Everything you Wanted To Know About "The Villages"

It's not something I brag about, but I once lived in The Villages in Florida for a couple of years. I went because of a job transfer, and I was just over the minimum age of 55 to live in one of their subdivisions. The Villages is a pre-planned retirement community that was the brainchild of two men, Harold Schwartz and his son H. Gary Morse. They still control most major aspects of development in the community. The Villages covers about 32 square miles and is larger than the island of Manhattan. The town is located approximately 45 miles north of Orlando and is located in parts of Sumter and Marion counties. It is near I-75 but not directly on it. The Villages is bisected by U.S. Highway 441, which runs parallel to I-75 for a stretch. Before and after entering The Villages on US 441, there are mobile home parks and small towns where the median income drops significantly. Grocery stores, movie theatres, and other retail outlets bring disparate communities together that otherwise wouldn't mix. <a href="https://medium.com/the-polis/everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-the-villages-693c7d40e42a">Website</a>