When it comes to finding the perfect place to call home, many active adults seek more than just affordability or great amenities—they’re looking for self-sufficient communities. These communities stand out for their eco-friendly homes, use of renewable energy, and the ability to grow their own food through on-site farms and community gardens. As sustainability and self-reliance become more important to today’s homebuyers, self-sufficient communities are gaining popularity across the country.
Living in a self-sustaining community comes with a variety of benefits, from reducing your carbon footprint and monthly expenses to enjoying fresher food and a more active, health-conscious lifestyle. If you’re drawn to this kind of environmentally mindful living, you’re in luck—there are several self-sufficient 55+ communities offering homes for sale right now.
To help you get started, we’ve compiled a list of five standout self-sufficient active adult communities. Whether you’re looking to cut back on utility bills, live more sustainably, or take a bold step toward off-the-grid living, these communities offer a refreshing alternative to traditional retirement options.
Solar-Powered and Resilient Living
Regency at Babcock Ranch – Punta Gorda, FL
Located in Punta Gorda, FL, Babcock Ranch is America’s first solar-powered town relying entirely on its own renewable energy. The age-restricted and gated community offers residents a low-maintenance lifestyle and luxury amenities with a heavy focus on sustainability and renewable energy.
Certified Platinum Florida Green by the Florida Green Building Coalition, Babcock Ranch boasts an 880-acre solar field. Babcock Ranch takes full advantage of the Sunshine State’s most plentiful natural resource, providing residents with clean, renewable energy. The solar field even provides reliable energy during bad weather. A definite advantage for anyone living on the hurricane prone Gulf Coast. Residents don’t have to worry about relying on backup generators as well as the costly fuel they use.
The Babcock Ranch Solar Energy Center has weathered several severe storms since it was built. It stayed online even when the surrounding grid went down.
Along with the development’s large solar field, Babcock Ranch has found an even more inventive way to incorporate renewable energy sources into the community, by using solar trees. Creatively designed to look like art installations, these unique trees are topped with solar panels that actually serve as charging stations. They are conveniently spread throughout the development so residents can quickly recharge their handheld devices.
Each new construction home in Babcock Ranch features a thoughtful design that aligns with the neighborhood’s sustainability and environmental mission. Smart-home features and energy-saving lighting and appliances help residents drastically lower their monthly utility bills as well as their impact on the planet. Babcock Ranch also put just as much thought and effort into the structural design of each house as well. Every home in the neighborhood is purposefully built 30 feet above sea level to prevent any flooding from storms. Homes are also designed to be wind-resistant to withstand hurricanes with winds up to 150 mph. These sturdy, climate-resilient designs help prevent costly storm damage and as well as eliminating the need to use a ton of extra resources to rebuild after each storm.
Tiny Home & Agrarian-Based Communities
Village Farm – Austin, TX
If you’ve ever considered living a more minimalistic lifestyle and downsizing to a tiny home take a look at the Village Farm community. The Village farm is located eight miles from downtown Austin. With the average home offering just around 400 square feet of living space, cutting back on personal belongings and taking on a more minimalistic approach is a must, allowing residents to focus on more intentional, functional living.
Along with minimalism, Village Farms places a strong emphasis on agriculture. Village Farms considers itself an agrihood—a neighborhood centered around agriculture through features like working farms or shared gardens. The neighborhood sits next to Green Gate Farms, a USDA-certified organic farm, giving homeowners direct access to locally grown food. Homeowners can cultivate their own fresh produce in multiple raised garden beds scattered throughout the community. Village Farm hosts organized programs and classes throughout the year to encourage more residents to get involved in gardening. The classes teach residents how to start and maintain their own gardens.
Like the idea of living a more minimalist lifestyle, but don’t want to miss out on any amenities that larger communities might offer? Don’t worry. Village Farm residents have access to several resort-style amenities such as jacuzzis and pools.
Indigo – Richmond, TX (Coming 2025)
Situated 30 miles from downtown Houston, the up-and-coming Indigo community manages to strike an unexpected balance between urbanism and agriculture. The sustainable, master-planned development spans 235 acres and centers around a large working farm.
From the start, Indigo’s builders have kept agriculture at the heart of the development. Indigo has woven agriculture into every decision they’ve made—even down to the landscaping. More than 60% of the development is open, greenspaces for residents to enjoy. Homeowners can pick fresh fruit from their own backyard, with fruit trees and bushes planted across the property.
Indigo’s 42-acre farm serves as the heart of the community. There, residents can volunteer and gain first-hand farming experience alongside the Indigo’s professional farmers. The community will also offer a number of farm education classes and programs such as Farm Club, which will allow residents to rent a plot of land to do their own farming. Residents who don’t want to farm can still enjoy the community’s spoils at a weekly farmers market. Residents will be able to purchase organic produce directly from the farm along with other locally made goods. Several you-pick events will be scheduled throughout the year, allowing homeowners to pick their own fruits and vegetables.
