The Villages - an age-restricted, gated community in Florida

The Villages is a master-planned retirement community, an age-restricted community in Sumter County, Florida, United States.

http://www.thevillages.com/

 

The Villages consistently ranks as a very high growth area. The US Census ranked The Villages as the fastest-growing U.S. city for the second year in a row. The Villages has more than doubled in size since 2010. As of April 2016, the total population of retirement community The Villages reached 55,000 people.

 

The Villages offers numerous forms of recreation. The majority of the costs are paid for via the monthly amenities fee assessed to residents. The centerpiece of The Villages is its numerous assortment of golf courses. The ability to play "Free Golf for Life" is a key component of The Villages advertising campaigns. In addition, The Villages operates numerous recreation centers. These centers offer local adult-only pools as well as horseshoe, and shuffleboard courts, fitness centers and stages for theatrical and musical productions. Beyond the golf courses and recreation centers, The Villages also operates numerous softball fields, a polo stadium and a woodworking shop, plus the Lifelong Learning College.

 

The Villages is a gated community known for low crime rates.

 

Gated community

A gated community is a housing estate containing controlled entrances for pedestrians, bicycles, and cars. Gated communities are often characterized by walls and fences. 

Some gated communities are staffed by private security guards and are often home to high-value properties. Several gated communities are secure enough to resemble fortresses and are intended as such.

[The next video shows a gated community in Colorado.]

Gated communities usually consist of small residential streets and include various shared amenities. For smaller communities this may be only a park or other common area. For larger communities, it may be possible for residents to stay within the community for most day-to-day activities. 

Some gated communities are set up as retirement villages.

[The next video shows a gated community in Berlin.]