The Villages, Florida#Recreational activities

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.{{cite web | last=Coffey | first=Ronald John | author2=James d | title=Federal Regulation of Land Sales: Full Disclosure Comes Down to Earth | website=Case Western Reserve University School of Law Scholarly Commons | date=2016-07-15 | url=https://scholarlycommons.law.case.edu/faculty_publications/1778/ | access-date=2025-04-11}}

In the early 1970s, Schwartz and Tarrson developed Orange Blossom Gardens, a mobile home park in northwestern Lake County.{{cite news |last=Curry |first=Christopher |title=Villages' founder dies at 93 |url=https://www.ocala.com/story/news/2003/12/24/villages-founder-dies-at-93/31292757007/ |access-date=2023-10-30 |work=The Star Banner |date=2003-12-24}} 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.{{cite book |last=Erisman |first=Ryan |title=The Villages Florida Book |year=2011 |publisher=For Boomers Media |isbn=978-0615525556 |chapter=Chapter 3}}

By the early 1990s, The Villages had grown to over 8,000 residents, with three golf courses and a Winn-Dixie supermarket.{{cite news |last=Howard |first=Paula |title=Recalling The Villages Early Years |url=https://www.lakeandsumterstyle.com/recalling-the-villages-early-years/ |work=Lake & Sumter Style |date=2018-12-28 |access-date=2019-02-09}} Between 2010 and 2019, The Villages was the top-selling master-planned community in the United States, with 24,440 homes sold.{{cite web |url=https://www.rclco.com/publication/the-top-selling-master-planned-communities-of-2019-and-best-of-the-decade/ |title=The Top-Selling Master-Planned Communities of 2019 and "Best" of the Decade |publisher=RCLCO |date=2020-01-03 |access-date=2020-01-11}}

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.{{cite news |last=Ritchie |first=Lauren |title=IRS ruling on The Villages tax-free bonds a long time coming |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2013/06/07/irs-ruling-on-villages-tax-free-bonds-a-long-time-coming/ |work=Orlando Sentinel |date=2013-06-07 |access-date=2024-02-01}}{{cite news |title=Tutt issues memo revealing costs to Villages residents in IRS battle |url=https://www.villages-news.com/2013/10/10/tutt-issues-memo-revealing-costs-residents-villages-irs-battle/ |work=Villages-News |date=2013-10-10 |access-date=2024-02-01}}

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.{{cite news |last=Corder |first=David R. |title=Villages Expansion Plans Energize Sumter Economy |url=https://www.thevillagesdailysun.com/news/villages/villages-expansion-plans-energize-sumter-economy/article_e142e4b6-ed1e-11e7-b473-efc2331776d7.html |work=The Villages Daily Sun |date=2017-12-30 |access-date=2017-12-30}}{{cite web | title=The Villages expansion deal nears completion | website=Leesburg Daily Commercial | date=2018-01-18 | url=https://www.dailycommercial.com/story/news/local/leesburg/2018/01/18/villages-expansion-deal-nears-completion/16054546007/ | access-date=2025-04-11}}

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.{{cite web | title=Architectural Review | website=The Villages Community Development Districts | date=2025-04-08 | url=https://www.districtgov.org/districts/committees/architectural-review/ | access-date=2025-04-11}} 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.{{cite web | title= Questions and Answers Concerning the Final Rule Implementing the Housing for Older Persons Act of 1995 (HOPA) | url=https://www.equalhousing.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1995-Housing-for-Older-Persons-FAQ.pdf | access-date=2025-04-11}}{{cite web | title=Community Standards | website=The Villages Community Development Districts | date=2025-04-08 | url=https://www.districtgov.org/services/resident/community-standards/ | access-date=2025-04-11}}

