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Living in
The Villages.
The Villages is an unincorporated community in Sumter County, FL. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in The Villages
If you're considering retirement in Florida, The Villages offers a very different experience than typical beach towns or sprawling suburbs. The median age of 73 means you'll be surrounded by peers, which creates a genuine social ecosystem, but it also means almost no young families or children. Housing costs are reasonable at a median of $400,000, though most buyers put down 27% on average, so expect to come prepared financially.
The Villages at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
74.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
4.7%
Foreign-Born
5.6%
Broadband Internet
92.8%
of households
Population Growth
+3.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics5.6% foreign-born, most often from Canada
Who lives in The Villages: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In The Villages, the largest foreign-born group is from Canada (30.8%), and 1.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
0.7%
of residents
65 and Older
85.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
0.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
32.0%
of households
Married Couples
61.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
1.73
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 16% below FL average
Rent, home values, and income in The Villages
In The Villages, rent runs 16% below the FL average, and home values are 11% above the FL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
47.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
39.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
85.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,400
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
93.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2007
median year built
Vacant Homes
16.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $392,424 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 2.9 pts above FL average
Unemployment in The Villages
Unemployment in Sumter County, which includes The Villages, is 2.9 percentage points higher than the FL average.
Unemployment rate
The Villages: Sumter County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Sumter County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What The Villages Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute21.2 min avg
How The Villages residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In The Villages, most residents drive alone to work (56%), and 76% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 48 mi
Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB)
Small hub1.6M passengers boarded in 2025
- 54 mi
Orlando International Airport (MCO)
Major hub28.0M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 56% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Sumter County Sheriff's Office, which covers The Villages, runs 56% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
145
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
556.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Sumter County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 2 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
87.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Sumter County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Sumter County, which includes The Villages, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 2 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | Flash Flood | $35,000 |
| 2024 | 3 | Tropical Storm | $4.0M |
| 2023 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $63,000 |
| 2022 | 6 | Funnel Cloud | $365,000 |
| 2021 | 2 | Thunderstorm Wind | $3,000 |
| 2020 | 3 | Funnel Cloud | $40,000 |
| 2019 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | $93,000 |
| 2018 | 2 | Hail | $20,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Sumter County, county-wide
Air Quality46 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Marion County, FL (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 19 miles from The Villages) is typically good — 245 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
46
Good Days
245
per year
Moderate Days
118
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Marion County, FL (19 mi away)
Climate89°F summers, 48°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
The Villages has warm summers (avg high 89°F) and warm winters (avg low 48°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
81°/59°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
89°/72°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
81°/63°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
69°/48°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
51.4"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
73
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
5
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
118
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 67°F | 46°F | 2.81" |
| Feb | 70°F | 49°F | 2.49" |
| Mar | 75°F | 53°F | 3.49" |
| Apr | 81°F | 59°F | 2.64" |
| May | 86°F | 65°F | 3.37" |
| Jun | 89°F | 71°F | 7.51" |
| Jul | 90°F | 73°F | 6.50" |
| Aug | 90°F | 73°F | 7.46" |
| Sep | 87°F | 71°F | 6.32" |
| Oct | 81°F | 64°F | 2.94" |
| Nov | 74°F | 54°F | 2.24" |
| Dec | 69°F | 49°F | 2.26" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in The Villages
The Villages has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
1.5%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
The Villages Regional Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Lifestream Behavioral Center
Psychiatric · 9.1 mi away · Leesburg
Uf Health Leesburg Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 11.6 mi away · Leesburg
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education14.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in The Villages
The Villages's student/teacher ratio is 14.6:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 42.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
1
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
42.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near The Villages (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 4,177 students · in-state tuition $3,292 · 35% graduate · median earnings $44,593 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 506 students · in-state tuition $54,256 · 59% graduate · median earnings $28,501 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Fort Matanzas National Monument, 71 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for The Villages
The Villages has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Fort Matanzas National Monument (71 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Fort Matanzas National Monument
National Monument
71 mi awayCanaveral National Seashore
National Seashore
76 mi awayCastillo de San Marcos National Monument
National Monument
79 mi awayPublic Libraries in The Villages
The Villages Public Library At Belvedere
325 Belvedere Boulevard, The Villages
Cities Near The Villages
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to The Villages?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
The Villages FAQ
Is The Villages, Florida affordable?⌄
The Villages's median rent is $1,397/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $77,622/year. Median home value is $400,100.
Is The Villages, Florida safe?⌄
The Villages is policed by the Sumter County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 145 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 556 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in The Villages, Florida?⌄
Sumter County, which includes The Villages, has an unemployment rate of 6.8%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in The Villages, Florida?⌄
The cost of living in The Villages is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,397/month and median household income is $77,622/year. The median home value is $400,100. About 48% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in The Villages, Florida?⌄
The average commute in The Villages is 21 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from