Best Age 55 and Over Retirement Communities in Florida

Discover 3 of the Best 55+ Retirement Communities in Florida Today.

This article is about the best retirement communities designed and built specifically for the lifestyles of active adults age 55 and over.

To be considered for this list, the retirement community must meet all of following requirements to be considered:

The Retirement Community Must be in an Area with a Low Crime Rate

Florida has the 39th worst crime rate of the 50 states. Almost every Florida retirement community is a private development that is walled off from the rest of the world, where you must enter through a gate just to get inside. So most of these retirement communities are quite safe when you are inside of the development.

The problem is, you’ll have to leave that safety for dining, shopping and entertainment, going to the doctor and more. So if a retirement community in located in a city or town with a high crime rate, it won’t be considered for our list, with one important exception as you’ll see below.

How This Best Retirement Community in Florida List is Different.

To qualify for this list, the city/town (usually the closest) where you’ll have to frequent to get groceries or your prescriptions filled, has to meet all of our stringent quality of life factors.

That way you’re living in one of the best retirement communities, and when you leave to go out for dinner, you also be in a highgly rated safe town. Win-win.

The Retirement Community Must be in an Area with a High Number of Amenities Per Capita

Retirement means you will have a lot of free time to fill. The retirement communities on our list offer access to a higher number of restaurants, shops and entertainment options per 1000 residents, than most other cities in Florida. Almost every retirement community in Florida has a clubhouse, pool and offers additional social and recreational opportunities. To make this list, the retirement community must also be located in a town that offers a high quality of life when you’re outside the retirement community’s gates.

The Retirement Community Must be Age Restricted

I have seen developments touted as a retirement community, yet they have no age restrictions. If a community does not have age restrictions and isn’t  primarily geared towards the needs of folks 55 and over, then it’s just like any other community and will not qualify for this list.

Here Are the 3 Best Retirement Communities in Florida Today

In random order….

1) The Villages Florida

Age Restriction: 55+
Home Prices: From $100,000 to $2,500,000+
Type of Homes: New and Resale Attached and Single Family
Community Size: 56,000+ Homes
Restricted Entry: Yes-Gated
Open since 1978

The Villages in Florida is located west of Daytona Beach and north of Orlando, near the center of Florida. It’s located about 20 miles south of Ocala Florida, which is not on any of our best places on Florida lists because it suffers from high crime rates. The overall crime rate in Ocala is almost twice the national average. The violent crime rate in Ocala is twice the national average according to the latest FBI reporting so…

So none of the many retirement communities located in the Ocala area would qualify for this list of the Best Retirement Communities in Florida, except The Villages. Why? Because the Villages in Florida has “mini towns” located right inside it’s gates that offer almost anything you could ever need, so residents rarely have to leave this retirement “city”. The Villages near Ocala Florida claims to offer it’s residents more amenities than anywhere else on the planet.

Imagine entering through gates into a community of 20,000 acres covering three zip codes. Use your golf cart instead of your car if you want to go shopping, to a restaurant or to see a movie. There’s over 100 miles of streets and cart paths that will take you from your home to banks, post offices, all kinds of shops, pools, pubs, golf, health-care centers and clubhouses.

This retirement community is a self contained city of mostly 55+ people who are enjoying the time of their life in a very safe environment compared to the rest of Florida. It’s been referred to as Disney for Seniors. When most 55+ folks describe what they’re looking for in a place to retire in Florida, this retirement community has it. If you’re looking for a Florida retirement community where you’ll almost be forced to be active, socialize and have a great time, The Villages in Florida, near Ocala, is probably the best community for you. Don’t believe me? Watch the video.

