The Most Popular Active Adult Communities

We’re halfway through 2026, and some clear patterns are already emerging in where active adult buyers are focusing their attention. The 25 communities below are the most viewed on 55places.com from January through June. These communities have consistently shown up in searches, comparison sessions, and the early stages of real decisions.

That kind of sustained attention means something. These aren’t communities that spiked once and disappeared from the conversation. They’re the ones buyers keep coming back to as they narrow down their options, weigh trade-offs, and get serious about what they want.

Browsing a community page is a useful first step, but it only goes so far. The floor plan that looks right on a screen and the one that feels right when you’re standing in it aren’t always the same. If any of these communities are on your list, touring in person is still the best way to find out which one fits.

Here’s what’s been capturing attention so far this year.

1. On Top of the World – Ocala, FL

High $100ks – Mid $600ks

On Top of the World is one of the few communities in Florida that can compete with The Villages. Plans call for 10,000 homes, with over 100 floor plans spread across seven collections. Attached villas start around 1,000 square feet, and single-family homes exceed 3,000 square feet. It sits about six miles west of I-75, close enough to Ocala’s amenities but with an established community feel.

The social infrastructure is substantial. Three golf courses, multiple clubhouses, pools, fitness centers, and pickleball courts are the backbone, but Circle Square Commons is the real draw. It holds an 830-seat theater, a farmers market, and live music, all without leaving the property. With more than 175 clubs, finding your people here isn’t a matter of if, but how soon.

2. Sun City Hilton Head – Bluffton, SC

Mid $300ks – Mid $1Ms

As South Carolina’s largest age-restricted community, Sun City Hilton Head occupies lowcountry landscape with marshes, old-growth oaks, and pines threading through the property. Housing ranges from 1,000-square-foot townhomes to 4,000-square-foot single-family homes, and the exclusive Riverbend neighborhood adds custom builds on waterfront lots for buyers who want something more bespoke.

The 45-acre Village Center, designed to feel like a Southern town square, anchors daily life. Three 18-hole golf courses, a 540-seat performing arts center, catch-and-release fishing on Lake Somerset, and over 200 clubs give residents plenty of reasons to stay busy. Also, three restaurants onsite mean you don’t have to drive anywhere if you don’t want to.

3. The Villages – The Villages, FL

High $100ks – High $1Ms

The Villages is its own category. With over 70,000 homes and 100 floor plans ranging from 1,157 to 4,705 square feet, it’s less a community than a small city built specifically for active adults, and it functions like one. The infrastructure includes 35-plus recreation centers, more than 100 outdoor pools, and 41 executive golf courses. Three town squares host free nightly entertainment year-round, alongside shops, restaurants, and theaters.

That scale is the point, and it’s also the thing worth knowing before you commit. If you want a community where there’s always something on the calendar and new people to meet, The Villages delivers. If you’d rather know your neighbors by name within the first month, this might feel like too much. The weekly activity newsletter alone runs 50 pages.

4. Solivita – Kissimmee, FL

Low $300ks – Low $700ks

For buyers who want proximity to Orlando, Solivita is worth a serious look. It’s about 30 minutes from the theme parks but covers 4,300 acres in Kissimmee, enough room to feel like its own world. There are 5,900 homes, ranging from 891 to 2,545 square feet, and lakes woven throughout the property.

Eight amenity complexes include the 32,000-square-foot Riviera Spa with an indoor track and pool, the Waterfront Galleries art studios, and the Starlite Ballroom. Two championship golf courses at the semi-private Stonegate Golf Club anchor the outdoor recreation, alongside a dog park and softball fields at Freedom Park. Three onsite restaurants and more than 150 clubs, from pottery to ballroom dancing, handle the rest.

5. Laguna Woods Village – Laguna Woods, CA

High $100ks – Low $2Ms

Laguna Woods Village is the West Coast’s largest 55+ golf course community. It has 12,736 homes across three neighborhoods, with floor plans ranging from 675-square-foot condos to nearly 2,600-square-foot single-family homes, plus co-ops and high-rise units in The Towers. It’s also ten minutes from the beach, which is either the headline or a bonus depending on what you’re looking for.

Seven clubhouses, a performing arts center, 36 holes of golf including a 27-hole championship course, five pools, tennis courts, and an equestrian center serve the community. A free private bus system connects it all, a practical amenity that matters more than it sounds when you’re looking at a property this size. Also, more than 250 clubs keep the calendar full of social opportunities.