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 {{convert|33.95|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|32.65|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|1.30|sqmi|km2}}, or 3.83%, is water. It is located approximately {{convert|55|mi|km}} northwest of Orlando and {{convert|80|mi|km}} 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 {{convert|57|sqmi|km2}} across Sumter, Marion, and Lake counties, including areas north of Florida State Road 44 and south to five miles south of County Road 470.{{cite web | title= District Boundaries | url=https://www.districtgov.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/map-district-boundaries-jul24.pdf | access-date=2025-04-11}} The community maintains an extensive network of private roads, totaling about {{convert|750|mi|km}} as of 2018.{{cite web | title=Why a retirement town became a test track for driverless cars | website=Financial Times | date=2019-06-05 | url=https://www.ft.com/content/e36fde7a-734a-11e9-bf5c-6eeb837566c5 | access-date=2025-04-11}}

{{US Census population

|2000= 8333

|2010= 51442

|2020= 79077

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/developers/data-sets/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=October 31, 2023}}

}}

File:5K run in the Villages Florida.jpg

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 79,077 people, 45,634 households, and 30,701 families residing in the CDP.{{Cite web|title=S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2020: The Villages CDP, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=The+Villages+CDP;+Florida+&tid=ACSST5Y2020.S1101|website=United States Census Bureau}}

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.{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/thevillagescdpflorida/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/thevillagescdpflorida/PST045219|title=U.S. Census|access-date=2021-07-10}} 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.{{cite news |last=Dunne |first=Samantha |url=http://www.thevillagesdailysun.com/news/villages/the-villages-again-sets-pace-in-aging-revolution/article_d4cdde92-7686-11e8-85f8-a7f54f74777a.html |title=The Villages Again Sets Pace in Aging Revolution |work=The Villages Daily Sun |date=2018-06-23 |access-date=2018-06-24 }}

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.{{cite news |last=Newspaper Staff |url=https://www.thevillagesdailysun.com/ |title=What a Year! |work=The Villages Daily Sun |date=2022-12-31 |accessdate=2022-12-31 }}{{cite news |last=Grunwald |first=Michael |url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/06/18/florida-senior-citizens-vote-election-2018-218758 |title=Generation Pickleball: Welcome to Florida's Political Tomorrowland |work=Politico |date=2018-06-18 |access-date=2019-01-04 }}

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

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 51,442 people, 22,511 households, and 16,721 families residing in the CDP.{{Cite web|title=S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2010: The Villages CDP, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=The+Villages+CDP;+Florida+&tid=ACSST5Y2010.S1101|website=United States Census Bureau}}

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.{{cite web | last=Gustavo | first=Solomon | title=More women buy houses in Central Florida's the Villages than anywhere else in the U.S. | website=Orlando Weekly | date=2020-01-29 | url=https://www.orlandoweekly.com/news/more-women-buy-houses-in-central-floridas-the-villages-than-anywhere-else-in-the-us-26719244 | access-date=2025-04-11}}

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.{{cite news |last=Trapasso |first=Clare |title=10 Cities Where You'll Need the Biggest Down Payment To Snag a Home—and 10 Where You'll Put Down the Least |url=https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/housing-markets-with-the-highest-and-lowest-down-payments/ |work=Realtor.com |date=2021-11-03 |access-date=2021-11-08}}

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.{{cite news |last=Heath |first=Christopher |url=https://www.wftv.com/news/local/crime-in-the-villages-retirement-community-is-low-usually-imported-from-other-areas/1010754201 |title=Crime in The Villages retirement community is low, usually imported from other areas |work=WFTV |publisher=Cox Media Group |date=2019-11-20 |access-date=2019-11-21 }}

File:Polo Stadium in The Villages Florida.jpg

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.{{cite web | last=Metcalf | first=Tom | last2=Levin | first2=Jonathan | title=This Florida Retirement Empire Just Minted Three Billionaires | website=Bloomberg.com | date=2018-03-07 | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-07/three-more-billionaires-emerge-from-fastest-growing-area-in-u-s | access-date=2025-04-15}}

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.{{cite web |title=About The Villages |url=https://www.thevillages.com/about |website=The Villages |access-date=2024-02-01}} 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.{{cite web |url=https://www.citizensfb.com/resources/about |title=About Us |website=Citizens First Bank |access-date=2024-02-01}} Commercial spaces maintain high occupancy rates, averaging around 97% as of 2018.