See the “Disney for Seniors” The Villages Florida Video

The Villages Florida Website

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2) Wynmoor Village in Coconut Creek Florida

  • Age Restriction: 55+
  • Home Prices: Less than $100,000 to $250,000
  • Type of Homes: Resale Condos
  • Community Size: 5000+ Homes
  • Restricted Entry: Yes-Gated
  • Open since 1989

Wynmoor Village is located in SE Florida between Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton, north of Miami in Coconut Creek. The crime rate in Coconut Creek is about 10% lower than the national average and far lower than Florida’s high overall rate. Wynmoor Village may be ideal for people dreaming of retiring to a condo in Florida, who are looking for a safer place to live near all the excitement that Southeast Florida offers.

Wynmoor Village’s center of activity is its 50,000 square-foot clubhouse. There’s a ballroom where community events and parties regularly occur. This is the place to go if you feel like joining a game of cards or playing pool. Want to feed your creative side? Then use the clay, paint, stained glass or stone studio the community provides. There’s even a woodworking shop. This is also where residents can use the fitness center equipment or take a dip in the indoor pool to get or stay in shape.

Prefer an outdoor pool? No problem there because you’ll find a large pool and spa just outside of the clubhouse, and 19 more pools throughout the community. No retirement community in Florida would be complete without shuffleboard and tennis courts and Wynmoor has them too.

Yes, Wynmoor has year-round golf too, something that many people look forward to when moving to Florida. Although located inside the community, Wynmoor Golf Club is open to the public. Resident’s condo fees do not cover golf club membership or greens fees so you’re not paying for a golf course if you don’t use it. If you do play, residents are entitled to discounted rates. There is also no shortage of other golf courses nearby but outside of the community.

Although living in a condo where everything is taken care of is a dream for many who thinking about retirement, the Florida Move Guide points out it’s certainly not for everyone. But if you’re sure condo living is for you, Wynmoor Village is worthy of consideration if you prefer to be in Southeast Florida.

See a Wynmoor Village Video

Unlike The Villages, you will have to regularly leave this (and every other Florida 55+) retirement community to meet your needs. That’s why knowing what the closest city or town outside of the retirement community is like, is critical. Wynmoor Village is located in the town of Coconut Creek Florida.

See a Coconut Creek Florida Video

The Wynmoor Village Website

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#3 Cypress Falls at The Woodlands in North Port Florida

Age Restriction: 55+
Home Prices: Less than $150,000 to $300,000
Type of Homes: New and Resale Attached and Single Family Homes
Community Size: 700+ Homes
Restricted Entry: Yes-Gated
Open since 2005

Cypress Falls is located in SW Florida, just south of Venice, in North Port Florida. The crime rate in North Port Florida is considerably lower than the national average. It’s rare for a Florida town to have decent quality of life factors, a low crime rate and lower home prices than most of Florida. That’s one reason why North Port is on our “Best Places to Raise a Family in Florida” list.

Cypress Falls is the only one of our picks where a new home is an option, in addition to resale homes. The Clubhouse has an internet cafe and a library in addition to the usual retirement community amenities such as a fitness center with social events, ping pong and card tables. They also have a barbecue pit residents can use. Can you plant a garden in a retirement community? At Cypress Falls you can because they’ll provide you with a garden plot.

Cypress Falls also has an individual whose full-time job is to help you enjoy the amenities and activities in the community. That’s a great thing because deciding if you want to play pool, swim in a pool, play tennis or bocce ball may not as be as easy as it sounds. And what if need you need someone to play tennis with?

If you take a short ride north from Cypress Falls you’ll find Venice, Florida. Venice has been on one or more of our best places to live in Florida lists every year, for a decade. Here Cypress Falls residents will find even more shopping, dining, entertainment and recreation. Venice also has great beaches, so you can enjoy them without having to pay the higher real estate prices and taxes that living closer to the water often entails. Cypress Falls at the Woodlands is certainly worth considering when looking for a retirement community in Florida.

See a Cypress Falls Retirement Community Video

Make sure the retirement community in Florida you choose is in a safe Florida town because you will have to leave the safety of your gated community for your shopping, dinning, entertainment and healthcare needs. North Port has one of the lowest crime rates in the state of Florida.

