Comparisons
The Villages versus the alternatives
Nobody buys here without looking at something else first. These pages lay the facts side by side, cite every one, and label the numbers that cannot be verified rather than presenting them as solid.
How to read these
Every figure on these pages carries its source. Competitor fee figures are the weakest data in the whole comparison, because published numbers conflict between sources and few communities publish official schedules. Those are labeled as not independently verified. Confirm fees directly with each community before deciding.
One other thing worth knowing up front: The Villages has two legitimate and very different population figures. The developer states more than 150,000 residents and 70,000 households across the whole development. The 2020 Census counted 79,077 in the narrower Villages census-designated place. Comparing either one alone against a competitor's single number produces a misleading answer, so both appear in every table.
I sell in Marion and Sumter counties and I have not closed a transaction inside The Villages yet. There is no version of these pages where I benefit from talking you into one option.
Sources: The Villages figures from thevillages.com FAQ and districtgov.org; population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau; market data from Stellar MLS, January 1 to September 21, 2026, compiled by Cristian Gonzalez, eXp Realty. Competitor figures are cited on each comparison page. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Updated September 2026.
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Compare properly
The comparisons
The Villages vs On Top of the World
Size, governance, fees, golf, and age requirements, sourced line by line.
The Villages vs Stone Creek
Size, governance, fees, golf, and age requirements, sourced line by line.
The Villages vs Solivita
Size, governance, fees, golf, and age requirements, sourced line by line.
The Villages vs Ocala
Size, governance, fees, golf, and age requirements, sourced line by line.