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.{{cite web |title=Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas Totals: 2010-2017 |url=https://www.bea.gov/data/gdp/gdp-metropolitan-area |website=U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis |access-date=2024-02-01}} Between 2010 and 2018, the MSA added approximately 13,900 jobs, primarily in retail, healthcare, and construction, driven by the community’s expansion.{{cite web | title=May 2023 OEWS Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates | website=Bureau of Labor Statistics | date=2024-04-03 | url=https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes_45540.htm | access-date=2025-04-15}}

File:Prime Time Twirlers 2023 Outside.jpg

In 2015, the Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center, a venue with over 1,000 seats, opened.{{Cite news |date=April 17, 2015|title= Opening night at The Sharon a bit of Villages' history in the making |newspaper=Villages-News |url= http://www.villages-news.com/opening-night-at-the-sharon-a-bit-of-villages-history-in-the-making/|access-date=October 18, 2016}} The Studio Tierra Del Sol, a black box theatre with seating for 100, opened in 2016.{{cite web |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/orlando/article/NEXT-TO-NORMAL-PROOF-and-More-Set-for-The-Studio-Theatre-in-2016-17-20160627 |title=NEXT TO NORMAL, PROOF and More Set for The Studio Theatre in 2016-17 |website=Broadway World |access-date=2018-01-27 }}

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."{{cite journal |last1=Brian |first1=Amanda M. |title=The faux history of The Villages, Florida |journal=Southern Cultures |date=2014 |volume=20 |issue=4 |pages=58–71 |doi=10.1353/scu.2014.0037 |s2cid=144634061 |url=https://muse.jhu.edu/article/558947 |access-date=May 30, 2021}}Brian, p. 60. Many plaques represent the "downtown areas" as if events derived from notions of an idyllic small town in the 1800s had occurred there.Brian, p. 65. Such "American myths" feature in the designs for Brownwood, Lake Sumter Landing, and Spanish Springs.Brian, p. 66.

The Villages operates golf courses, recreation centers, softball fields, a polo stadium called The Villages Polo Stadium,{{cite web|url=http://www.thevillages.com/Recreation/polo.asp |title=Recreation |publisher=The Villages |access-date=February 2, 2012}} a woodworking shop, and a lifelong learning college.{{cite web |url=http://www.thevillages.com/lifestyle/LLLearning.htm |title=Lifestyle |publisher=The Villages |access-date=February 2, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120113045341/http://thevillages.com/lifestyle/LLLearning.htm |archive-date=January 13, 2012 |df=mdy-all }} There are also outdoor target archery ranges.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}

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.{{cite web | title=Clubs | website=The Villages | date=2025-04-02 | url=https://www.thevillages.com/recreation/clubs/ | access-date=2025-04-15}}

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.{{cite news |last=Chaltry |first=Drew |url=http://www.thevillagesdailysun.com/news/villages/senior-games-off-to-the-races/article_10eeb384-46ac-11e8-a6e2-6343cefc58d3.html |title=Senior games off to the races |work=The Villages Daily Sun |date=2018-04-23 |access-date=2018-04-28 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.thevillagesseniorgames.com/doc/2018-SG-Registration-Bkl.pdf |title=2018 The Villages Senior Games |access-date=2018-04-28 }}

The Villages offers extensive recreational facilities and activities tailored to its age-restricted population, primarily funded through a monthly amenities fee of approximately $189.{{cite web |title=FAQs About The Villages |url=https://www.thevillages.com/faq |website=The Villages |access-date=2025-04-27}} These include golf courses, recreation centers, resident-led clubs, parks, and trails, fostering an active lifestyle for residents.{{cite web |title=Recreation |url=https://www.districtgov.org/departments/recreation.aspx |website=The Villages Community Development Districts |access-date=2025-04-27}}