See a North Port Florida Video


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Ron Stack “That Best Places Guy”

  • Want to be certain if moving to Florida is right for you or your family? You’ll know after reading the Florida Move Guide.

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32 thoughts on “Best Age 55 and Over Retirement Communities in Florida”

    • Hello Phyllis,
      We will have a new post with about 10 of the best 55 and over active adult retirement communitities to move to in 2018 and also rate them for hurricane safety. Look for the article to be posted by the end of Sept. 2017. Good Luck.
      _____
      Ron Stack “That Best Places Guy” of Zeus Press Inc

      • Want to be certain if moving to Florida is right for you or your family? You’ll know after reading the Florida Move Guide. Avoid expensive mistakes.

      _____

  1. Done a LOT of research on the Villages. Can not get a straight answer on how much it would cost a month to live there. The “HOA” is REALLY inexpensive. Officially the Villages says like $1,000 a month. But they leave things off their list. A guy wrote a book about that place and said its can be as much as $4000. A woman challenged that saying she pays like half that. We had friends that just moved there and THEY wont give us a straight answer either. It seems to be like the “Stepford” community. ( By the way, we have visited our friends there twice. It IS VERY nice. Two things that scare me though is; the Villages population has TRIPLED in SEVEN years. How do they support that growth infrastructure-wise ? And fully one half of the residents, 160,000+, are snow birds. How insane will it be in the winter months ?? )

    • Hello Bill,
      Two families can go on vacation to the same town for a week and one could easily spend 400% more because of their choices of where to stay, dine, shop, etc. The Villages is no different. You can be frugal or spend a lot, but it will never be cheap because of all you’re getting. If you can find a place to rent there for a short while, that may provide the answers you seek.

      You wrote “Two things that scare me though is; the Villages population has TRIPLED in SEVEN years. How do they support that growth infrastructure-wise ? And fully one half of the residents, 160,000+, are snow birds. How insane will it be in the winter months ?? )

      Well Bill, Florida is now the 3rd most populated state in the US with over 20 million full-time residents. Another 100,000,000+ tourist invade the state every year now, most during the winter months. Any place worth living in Florida will see the number of people mushroom during the winter months. There are an increasingly vocal number of full-time residents who complain about being cooped up most of the year seeking refuge from the humidity, but when winter comes and the weather turns fantastic, the roads get clogged, there’s no parking, you have to endure long lines to do anything. The “snowbirds” don’t mind though. Bottomline, it’s now very crowded everywhere that’s desirable during the winter months in the sunshine state.
      _____
      Ron Stack “That Best Places Guy” of Zeus Press Inc

      • Want to be certain if moving to Florida is right for you or your family? You’ll know after reading the Florida Move Guide. Avoid expensive mistakes.

      _____

  2. looking for quiet place that also has with things to do.Low maintenance & pet friendly.
    baseball fan,like the ocean.

  3. Hi my name is lisa I live in nj. My sister and I 56 and 61 want to buy in a 55 plus where there’s not much to do. Unfortunately we own a children’s taxi service her for 13 years don’t think it will work in Florida. We need to sell our house here taxes to high and to big my boys are out. I need affordable, nice, low taxes and ass fee. I also will have to work. Any recommendations would help.

    • Hello Lisa,
      1) All of the towns on all of our lists have better than average job opportunities.
      2) You’ll find 55+ active communities in all of them.
      3) Finding a place with a low assessment and low taxes won’t be easy but as the Florida Move Guide explains, as a Florida resident if you buy the right home you will qualify for homestead exemptions that will lower your real estate taxes.
      4) Those savings on taxes, plus some, may have to used to pay a retirement communities HOA (aka “Home Owners Association”) fee, which almost every retirement community in Florida requires residents to pay.
      5) You may pay a lower HOA fee in a community that doesn’t have the pool, clubhouse, lawn maintenance, etc., if you can find one without all of the amenities you indicate you aren’t interested in.

