The Villages is located in Central Florida and spans 82 square miles from Marion County in the north, through Sumter County to the south and west and to Lake County in the east. The Villages is a community for people over 55 years old located approximately one hour north of Orlando, in Central Florida. The entirety of The Villages is within the boundaries of Florida's Senate District 12 (represented by Republican Dennis Baxley) and is within the boundaries of District 33 of the Florida House of Representatives (represented by Republican Brett Hage). On the other hand, the cost of living in The Villages is only 103.4, compared to a national average of 100 and an average of 102.8 for the state of Florida.
In the past decade, doctors from all over Florida and elsewhere have been located in The Villages area, attracted by the enormous population growth of The Villages retirement community. The community is the center of The Villages metropolitan area, which consists of all of Sumter County and is included in the Orlando—Lakeland-Deltona Combined Statistical Area; and Marion County is included in the Ocala, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. Most of The Villages Florida is an adult-only community where homes must be occupied by at least one person age 55 or older. The Villages is a census-designated place located in Sumter and Marion Counties, Florida, United States.
Trapped in sizeable portions of Florida land, in the early 1970s, Schwartz and Tarrson began the development of a mobile home park, Orange Blossom Gardens, in the northwest corner of Lake County. Speaking of fun, there have been rumors that The Villages Florida has the highest rate of STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) in the United States of America. The report indicated that property crimes and crimes of opportunity are approximately one-third lower than the average for the state of Florida. The only thing about Florida The Villages is the climate, the golf courses and its proximity to Walt Disney World, about 60 miles away.
Villages Hospital is affiliated with the University of Florida's UF health system and is reportedly very good. Florida Back Roads Travel is not affiliated with or endorsed by Backroads, a California-based tour operator that organizes and runs travel programs around the world. A lot of people want to slam the door shut after moving to Florida, and I fully understand the feeling, but I also realize that it's impossible. There are several hotels and a few bed and breakfast inns in The Villages and in the nearby Florida cities of Lady Lake, Leesburg, Ocala and Wildwood.
During the election campaign, Florida Governor Rick Scott and United States Senator Marco Rubio have frequently visited a key part of the Central Florida Republican Party, The Villages. According to The Villages website, north of Florida State Highway 44, there is approximately 37 square miles (96 km) of land.