File:TheVillagesGolf.jpg

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.{{cite web |title=2022 Golf Guide |url=https://online.flippingbook.com/view/10013543/ |website=The Villages Magazine |date=2022-02-01 |access-date=2025-04-27}} A golf instruction academy provides lessons and clinics for residents.{{cite web |title=Golf Academy |url=https://www.golfthevillages.com/golf-academy/ |website=Golf The Villages |access-date=2025-04-27}}

The Villages operates over 100 recreation centers, offering facilities for sports, fitness, and social activities.{{cite news |last=Pearlman |first=Keith |title=Villages opens 100th recreation facility |url=https://www.thevillagesdailysun.com/news/villages/villages-opens-100th-recreation-facility/article_8847da30-402a-11eb-b2ab-b3076d1e62e7.html |work=The Villages Daily Sun |date=2020-12-17 |access-date=2025-04-27}} 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. Notable centers, such as the Eisenhower Regional Recreation Center, feature unique amenities like military history exhibits.{{cite web |title=Eisenhower Regional Recreation Center |url=https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g34747-d23385894-Reviews-Eisenhower_Regional_Recreation_Center-The_Villages_Florida.html |website=Tripadvisor |access-date=2025-04-27}} The Enrichment Academy, launched in 2017, offers over 140 fee-based courses in topics like scuba diving, culinary arts, and photography.

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.{{cite web |title=Resident-Led Clubs in The Villages |url=https://www.thevillages.com/recreation/clubs/ |website=The Villages |access-date=2025-04-27}} Additional activities include archery, air gun ranges, volleyball, croquet, and fishing, with specialized programs like S.T.A.R. for adults with special needs. Weekly events, such as live music and trivia, occur at town squares and recreation centers.{{cite web |title=Activities in The Villages |url=https://www.thevillages.com/activities |website=The Villages |access-date=2025-04-27}}

File:Feeney Recreational Center 2017.jpg

The Villages features numerous parks, dog parks, and fitness trails, open daily from dawn to dusk.{{cite web |title=Parks |url=https://www.districtgov.org/parks/default.aspx |website=The Villages Community Development Districts |access-date=2025-04-27}} Notable areas include Lake Sumter Landing’s waterfront park, Fenney Springs Nature Trail, and four dog parks (Paradise, Mulberry, Atlas, and Dudley).{{cite web |title=The Villages Florida |url=https://thevillagesflorida.com/ |website=The Villages Florida |access-date=2025-04-27}} These spaces support activities like walking, picnicking, and pet recreation, enhancing the community’s outdoor lifestyle.

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.{{cite web |title=The Villages Community Development Districts |url=https://www.districtgov.org/ |website=The Villages Community Development Districts |access-date=2025-04-28}} The community is known for high voter turnout, with approximately 80% participation in elections as of 2012, and a significant Republican voter base.{{cite news |last1=Van Sickler |first1=Michael |last2=Martin |first2=John |title=The Villages: Florida retirement community provides foundation for Republican candidates |url=https://www.tampabay.com/news/aging/the-villages-florida-retirement-community-provides-foundation-for/1245520/ |work=Tampa Bay Times |date=2012-08-12 |access-date=2025-04-28}}

