses
- Meal inexpensive restaurant $13.00
- Meal for 2 People Mid-range Restaurant $50.00
- Milk (regular 1 gallon) $3.70
- Eggs (1 Dozen) $2.70
- Potatoes (5 lb bag) $1.08
- Bread (1 loaf) $2.51
- Average Cost of Gasoline (per gallon) $2.58
- Average Cost of Utilities (per month) $146.30
- McDonald’s Burger (1/4 Pounder) $6.00
- Movie Ticket (1st run) $9.50
4. Crime Rate in The Villages
According to the most recent FBI reports, The Villages are among the safest places to live in Florida. With about 2,116 crimes per 100,000 people, the crime rate in The Villages is about 40% lower than the national average. The violent crime rate is about 41% lower than average as well.
Residents living in The Villages are served and protected by active-duty police officers from Lake County, Marion County, Sumter County, and the Lady Lake Police Department.
5. The Villages, FL Weather
There is a humid subtropical climate in The Villages, which brings gorgeous and comfortable weather for most of the year. While the area does experience fairly high humidity, the lower temperatures tend to balance it out. Weather in The Villages gets an average of 51 inches of rain per year.
The average temperature in The Villages during summer is usually between lows in the mid-70s and highs in the low 90s. Winters cool down only slightly to lows in the upper 40s and highs in the upper 60s.
When is the best time to visit The Villages, FL? Generally, the most popular month for local tourism is February due to the cooler temperatures and limited rainfall. Many people enjoy visiting The Villages during summer to experience the area’s mild weather, but many feel the best time to visit is during the winter months as well.
6. Things to Do in The Villages
Commonly referred to as a “paradise”, it is easy to find plenty of enjoyable activities, local things to do, and popular places to visit.
Top Attractions
- Eisenhower Regional Pool & Recreation Center – With a nice pool and various activities for people to enjoy, this local rec center is a can’t miss thing to do in The Villages.
- Sharon Rose Wiechens Preserve – This amazing wildlife sanctuary is a beautiful point of interest offering places for walking, jogging, or enjoying a picnic.
- Wildlife refuge
- The Villages Polo Club – If you’re a fan of polo, this great venue offers weekend events throughout the year.
- Sarasota Golf Practice Center – Whether you’re a beginner golfer or simply working on your short game, this practice center offers a putting green, golf lessons, and beyond.
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Entertainment, Museums, & Arts
- Lake Sumter Landing – This amazing destination features a waterside mall area with numerous shops, places to eat, and local bars.
- Barnstorm Theater – Enjoy a unique moviegoing experience at this indie movie theater that was designed to look like a barn.
- Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center – Watch popular plays and concerts in this large 1,000-seat venue.
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Parks & Outdoors
- Lake Griffin State Park – Visitors to this massive 620-acre park in The Villages can take advantage of over 40 campsites, canoe/kayak rentals, and plenty of hiking trails.
- Wilkerson Creek Park & Children’s Playground – Whether it’s your kids or your grandkids, children will love playing at this local park.
- Lake Okahumpka Park – At this 130-acre park, you’ll find a disc-golf course, pet stations, paved trails, and a boat ramp to the lake.
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Shopping
- Spanish Springs Town Square – For the most convenient shopping in The Villages, this large area features boutiques as well as a movie theater and performing arts center.
- Brownwood Paddock Square – Local stores offer fun places to shop in this town square area.
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7. Places to Eat in The Villages
There are plenty of great restaurants in The Villages include top-rated spots like the Lighthouse Point Bar and Grille. This charming location offers American cuisine including seafood and signature cocktails.
Lighthouse Point Bar and Grille, 925 Lake Shore Dr, The Villages, FL 32162 (352) 753-7800
One of the best places to eat in The Villages is the Cane Garden Country Club, a local golf course with a fantastic restaurant. Some of the top dishes on their menu include soups, salads, wraps, meatloaf, chicken cordon bleu, baked pasta, white fish, and more.
Cane Garden Country Club, 1726 Bailey Trail, The Villages, FL 32162 (352) 750-0627
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At Square 1 Burgers & Bar, you can enjoy mouthwatering meals from one of the most popular restaurants in The Villages. They have amazing burgers along with bottled beers and signature cocktails to fit any palate.