      Bottom line: Any retirement community that will work for you may be ideal, as long as it’s located in a town on one of our best places list because it will have low crime rates and other high quality of life factors. Good luck Lisa.
      _____
      Ron Stack “That Best Places Guy” of Zeus Press Inc

      • Want to be certain if moving to Florida is right for you or your family? You’ll know after reading the Florida Move Guide. Avoid expensive mistakes.

      _____

  4. Hi, Like your run down of the three communities. I have looked at the villages and not impressed with overload of people. Looking for a 55+ gated community with golf prefer 2 courses. Are there any that fit your criteria.

    • Hello Jim,
      No community is a perfect match for everyone. Many of the better communities will tend to be crowded at times, especially during the winter months. Choosing a community with much higher fees (and home prices) in order to keep courses playable is an option. The best course of action may be to browse through our articles to find a specific city/town that is appealing to you and then do a search for retirement communities in that specific town. All of the places on all of our lists meet our strict best place requirements so they are more likely to remain a best place longer into the future. As you browse through, you will occasionally see places with warnings saying the place no longer qualifies as best for this website. Most often this happens because of crime rate increases. A good list to start with may be the 2019 best places to retire in Florida list because the places chosen have better hospitals to help remedy Florida’s less than stellar healhcare quality ratings. Another one is our golf specific article. Good luck Jim.
      _____
      Ron Stack “That Best Places Guy” of Zeus Press Inc

      • Want to be certain if moving to Florida is right for you or your family? You’ll know after reading the Florida Move Guide. Avoid expensive mistakes.

      _____

    • Hello R Muollo,
      We will be publishing an new, more comprehensive article on what we consider are the best retirement communities in Florida (and why) by the end of March 2019. We have found that people are more satisfied with their relocation if both the retirement community itself and the area where you must travel to see a doctor, get your groceries, etc., offer a higher quality of life. I don’t think Groveland will be on that list. A lot of people retire to Florida only to eventually decide it was a mistake and move out, if they can still afford it. If people have never lived in Florida before and will be spending a lot of money, time and effort to move 1200 miles, we feel it’s extremely important not to end up in the wrong place. Good luck R.
      _____
      Ron Stack “That Best Places Guy” of Zeus Press Inc

      • Want to be certain if moving to Florida is right for you or your family? You’ll know after reading the Florida Move Guide. Avoid expensive mistakes.

      _____

  5. Terrible article when you never once mention the HOA fee. An increasing problem for all the homeowners, where amenities are outstanding and the roads are gated. You have to pay for the staff , the buildings, and the upkeep of the amenities and the gates which means the homeowners pay for the roads, storm drains, sewers, and sidewalks. These fees can range from $4oo to ? and they are subject to inflation which is tough on folks with a fixed income in retirement! Buyer beware!!!

    • HOA fees should absolutely be mentioned as they are in addition to any mortgage or other payments one may make. Be forewarned that if one falls behind in HOA fees the association CAN & WILL start foreclosure. they are s Many of the HOA’s say set-up to keep a community nice and provide activities, etc. when in actuality many just harass the homeowner and issue citations & fines for: 1) brown spots in lawn (even tiny brown spots) 2) crack lines in driveway 3) grass too tall 4) not planting/replanting the right grass (the one the HOA wants) 5) wrong paint color on house – and the list goes on. In many communities the homeowner IS MANDATED to keep lawns at a certain height or not to exceed a certain height; go to the HOA for selection of house color before painting.
      Manufactured home communities may be worse, though many are for 55+ folks but still they charge excessive HOA fees for little in return. Monthly fees of $500.00 are not unusual and keep in mind that if there is severe weather or hurricane you may be mandated to evacuate.

      Make sure when looking for a home you look for non-HOA communities or communities with optional HOA’S (small yearly fee with funds generally used for children’s activities throughout the year). Don’t let a realtor tell you it’s OK – it isn’t.

  6. Can you advise about the 55+ communities of Lake Ashton in Lake Wales, FL and the Villages of Citrus Hills? Also what about the Clermont area? Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks.