The Villages is located in Florida's 11th congressional district, represented by Republican Daniel Webster.{{cite web |title=Florida's 11th Congressional District |url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/FL/11 |website=GovTrack |access-date=2025-04-28}} 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.{{cite web |title=Florida Senate District 12 |url=https://www.flsenate.gov/Senators/s12 |website=Florida Senate |access-date=2025-04-28}}{{cite web |title=Florida House District 26 |url=https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4777 |website=Florida House of Representatives |access-date=2025-04-28}} County representation includes Sumter County Districts 1 and 3, Marion County District 3, and Lake County District 1.{{cite web |title=Sumter County District Map |url=https://www.sumtercountyfl.gov/156/Board-of-County-Commissioners |website=Sumter County, Florida |access-date=2025-04-28}}{{cite web |title=Marion County District Map |url=https://www.marionfl.org/government/departments-agencies/departments-a-n/board-of-county-commissioners/commission-districts |website=Marion County, Florida |access-date=2025-04-28}}{{cite web |title=Lake County District Map |url=https://www.lakecountyfl.gov/board-of-county-commissioners/commission-districts |website=Lake County, Florida |access-date=2025-04-28}}

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. Each CDD is managed by a board of supervisors, with funding from property taxes and user fees, such as the monthly amenities fee. 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.{{cite web |title=Village Center Community Development District Annual Report 2023 |url=https://www.districtgov.org/departments/finance/audits/VCCDD/2023_Audit_VCCDD.pdf |website=The Villages Community Development Districts |access-date=2025-04-28}} Portions in Lady Lake fall under municipal jurisdiction, outside some CDDs. Two homeowners associations, the Property Owners Association (POA) and The Villages Homeowners Association (VHA), address resident concerns and community standards.{{cite news |last=Hatcher |first=Charles |title=How Safe Is It To Drive Golf Carts In The Villages? |url=https://www.wuft.org/news/2016/02/29/how-safe-is-it-to-drive-golf-carts-in-the-villages/ |work=WUFT-FM |date=2016-02-29 |access-date=2025-04-28}}

The Villages is a stronghold for the Republican Party, with registered Republicans outnumbering Democrats two-to-one as of 2012. 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.{{cite news |last=Lytle |first=Tamara |title=20,000 Cheer for Bush at Villages |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2004/10/20/20000-cheer-for-bush-at-villages/ |work=Orlando Sentinel |date=2004-10-20 |access-date=2025-04-28}}{{cite news |last=Schwarting |first=Leah |title=Fans cheer Trump's return to The Villages |url=https://www.thevillagesdailysun.com/news/villages/fans-cheer-trumps-return-to-the-villages/article_915f1fb6-15af-11eb-b225-f7122994dbe8.html |work=The Villages Daily Sun |date=2020-10-24 |access-date=2025-04-28}} 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.{{cite news |last=Lemongello |first=Steven |title=Mike Pence praises Trump at packed The Villages rally |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2016/09/17/mike-pence-praises-trump-at-packed-the-villages-rally/ |work=Orlando Sentinel |date=2016-09-17 |access-date=2025-04-28}}

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.{{Cite web |title=Deed Compliance - Family Units |url=https://www.districtgov.org/departments/community-standards/deedrestrict-Family.aspx |access-date=2025-05-09 |website=Village Center Community Development District}} School zoning applies for tax purposes and the few families residing in these neighborhoods.

• The **Marion County** portion of The Villages, which has no family-unit neighborhoods, is zoned to Lake Weir High School within the Marion County Public Schools system.{{Cite web |title=School Attendance Boundary Map - Lake Weir High |url=https://www.marionschools.net/Page/101 |access-date=2025-05-09 |website=Marion County Public Schools}}
• The **Sumter County** portion, including Bison Valley, is zoned to Wildwood Middle High School within the Sumter District Schools.{{Cite web |title=School Attendance Zones |url=https://www.sumterschools.net/departments/student-services/zoning |access-date=2025-05-09 |website=Sumter District Schools}}
• The **Lake County** portion, including Oak Meadows and Spring Arbor, is zoned to Leesburg High School within the Lake County Schools.{{Cite web |title=School Attendance Zones - High Schools |url=https://www.lake.k12.fl.us/departments/operations/zoning |access-date=2025-05-09 |website=Lake County Schools}}