Square 1 Burgers & Bar, 2542 Burnsed Blvd, The Villages, FL 32163 (352) 689-2191
8. The Villages Real Estate
In January 2021, The Villages was named by RCLCO Real Estate Advisors as the top-selling master-planned community in the nation. The Villages real estate market has long been considered highly competitive with most homes selling in an average of only 5 days or so.
The homeownership rate in The Villages is 95.9% with the majority of residents buying their properties. The average price of a home in The Villages is $370,000 with a median sale price of $220 per square foot. As you look through The Villages, FL homes for sale, you’ll see that the area offers places that fit every lifestyle.
If you want to make yourself a part of any of these communities, you should check out the latest listings for homes for sale in Largo, FL or let us introduce you to a local agent in the area.
The Villages property tax rate is 0.930% so a $370,000 home will have about $3,441 in property taxes per year.
While only about 4% of people living in The Villages rent, there are a few homes and apartments available for lease. The average price of rent in The Villages is $2,100 per month.
9. The Villages Schools
There are only a few hundred kids between the ages of 0 and 18 years old living in The Villages, making up about 1% of the population. Due to the 55+ lifestyle and amenities that cater to seniors, The Villages isn’t generally seen as a place for families to live.
If you are planning on moving to The Villages with children, the area’s top schools are:
- The Villages Charter Elementary School – Intermediate Center
- The Villages Charter High School
The nearest colleges and universities to The Villages are Beacon College, Lake-Sumter State College, and the College of Central Florida.
Residents living in The Villages have full access to the free Villages Public Library at Belvedere.
10. Jobs in The Villages
If you are interested in The Villages jobs around the area, there are a handful of opportunities available throughout the community. Some of the best places to work in The Villages include:
- Glenview Champions Golf & Country Club
- The Villages Hospice House
- Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute
Anyone searching for a job in The Villages can also check out available careers on Indeed.
The average salary in The Villages is $58,000 per year with an average hourly rate of $15.89 per hour. The Villages unemployment rate is about 6.6%.
11. Transportation in The Villages
Wondering how to get around The Villages, FL? Believe it or not, the most common form of transportation in The Villages is by golf cart. With more than 90 miles of golf cart paths, residents can easily travel throughout almost the entire community.
Locals also have access to The Villages shuttle, which is owned and operated by the Sumter County Transit system
While some parts of The Villages are walkable, you will most likely want to have your own vehicle to travel from place to place as it can be difficult to get around otherwise.
The closest airport to The Villages is Leesburg International Airport, which is only about 18 miles to the southeast. The Orlando International Airport is about 66 miles away.
The best hospitals in The Villages include UF Health The Villages Hospital as well as AdventHealth the Villages Center for Health.
12. Sports in The Villages (Golf!)
While there aren’t any professional sports teams in The Villages, the area is home to 12 championship golf courses.
- Belle Glade
- Bonifay
- Cane Garden
- Evans Prairie
- Glenview Champions
- Hacienda Hills
- Havana
- Mallory Hill
- Nancy Lopez Legacy
- Orange Blossom Hills
- Palmer Legends
- Tierra Del Sol
If you’re a basketball fan, you can always travel to downtown Orlando to see the Orlando Magic NBA basketball team play at the Amway Center.
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Living in The Villages Pros
- Pro: The Villages gets beautiful, mild weather for most of the year.
- Pro: Compared to many other communities like this one, The Villages is considered very affordable.
- Pro: The Villages ranks as one of the safest communities in the entire state of Florida.
- Pro: You’ll never get bored living in The Villages thanks to the area’s many amenities.
Negatives of Living in The Villages
- Con: While the weather is also an advantage in the area, some people may not like the humidity and muggy summer days.
- Con: Like everywhere else in Florida, The Villages does have bugs including pests like ants, cockroaches, termites, and spiders.
- Con: With a population that is 93% Caucasian, the area has limited diversity.
Moving to The Villages, FL
There are so many reasons that relocating to The Villages is a great decision for most people! If you are planning on making this great community your new home soon, trust the reliable movers here at 2 College Brothers to assist you! Give us a call today at (352) 448-9095 or fill out the Request a Quote form on this page for a free moving estimate!
