The Villages, Florida

The Villages is a census-designated place (CDP) in Sumter, Marion, and Lake counties in the U.S. state of Florida. It forms the core of a broader master-planned, age-restricted community of the same name. Located in central Florida, approximately 20 miles (32 km) south of Ocala and 45 miles (72 km) northwest of Orlando, the CDP had a population of 79,077 at the 2020 United States census. The Villages is known for its extensive amenities, including golf courses and recreation centers, and is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford metropolitan statistical area.





== History ==

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.

In the early 1970s, Schwartz and Tarrson developed Orange Blossom Gardens, a mobile home park in northwestern Lake County. 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.