    • Hello Steve,
      As the article states, only 55+ communities located in cities/towns that meet all of our best Place criteria are recommended. The towns you asked about, Lake Wales, Citrus Hills and Clermont (and therefore any retirement communities in those areas) don’t qualify for this site.

      We will be publishing a new more extensive retirement community article that will list 32 best places (towns/cities) in Florida, by far our largest list ever. It will also include lots of information on many of the individual communities located in them. We hope to have it published by the end of March 2019.
      _____
      Ron Stack “That Best Places Guy” of Zeus Press Inc

      • Want to be certain if moving to Florida is right for you or your family? You’ll know after reading the Florida Move Guide. Avoid expensive mistakes.

      _____

  7. Best places to retire in Florida Florida is so big that is likely to have the perfect retirement lifestyle for just about anybody. Some obvious picks include retirement places like Venice , Key West , and Winter Park .

  8. I live in the Cascades in Port St Lucie West and we are not even mentioned, even though the community was rated #2 in the nation and #1 in Florida for Best Value by 55Places.com. Our city has a very low crime rate and close amenities. There is even public transportation with easy access to both I95 and Florida Turnpike

    • Hello Deane,

      Congratulations on the mentions elsewhere, but The Cascades in Port St Lucie West and Port St. Lucie do not qualify as best for any of the best places to live lists on this website. Why?

      The Cascades in Port St. Lucie West sits about 9.1 miles from the St Lucie Nuclear Power Plant. No one I asked ever told me they were willing to move a 1000 miles to Florida, just to live in the backyard of a nuclear plant that sits right on the beach on the Atlantic Ocean, where hurricanes and their storm surge could hit. I hope you you knew about the nuke plant before you moved.

      Here’s a link to an article I wrote titled Are You Moving Near a Florida Nuclear Power Plant Without Knowing it?

      In fact, the nuclear plant pictured at the top of that page is the St. Port Lucie Nuclear Plant.

      Sorry, but only 55+ retirement communities and towns that are at least 50 miles from a nuclear plant in Florida, qualify for our best places lists.

      Thanks for taking the time to write and have a nice day.
      _____
      Ron Stack “That Best Places Guy” of Zeus Press Inc

      • Want to be certain if moving to Florida is right for you or your family? You’ll know after reading the Florida Move Guide. Avoid expensive mistakes.

      _____

  9. Many 55+ communities allow dogs – but many also have breed restrictions (SHAME ON THEM) or size restrictions. You would probably be better trying to purchase a small home without an HOA. Unfortunately, there are a lot of ignorant community associations as well as insurance companies. I believe the Humane Society of the United States or the ASPCA has brochures with regard to breed/size restrictions. While these communities may call themselves pet friendly they ARE NOT when they implement breed/size restrictions. I would trust my “big” dog before I’d trust most of the HOA associations.

    • Love it when breed size and restriction are inforce. Retirement community is for people not dogs!

  10. 10-2019
    Far & few between. Many communities discriminate on breed and size – but if you are disabled or otherwise need a support dog and your doctor can provide documentation THEY CANNOT DICTATE BREED OR SIZE. If they do they are in violation of federal housing discrimination and other federal (and perhaps state) laws as well and you can initiate a lawsuit against them. Well documented/researched studies indicate, without exception, there is no need for this type of discrimination. One can start with HABRI (Human Animal Bond Research Institute) and be linked to a wealth of articles. Just make sure you can obtain insurance that does not engage in discriminatory practices – many don’t any longer because they realize the breed/size/weight discrimination is not true whatsoever. Community managers will try to tell you otherwise. Little by little a database is being generated that lists “pet friendly” communities (pet friendly meaning open to all breeds/sizes/weights).

    • I suggest you go to a dog friendly community, not all people believe in support animals as many people take advantage. My next door neighbor has a “SUPPORT DOG” and yet the dog barks all night since they work as bartenders at night. Try living like that, horrible.