Along with its strong focus on agriculture, Indigo also prides itself on being eco-conscious. To lower the development’s carbon footprint, Indigo introduced a car-lite concept, which will reduce gas costs, and cut back on the amount of time residents spend in the car and encourage them to spend more time outside together. To achieve this, Indigo’s developers made the neighborhood extremely pedestrian-friendly. 85% of homes in the community are within strolling distance of the town center where they’ll find everything from retail shopping and restaurants to the Filling Station — an on-site general store and cafe that serves fresh, organic produce and meat directly from Indigo Farms.
In another attempt to cut down on car-usage within the community, Indigo offers an electric vehicle car-share program that allows residents to rent an EV car through an app.
Final plans for the new development include a total of 800 houses with a mixture of single-family homes and renter-friendly condos. Prices for the development range between $340ks and $460ks.
Wellness & High-Tech Sustainability
Velvære – Park City, UT (Opening in 2026)
Park City’s newest community, Velvære, offers luxury mountain living heavily focused on sustainability, wellness, and a high-quality of life. The luxury, 60-acre community will consist of a mixture of new construction attached residences as well as chalet-style cabins. Velvære will also have ski-accessible estate lots on the market allowing prospective buyers the opportunity to find the perfect piece of land for their dream home.
However, Velvære will offer much more than just a beautiful mountainside retreat. Houses will include cutting edge, smart home technology specifically designed for energy efficiency, sustainability, and wellness. To achieve this, Velvære partnered with the Delos company. Delos produces innovative systems designed to make indoor environments as healthy as possible using advanced air purification and water filtration systems as well as features like circadian rhythm lighting systems to help homeowners achieve their very best sleep, productivity, and energy levels. Residents will also have the ability to opt for additional wellness features like in-home light therapy, plunge pools, steam rooms, and saunas.
Velvære’s commitment to wellness doesn’t stop there. The community will feature a 20,000 square-foot wellness center that will boast a state-of-the-art gym. The gym will have high-tech features like Infrared and IV therapy as well as hyperbaric chambers. The wellness center will also offer a variety of programs and fitness classes ranging from Pilates to nutrition coaching. Velvære will also have a grocery service available to deliver the freshest, local produce directly to residents.
In addition to all of the wellness center’s offerings, Velvære has partnered up with Fountain Life. Fountain Life, a preventative health company, helps clients make beneficial lifestyle changes to extend their lifespan. The Fountain Life center’s team of scientists and doctors will offer preventative health care and services like diagnostic testing to detect potentially life-threatening diagnoses like cancer or heart disease early on. They will also craft programs specifically tailored for each member to live a well-balanced, high quality of life during their golden years.
Velvære’s sales gallery is open daily and prospective buyers can also tour one of the development’s model homes in person.
Off-Grid & Ecovillage Lifestyles
Earthaven Ecovillage – Black Mountain, NC
If you’re interested in a low-key, off the grid lifestyle, consider Earthaven Ecovillage which is located 45 minutes from Asheville, NC in the tranquil forests of Black Mountain. Since its founding in 1994, Earthaven Ecovillage has served as an oasis for those wanting to live off the grid.
From fresh food, clean water and renewable energy, Earthaven has almost all essentials readily accessible on the property. Earthaven stretches across 329 acres of forested mountain land. Residents enjoy fresh produce from the village’s variety of farms, orchards, gardens, which use permaculture techniques. The community raises livestock onsite and makes it readily available. Earthaven has its own off-grid power and water system, providing residents with energy independence that can withstand most disruptions and power outages caused by natural disasters.
Earthaven uses as many natural resources as possible. Several of the village’s buildings and structures use only natural resources and earth-friendly materials, reducing the development’s environmental impact.
The close-knit community relies heavily on each other, sharing resources, tools, and knowledge. Often, neighbors will use a bartering system instead of traditional monetary payments. Homeowners are currently working on developing their own small village-scale economy. They hope to eventually have their own bank, where residents can handle their financial needs without leaving the property. This will bring them even closer to living a completely self-sufficient off-the-grid lifestyle, independent from the outside world.
To help continue and sustain their unique way of life, Earthaven has created its own educational non-profit, Culture’s Edge and the School of Integrated Living (SOIL). SOIL is dedicated to teaching residents a variety of life skills to help them live a more sustainable lifestyle. Topics covered include everything from renewable energy to holistic medicine practices.
If you like the idea of living off the grid, Earthhaven offers an experience week. Prospective residents can stay onsite to get a feel for what it is really like to live in the village.
Let Us Help You Find Your Perfect 55+ Community
Whether you’re passionate about sustainability, interested in a more minimalist lifestyle, or ready to explore life off the grid, there’s a self-sustaining 55+ community out there to match your vision of retirement. These unique communities offer more than just a place to live—they offer purpose, connection, and a healthier, more intentional way of life. If you’re ready to take the next step, let 55places.com help guide you. Contact us today to connect with a local real estate expert who can help you find the right community that fits your lifestyle, values, and goals for the future.
