10 Reasons to Move to The Villages, Florida

This real estate area was founded more than 30 years ago and is around 20 miles south of Ocala and 45 miles northwest of Orlando. Often penned as “Florida’s Friendliest Hometown,” many reasons to move to The Villages retirement community. Our article will discuss the ten best reasons you need to consider moving to this active adult community.

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Ten reasons why you should move to The Villages, Florida

In the United States, there are many wonderful places to live, which is why choosing where to move can be an incredibly difficult task. If you have been scouring the real estate market for the best houses to move to in various retirement communities and suburbs, you have likely come across The Villages in Florida.

Although The Villages is primarily a retirement community with approximately 80% of the community made up of retirees, you don’t need to be of retirement age to move to The Villages. It is possible to move to this wonderful community even if you aren’t a retiree.

There are many reasons to move to The Villages, but we have chosen to speak about ten of them so that you can decide if this is the place you want to make your new home.

1. There is a Lifelong Learning College

There are no full-time residents in The Villages who are younger than 19 (however, there is an exception to this rule where there are three family unit neighborhoods amongst the subdivisions.) Unfortunately, this means that there are no elementary schools, middle schools, or high schools in the immediate area.

Yet, despite this, many young families and older retirees are choosing to move to The Villages in Florida because the schools zoned to the area are exceptional and because there is a Lifelong Learning College.

The Villages area situated in the Marion Counties is zoned to the prestigious Lake Weir High School, and this community’s family unit neighborhood in Bison Valley in Sumter County is zoned to Wildwood Middle School.

Yet, as we briefly touched on above, arguably one of the biggest reasons people choose to become a homeowner in The Villages is because its Lifelong Learning College is available to residents.

This college offers noncredit courses in foreign languages, technology, culinary arts, philosophy, crafts, scuba diving, photography, and more. Additionally, the college isn’t tied to one location. It offers courses at various recreation centers in The Villages community.

2. Many outdoor and sports activities are available

If you’re an avid golfer, you’re going to want to consider moving to The Villages. Even though there aren’t any sports teams in The Villages, there are 12 Country Club Championship Golf Courses. This community is well known for having one of the most thriving golfing communities in Florida because there are 50 golf courses.

However, golfing isn’t the only outdoor or sporting activity available in this prestigious area. Residents can take long walks along the trail through the Sharon Rose Weichens preserve or jog through the Hogeye Preserve pathway, a 2.5-mile loop.

Additionally, you can also spend your afternoons fishing at the fully stocked lake, and you don’t even need to bring your own rod and reel. Or you can walk your dog in one of the many dog parks. There is also a resort-style family pool amongst the many swimming pools, bocce, shuffleboard courts, softball, cornhole boards, and pickleball at the Cattail Recreation Area in The Villages.

3. A safe place to live

Before moving to this area, many people ask, ‘is The Villages safe?’ One of the biggest considerations you need to keep in mind if you plan on moving is if the area you want to live in is safe. Fortunately, the answer to whether The Villages is safe is a simple yes, which is why many choose to make this area their new home.

According to a recent FBI report, The Villages has an exceptionally low crime rate. This report revealed that The Villages are one of the safest places to live in Florida since there are only an estimated 2,116 crimes per 100,000 residents. This figure places The Village’s crime rate at about 40% below the US national average.

4. Gorgeous warm weather

Not many people want to live in an area that experiences blistering summers or extremely frigid winters. That’s likely why many are drawn to moving to The Villages. This community area experiences a lovely temperate climate throughout each season.

According to locals, the best season in The Villages is from October to April, and the hottest months are from June to August. Additionally, the average temperature is in the low 90s in August when the heat peaks, which means there are many sunny days for outdoor activities.

5. Amazing restaurants

A key consideration to consider when deciding where to move is if the area you want to move to has amazing restaurants that will allow you to feed your cravings and tantalize your tastebuds.

No matter what type of food you’re in the mood for on any given day, you’re likely to find it in The Villages. There are over 200 restaurants in and near the villages. There is a wide variety of restaurants available, from pizza joints, sushi restaurants, and steakhouses to elegant fine dining establishments, Thai, and barbeque.

A few of the popular restaurants in the area include Olive Garden, Outback Steakhouse, the Wolfgang Puck restaurant, and Panera Bread. There are also more than a dozen country club dining rooms available.

6. Many socializing opportunities

When moving to a new area, you need to remember to find out if there are many socializing opportunities available. One of the primary reasons why The Villages is a popular location to move to is because there are many opportunities to meet people, make friends, and join in on fun activities.

Besides the many amenities and town squares like Brownwood paddock square and Spanish Springs town square, where you can meet and talk with friends, more than 2,700 social clubs are available. For example, you can join a club for woodwork, gardening, dancing, reading, cooking, and sports.

7. A variety of home-owning options

It’s no secret that The Villages provides a fun, social, and safe environment for its residents. Most of the real estate in this community has been designed and developed to enhance and complement the way people want to live.