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.{{Cite web |title=About The Villages Charter School |url=https://www.tvcs.org/about |access-date=2025-05-09 |website=The Villages Charter Schools}} Children residing in family-unit neighborhoods or granted exemptions do not automatically qualify for enrollment unless a parent meets these employment criteria.{{Cite web |title=Eligibility and Enrollment |url=https://www.tvcs.org/enrollment |access-date=2025-05-09 |website=The Villages Charter Schools}}

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.{{Cite news |last=Williams |first=Erin |date=2018-01-07 |title=Countless opportunities for continuous learning |url=https://www.thevillagesdailysun.com/news/villages/countless-opportunities-for-continuous-learning/article_93cb84ea-f368-11e7-9685-eb1cd020fc1e.html |access-date=2025-05-09 |work=The Villages Daily Sun}}{{Cite web |title=Enrichment Academy Course Catalog |url=https://www.districtgov.org/departments/recreation/enrichment-academy |access-date=2025-05-09 |website=Village Center Community Development District}}

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.{{Cite web|title=IMDB| website=IMDb |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11358166/}} The documentary The Bubble, also released in 2021, depicts life inside The Villages.{{Cite web |last=Lang |first=Jamie |date=2021-04-17 |title=Visions du Réel Premiere 'The Bubble' Goes Behind the Facade of Florida's Idyllic Retirement Community The Villages |url=https://variety.com/2021/film/global/the-bubble-visions-du-reel-the-villages-1234953731/ |access-date=2023-01-02 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=October 6, 2022 |others=Directed by Valerie Blankenbyl |title=Golf, Booze & Guns: Inside Boomer Paradise / The Bubble (Full Film) / The Short List |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jp0nqJ1yrrg |website=YouTube |publisher=Vice}}

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

• The Villages News Network (VNN) is aired on the local Comcast cable network.
• The Villages Daily Sun, a local newspaper with 43,610 paid subscribers.{{cite news |author=Staff Report |url=https://www.villages-news.com/statement-shows-daily-suns-circulation-dips-reaffirms-morse-familys-ownership/ |title=Statement shows Daily Sun's circulation dips, reaffirms Morse family's ownership |work=Villages-News.com| date=2018-10-02 |access-date=2018-12-08 }}
• Radio station WVLG (640), carrying classic hits.

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.

File:Villages FL golf arch03.jpg/US 441]]

File:Bridge over SR 44 at Brownwood.jpg

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.{{Cite news |date=December 10, 2013 |title=Villages closes $8 million deal on Fruitland Park property |newspaper=Villages-News |url= http://www.villages-news.com/villages-close-8-million-deal-fruitland-park-property/|access-date=April 28, 2015 }} 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.{{Cite news |date=April 20, 2015 |title=County Road 466A now open through Wildwood to U.S. 301 |newspaper=Villages-News |url= http://www.villages-news.com/county-road-466a-now-open-through-wildwood-to-u-s-301/|access-date=April 28, 2015 }} Buena Vista Boulevard and Morse Boulevard serve as significant north–south corridors.{{cite web|url=http://www.thevillages.com/AboutUs/printableDirections.htm|title=Printable Directions to The Villages}}

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.

Sumter County Transit operates The Villages shuttle. They provide various weekday loops through the Villages.Sumter County Transit

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.

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.{{cite news |last=Turck |first=Mitch |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/mitchturck/2018/06/18/instead-of-ten-figure-funding-this-robotaxi-startup-has-actual-customers/#cd201f662fe1 |title=Instead Of Ten-Figure Funding, This Robotaxi Startup Has Actual Customers |work=Forbes |date=2018-06-18 |access-date=2018-06-21 }} 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. {{As of|2019}}, The Villages held a 0.5 percent stake in Voyage Auto.{{cite news |last=Wembridge |first=Mark |url=https://www.ft.com/content/e36fde7a-734a-11e9-bf5c-6eeb837566c5 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/e36fde7a-734a-11e9-bf5c-6eeb837566c5 |archive-date=December 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Why a retirement town became a test track for driverless cars |work=Financial Times |date=2019-06-04 |access-date=2019-06-06 }}{{cite news |last=Corder |first=David R. |url=http://www.thevillagesdailysun.com/news/villages/driverless-taxi-service-coming-to-the-villages/article_9c59d096-f5c3-11e7-ad8c-d3c196b2ee33.html |title=Driverless Taxi Service Coming to The Villages |work=The Villages Daily Sun |date=2018-01-10 |access-date=2018-01-10 }}