6. Renaissance at Manchester – Manchester, NJ

Mid $200ks – Mid $400ks

Positioned halfway between Philadelphia and New York City on Route 70 in Ocean County, Renaissance at Manchester offers 1,900 single-family resale homes with 11 floor plans ranging from 1,522 to 2,256 square feet. Many homes overlook the 18-hole, par-63 golf course, which gives the neighborhood its layout and a lot of its character.

A 30,000-square-foot clubhouse holds a fitness center, indoor pool, ballroom, computer lab, and studios for arts, crafts, and woodworking. Outdoors, there’s a pool with a spa, basketball and tennis courts, bocce, shuffleboard, horseshoe pits, and RV parking, along with an onsite deli for the day you don’t want to cook. Clubs range from golf and softball to book clubs, martial arts, and cooking.

7. Oak Run – Ocala, FL

Mid $100ks – High $300ks

Oak Run sits in Ocala’s southwest corridor off Highway 200, about 30 miles from the Gulf Coast and 90 minutes from both Orlando and Tampa. Decca completed 3,509 homes here in 2007, with single-family floor plans ranging from 1,112 to 2,275 square feet and ranch duplexes from 1,049 to 1,489 square feet, making this one of the more affordable options in Ocala for buyers who don’t need the newest construction.

Five clubhouses dot the property, each with a different draw: the Palm Grove Club for fitness and swimming, the Island Club for three specialty pools, the Aqua Sports Club for indoor heated swimming year-round, and the Orchid Club for arts, ballroom events, and a library. Royal Oaks Golf Club offers an 18-hole championship course, and more than 100 activities fill the rest of the calendar.

8. Stone Creek – Ocala, FL

High $200ks – Mid $500ks

Also 30 miles from the Gulf and 90 minutes from Orlando, Stone Creek is a gated Del Webb and Pulte community that started in 2006. It’s planning for 3,800 homes in total, with Twin Villas from 1,548 to 1,709 square feet and single-family homes from 1,133 to 2,634 square feet.

The Reflection Bay complex serves as the social center, including the Reunion Center, a ballroom, billiards and card rooms, and a craft studio. The Elan Spa & Resort Pool adds indoor and outdoor pools, a spa, and fitness facilities. Outside, residents have tennis, pickleball, bocce, horseshoes, walking and biking trails, a catch-and-release fishing lake, and an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Terry Doss. For buyers comparing Stone Creek and Oak Run, the main difference is construction era and price range; Stone Creek skews newer and higher.

9. Holiday City at Berkeley – Toms River, NJ

High $100ks – High $300ks

Holiday City at Berkeley is among the larger established 55+ communities in New Jersey, with over 10,000 homes across several subcommunities in Toms River. Single-family homes range from 757 to 1,852 square feet across more than 20 floor plans, most of which have two bedrooms and a one- or two-car garage. For buyers prioritizing affordability and proximity to Jersey beach towns, it’s a strong fit.

Each subcommunity has its own clubhouse with pools, hobby rooms, and communal kitchens, plus tennis courts, horseshoe pits, shuffleboard, and bocce. A community bus connects all six clubhouses, and activities range from yoga and Zumba to camera club, fishing, and bingo. The trade-off: This is an established resale-only community, so buyers are working with existing homes rather than new construction.

10. Sun City – Sun City, AZ

Below $100k – Low $1Ms

The original. Sun City opened in 1960 as the country’s first large-scale active adult community, and it now has over 28,000 homes. Single-family homes average 946 to 2,137 square feet with two to three bedrooms; attached garden condos, duplexes, quads, and villas range from under 1,000 to over 2,000 square feet. The price range is wide enough to accommodate buyers at very different budgets, a genuine differentiator in the Phoenix market.

Seven recreation centers offer fitness facilities, pools, racquetball courts, woodworking shops, and restaurants. Eight golf courses give Sun City one of the highest golf-hole-per-capita rates in the country, which tells you something about the community’s identity. Miles of trails, pickleball and tennis courts, softball fields, fishing lakes, two libraries, a performing arts theater, and an on-site hospital round out a community that’s had 65 years to build out its infrastructure.

11. The Grand – Surprise, AZ

High $300ks – Low $1Ms

The Grand, formerly Sun City Grand, is Del Webb’s third active adult community in Phoenix’s northwest valley, and it brings a few things its predecessors didn’t. The Lifelong Learning Academy offers a continuing education program with accredited speakers, hands-on classes, and courses ranging from business and science to culinary arts and wine tasting. It’s the kind of amenity that appeals to buyers who want more than a fitness center.