This means that there are various home-owning options that people can choose from when they decide that The Villages is where they want to live. Depending on your age, you can choose to buy a low-maintenance home, a golf course-facing home, a pool home, a home located near grocery stores and amenities, or a waterfront home.

Additionally, depending on where you choose to stay in The Villages, you won’t have to pay excessive property taxes. A few of the most popular homes include the Villas and the designer home series homes.

8. Many shopping opportunities

It’s important to keep in mind that you also need to consider if there are shopping opportunities nearby where you live. Shopping in The Villages is convenient and entertaining, and many shops cater to all budgets. Simply put, you never have to leave The Villages and shop elsewhere.

There are boutiques national brands like Tommy Bahama, Pier 1 Imports, Chicos, and many clothing stores. Additionally, there are many salons where you can get your hair and nails done, bicycle shops, jewelers, and many food standbys that include Five Guys and Dunkin donuts.

Moreover, there are also many convenient grocery stores that include Target, The Fresh Market, a Walmart Supercenter, a Walmart Neighborhood Market, and three Winn-Dixie stores.

9. Various healthcare facilities nearby

Taking care of your health is a number one priority. Since The Villages is near many healthcare facilities, it provides residents with easy access to attend to their health. The Villages Regional Hospital has served this community since 2002, and there are plans for hospital expansions.

Additionally, this community also has one of America’s fastest-growing acute care hospitals with more than 307 beds, and this hospital is a part of the Central Florida Health healthcare system. No matter what your healthcare needs are, you will easily get them attended to when you live in The Villages.

10. Multiple entertainment venues and annual events

Do you enjoy attending many entertainment events throughout the year? If so, you will be highly pleased to learn that this community has many entertainment venues. It’s also hosts hundreds of live entertainment events that happen each year.

For example, if you want to enjoy some at a mall, you can visit Lake Sumter Landing, where there are local bars, numerous shops and many places to enjoy a meal. You could also choose to enjoy an interesting moviegoing experience at the indie movie theater known as the Barnstorm Theater. Or watch a popular play or concert at Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center.

Moreover, every year The Villages has a summer camp season, an arts and crafts festival at the Spanish Springs Town Square, and spring polo matches. There is also a much-anticipated balloon festival and a famed Independence Day celebration.

Is The Villages Fl a good place to live?

As you can tell from the ten reasons we listed above, The Village is an exceptional place to live. Not only is this community retiree and family-friendly, but it is also safe and is close to multiple healthcare facilities. Additionally, it is also one of the best places to live for anyone who enjoys socializing and for those who are committed to golfing as their favorite pastime.

Is it expensive to live permanently in The Villages, Florida?

One of the most commonly asked questions about moving to The Villages is if this community is expensive. The cost of living in The Villages is approximately 3% higher than the national average. However, it’s only 0.6% higher than the state average in Florida.

This isn’t too outrageous when you consider just how convenient this community is. You should also consider how many amenities are at the resident’s disposal. Residents can expect to pay lower prices for healthcare, groceries, and transportation but more for utilities and a higher home price if purchasing in the area.

According to the ‘Lifestyle Portfolio’ that The Villages gives to potential property buyers, on average, it costs between $758 and $1,159/month to live in this community. Most residents pay on average $146.30 a month on utilities, $50 for a meal for two at a mid-priced restaurant, $2.58 for a gallon of gasoline, and $10 for a movie ticket.

Do The Villages have a public transportation system?

Were you aware that The Villages is famous for its connectivity throughout the area? There are more than 90 miles of golf cart paths in this community, including tunnels and bridges. This transportation system allows access to all the locations in The Villages. Residents can rent plenty of golf carts to transport themselves around this bustling area.

Additionally, locals also have access to The Villages shuttle. This is owned and operated by the Sumter County Transit system. There are also nearby airports, including Leesburg International Airport and the Orlando International Airport.

What is the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in The Villages?

There are quite a few one-bedroom apartments available for rent in The Villages. On average, a one-bedroom apartment can cost between $1,256 and $1,476 per month. Additionally, the average size for one-bedroom apartments in this area is 722 square feet.

How big are The Villages?

Were you aware that more than 123,000 people call The Villages home 365 days a year? The Villages is known as one of the fastest-growing communities in America. According to estimates, there are 17 Community Development Districts, more than 70 neighborhoods with more than 55,000 homes in an area of 5.56 square miles.

Interestingly, approximately 56% of this community’s population is over 65 and the average home price is $248,000. And most houses fall between between 1,000 and 1,200 square feet.

The key takeaways: some of the benefits of The Villages Florida

Hopefully, now you have a much better idea about the reasons why people are moving to The Villages.

The Villages is prone to warm weather and entertaining outdoor activities and amenities. It’s also not overly expensive. It is home to many shopping opportunities, nearby healthcare facilities, amazing restaurants, and many entertainment venues.

If you want to meet friends, and live in an incredibly safe area, The Villages is worth considering. To determine how much it would cost you to move to this lively community, you can use our free cost calculator. If you want to look a trustworthy moving company that can help you with your move to The Villages, check out our full list.