{{columns-list|colwidth=20em|

• Megan Boone, American actress, descendant of founders Schwartz and Morse{{Cite news |last1=Rorke |first1=Robert |last2=Getlen |first2=Larry |last3=Seibel |first3=Deborah Starr |date=2013-09-08|title=Actors to watch this fall |url=https://nypost.com/2013/09/08/actors-to-watch-this-fall/ |newspaper=New York Post | access-date=2018-02-26}}
• Nancy Lopez, American retired professional golfer{{cite web |url=http://www.usga.org/news/2012/December/Catching-Up-With-----Nancy-Lopez/ |title=Catching Up With ... Nancy Lopez: 40 years after winning her first U.S. Girls' Junior, Hall of Famer is busy on and off course |first=Rhonda |last=Glenn |publisher=USGA |date=December 7, 2012 |access-date=2018-02-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130723152550/http://www.usga.org/news/2012/December/Catching-Up-With-----Nancy-Lopez/ |archive-date=July 23, 2013 }}
• Ray Knight, American former Major League Baseball player
• Tre Mann, professional basketball player
• Bob Stinson, American former baseball player{{cite news |last=Winters |first=Jill |url=https://www.thevillagesdailysun.com/magazine/ |title=Bob Scrap Iron Stinson |work=The Villages Magazine |date=2024-05-01 |accessdate=2024-05-08 }}

}}

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."Brian p. 59. 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. Amanda Brian argued in her book, "The Villages' 'history' whitewashes Florida's past and celebrates a straightforward tale of economic growth."Brian, p. 68.

• Stand-up comedian Kathleen Madigan has performed a routine whose subject is The Villages{{cite web | last=Boedeker | first=Hal | title=Comic Kathleen Madigan: The Villages has sense of humor | website=Orlando Sentinel | date=January 19, 2017 | url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/tv-guy/os-et-comic-kathleen-madigan-plays-orlando-20170119-story.html/ | access-date=June 25, 2023}}
• Some Kind of Heaven, a 2020 documentary about The Villages{{cite web|url=https://thefilmstage.com/sundance-review-some-kind-of-heaven-examines-whether-retirement-can-be-paradise/|title=Sundance Review: Some Kind of Heaven Examines Whether Retirement Can Be Paradise|work=The Film Stage|first=Jake|last=Kring-Schreifels|date=February 1, 2020|access-date=July 15, 2022}}
• The Bubble, a 2021 documentary by Austrian director Valerie Blankenbyl

{{cite web | title=The Bubble | url=https://filminstitut.at/en/movies/the-bubble | website=Austrian Film Institute | access-date=July 22, 2023}}

{{reflist}}

• 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.

{{commons}}

{{Wikivoyage|The Villages}}

• [http://districtgov.org/ The Villages Community Development District] (the website provides the public information on all 17 Community Development Districts located within The Villages area)
• {{Newseum front page|FL_VDS}}

{{Sumter County, Florida}}

{{Marion County, Florida}}

{{Metro Orlando}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Villages, The}}

Category:Census-designated places in Sumter County, Florida

Category:Planned communities in Florida

Category:Retirement communities in Florida

Category:Census-designated places in Florida

Category:Sumter County, Florida

Category:Lake County, Florida

Category:Marion County, Florida

Category:Populated places established in 1959