The community has 9,802 homes. Condos range from 427 to 1,021 square feet, attached homes range from 1,096 to 1,441 square feet, and single-family homes range from 1,097 to 3,388 square feet, all available for resale. The Village Center anchors community life, with the Sonoran Plaza’s grand ballroom, the Adobe Spa and Fitness Center’s indoor lap and outdoor resort-style pools, and the full-service Cimarron Day Spa. Four golf courses were designed by Billy Casper and Greg Nash. Downtown Surprise’s retail, restaurants, and medical facilities are a short drive away, and Phoenix itself is about 40 minutes.

12. Latitude Margaritaville – Daytona Beach, FL

Mid $300ks – Low $800ks

Latitude Margaritaville is built around the Jimmy Buffett-inspired, salt-air lifestyle, and it leans into that fully. The Town Square hosts live music and entertainment as a regular feature, not an occasional event. The Fins Up! Fitness Center, the resort-style Paradise Pool, and amenities for tennis, pickleball, bocce, and arts and crafts round out the activity options, along with private beachfront access.

Homes are new construction with energy-efficient designs and attached garages, in a range of floor plans built to suit different lifestyles. The Daytona Beach location puts residents minutes from shopping, dining, golf, and local attractions. For buyers who want a community with a strong personality, this is a distinctive choice.

13. Latitude Margaritaville Hilton Head – Hardeeville, SC

Mid $300ks – Mid $400ks

The second Latitude Margaritaville brings the same Jimmy Buffett-inspired framework to South Carolina’s Lowcountry, about 30 minutes from Hilton Head’s beaches. The community will include more than 3,000 attached and single-family homes. It’s still growing, which matters for buyers weighing the trade-off between an established community and getting in early on something newer.

The golf-cart-accessible Town Center holds a fitness center with an indoor pool, the Last Mango Theater, the Workin’ ‘N’ Playin’ Center with a pet spa and workshop space, and the Latitude Bar & Chill Restaurant. Outside, there’s a pool with beach entry, cabanas, tiki huts, and tennis and pickleball courts. Buyers comparing the two Margaritaville communities will find that the Hilton Head location is more compact in price range and features the Lowcountry landscape as a meaningful backdrop.

14. PebbleCreek – Goodyear, AZ

Mid $300ks – Low $1Ms

Set between Phoenix, the White Tank Mountains, and Estrella Mountain Park, PebbleCreek offers 6,100 new and resale homes with solid visual geography on all sides. The Villa Home Series ranges from 1,404 to 1,903 square feet. Single-family ranch homes range from 1,619 to 3,079 square feet with up to five bedrooms, giving buyers the flexibility to accommodate guests or work-from-home setups.

Two clubhouses anchor two different social worlds. The Eagle’s Nest Clubhouse has a ballroom, an auditorium, a fitness center, a restaurant, and a Creative Arts Center. Tuscany Country Club adds a 332-seat performing arts center, a full-service restaurant and bar, billiards, and the Sports & Aquatics Complex. Two championship courses, Eagle’s Nest at 6,790 yards and Tuscany Falls at 6,640 yards, serve the golfers. The Oasis Pool covers everyone else.

15. Leisure Village West – Manchester, NJ

Mid $100ks – Mid $300ks

An established gated community spanning 825 acres in Manchester, Leisure Village West has 2,692 resale homes with more than 20 floor plans ranging from 737 to 2,013 square feet, all with one or two bedrooms and garages or nearby parking. For buyers in the New Jersey market who want a lower price point without sacrificing amenities, it’s worth serious consideration.

Three well-appointed clubhouses and more than 50 clubs support a full social calendar. The amenity list covers indoor and outdoor pools, tennis and pickleball courts, bocce and shuffleboard, arts and crafts studios, a performance theater, billiards, and walking and biking trails. Two 9-hole golf courses serve the golfers; a climate-controlled greenhouse serves the gardeners.

16. Sun City Center – Sun City Center, FL

Mid $100ks – Low $800ks

Sun City Center, near Tampa, has been here since 1961, and the depth of infrastructure shows. With over 11,000 homeowners, it functions as a self-contained village. Minto’s current collections offer new construction from 1,503 to 3,086 square feet, alongside a resale market that opens up lower price points for buyers who aren’t set on new construction.

Three amenity campuses divide the community’s offerings: Central Campus for fitness centers, indoor pools, a walking track, and arts studios; South Campus for a 10,000-square-foot auditorium, tennis and pickleball courts, and two dog parks; West Campus for garden plots and RV storage. Eight golf courses with 162 holes and nearly 200 clubs complete the picture. The Tampa Bay area’s full range of medical care, dining, and culture is a short drive away.