  11. 11-2019 Relocated back to New England from Florida – cleaner air, water, less traffic (took less time to drive from eastern CT to Boston (90 miles) than it did from east Orlando to Winter Park, FL. (20 miles), far less crime, better schools/education systems and for those retired better social services and medical care (some of the best in New England). Florida you’d be lucky to see a specialist in 6 months (if that) – upon return to New England was able to see a top doc @ a top Boston hospital in 2 days. And, vehicle insurance is less in CT than Florida. If you are still considering Florida starting going online for the local news (if Central Florida http://www.wesh.com; http://www.wftv.com; http://www.clickorlando.com) – more than anything do not make a permanent move without at least spending some time there – rent for 3 to 6 months. Not that long ago The Villages had sinkholes so you might want to research that as well. Remember it gets insanely, intolerably hot & humid in Florida even more so than before, houses are built close together and not always built well (before I moved a builder was pouring a slab foundation in the rain and then starting the block building process before the concrete had fully cured because of ongoing rain); Orlando ranks at one of the least affordable areas in the country including rents (and Oviedo, FL just recently was listed as most expensive in Florida I believe).

      • While The Villages is not for everyone, I’ve lived in The Villages for the last 15 years and wouldn’t live anywhere else. I’ve lived in many other places including Europe, and I have to say I have no complaints about living in The Villages.

    • I lived on Long Island in New York for most of my life and grew up in Brooklyn as a youth and every year life has gotten worse. I have been to Florida many, many times and I love it and can’t wait to move there. Just about everyone I know ,from neighbors and co-workers to family members, are looking to leave the Empire State. Every location has it’s pros and cons and if New England is better for some people, then that is fantastic and where they should be. For me, NY is absolutely horrible where crime is through the roof, traffic is a nightmare and taxes and the cost of living is outrageous and a big reason why people are fleeing the northeast in droves. Summers are very hot and humid, like in Florida, but winters are exhausting with so much snow, ice and freezing temperatures. I just got back from the Tampa area and had no problem driving around the city even during rush hour. Very few traffic jams and no pot holes to deal with. New build houses are required by law to meet stringent building codes and they are more energy efficient than the old houses in the north east. North east or south east, people should live where they are most happy and where they can afford it without going broke.

  12. I live in Cypress Falls in North Port. This article should be updated. It makes it seem like you have to go to Venice to shop. North Port now has many shopping centers with a lot of the popular stores. Chicos Outlet, Skechers, Marshalls, Hobby Lobby, Home Goods to name a few. People in Venice come here to shop as their small shopping area is so crowded in season and very expensive.

    • Hello Paula,
      Thank you for sharing your insight on Cypress Falls. It’s always helpful for readers to hear directly from residents of the retirement communities themselves.

      In the beginning of the article, I explain what criteria I used to choose these particular 55+ communities. Like all of my best places lists, a higher number of available amenities in that town (or in this case the town the retirement community is located is located) is always a requirement because it’s an important quality of life factor. That’s why in the beginning of the article you’ll find this: “The retirement communities on our list offer access to a higher number of restaurants, shops and entertainment options per 1000 residents, than most other cities in Florida.

      The point of that paragraph in the article was that being so close to Venice adds to the positive experience that North Port residents have. On some other points I have to respectfully disagree. Sure, North Port has many of the same big box stores that you can find in Ohio or New jersey, but being just a short drive away from Venice adds many interesting, independently-owned unique restaurants and shops plus it’s many beaches. I’m not sure what “small shopping area” you are referring to, but there are more places to shop or dine in Venice than just it’s small historic downtown on the “island” (which is really nice). True, some people from Venice may shop in North Port but its been my experience that most go in the opposite direction, to Sarasota which has just about anything someone could want to do, see or buy.

      Regardless, it sounds like you are a happy resident of that retirement community and love North Port, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Again, thanks for adding your input and have a great day.
      _____
      Ron Stack “That Best Places Guy”

      • Want to be certain if moving to Florida is right for you or your family? You’ll know after reading the Florida Move Guide.

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