17. Sun City Lincoln Hills – Lincoln, CA

Low $300ks – Mid $1Ms

Northeast of Sacramento in Lincoln, Sun City Lincoln Hills has 6,783 resale homes completed by Del Webb in 2008. Attached homes range from 917 to 1,519 square feet; single-family options go from 901 to 3,068 square feet with up to four bedrooms. The rolling hills setting distinguishes it from the flat desert geometry of its Arizona counterparts.

The Orchard Creek Lodge is the centerpiece, with indoor and outdoor pools, a fitness center, an indoor walking track, and a 15,000-square-foot ballroom. Kilaga Springs Lodge adds more pools, fitness facilities, a spa, and two dining options: the Kilaga Springs Cafe and Meridians Restaurant. Two championship 18-hole courses and 27 miles of trails across the hills handle the outdoor programming.

18. Sun City Huntley – Huntley, IL

Low $200ks – Low $600ks

Northwest of Chicago, Sun City Huntley is Del Webb’s Illinois entry, with 5,489 homes completed in 2013 and about 55 floor plans covering a wider range of housing types than most Sun City locations. Options include single-family models from 1,130 to 3,000-plus square feet, attached ranch townhomes from 1,014 to 1,599 square feet, clubhome duplexes, and condo units in the four-story Arcadia building with an elevator. That breadth makes it one of the more accessible Del Webb communities for buyers with varying mobility needs or budget flexibility.

The 94,000-square-foot Prairie Lodge anchors the amenity side with fitness facilities, indoor and outdoor pools, a ballroom, and craft studios. Meadow View Lodge adds more. Whisper Creek Golf Course was designed by Billy Casper and Greg Nash, and Wildflower Park offers trails around a 19-acre fishing lake. Three dining venues and 80-plus clubs round it out.

19. Leisure World Seal Beach – Seal Beach, CA

Low $200ks – Low $600ks

One of Southern California’s first active adult communities, Leisure World Seal Beach in Orange County was completed with 6,608 co-op units and condos, a different ownership structure worth understanding before you dive in. The community is organized into 17 neighborhoods called Mutuals, each with its own governance. Ten floor plans range from 550 to 1,540 square feet, making it well-suited for buyers who are downsizing.

Six clubhouses with fitness centers, pools, and spas serve the community, along with five artisan workshops covering ceramics, woodworking, and arts and crafts. A nine-hole golf course, lawn bowling, shuffleboard, horseshoe pits, gardening plots, and a 2,500-seat amphitheater fill the outdoor space. An on-site health center, post office, and free shuttle service reduce the need to leave the property entirely. More than 200 clubs keep the social calendar active, and the beach is about ten minutes away.

20. Sun City Carolina Lakes – Bluffton, SC

Mid $300ks – Mid $700ks

Near Charlotte, Sun City Carolina Lakes covers 1,512 acres of hills and forests, a refreshing contrast to the flat coastal plains of most South Carolina 55+ communities. Del Webb completed 3,160 homes here in 2016: single-family homes from 1,103 to 2,637 square feet, villa townhomes from 1,090 to 1,455 square feet, and carriage homes from 1,554 to 2,044 square feet.

The Lake House clubhouse is the primary gathering space, with a fitness center, indoor pool and spa, indoor track, ballroom, cafe, and a demonstration kitchen. Clay tennis courts, pickleball, additional pools, and a community garden are outside. A newer clubhouse, the Lodge, adds another ballroom and pool. An 18-hole course with resident memberships, ten lakes, and trails through the hills complete the outdoor picture. Charlotte’s full range of amenities is accessible without living too close to the city.

21. Fairfield Glade – Crossville, TN

Below $100k – High $900ks

About 90 minutes from both Nashville and Chattanooga, Fairfield Glade in Crossville is one of the few large active adult communities in Tennessee, and it covers an unusually wide price range, from below $100k to nearly $1M. Options include Willshire Heights condos at 938 square feet, Lakeshore Terrace townhomes from 1,252 to 1,729 square feet, and single-family homes from 1,389 to 3,041 square feet.

The Community Center has a gymnasium, swimming pool, whirlpool spas, sauna, a TrackMan Golf Simulator, and meeting rooms. Five golf courses, 11 fishing lakes, two marinas, boat launches, outdoor pools, and pickleball courts cover the recreation side. What makes Fairfield Glade distinctive is its self-contained character. It has its own churches, a mall, a medical center, and restaurants. For buyers who want to minimize car dependence in a smaller-market setting, that matters.

22. Sun City West – Sun City West, AZ

Mid $200ks – High $900ks

Sun City West is big, with 16,900 homes situated 2.5 miles west of the original Sun City. There are 140 models, from single-family homes from 800 to over 4,600 square feet to attached ranch villas and apartment-style flats from roughly 760 to 1,880 square feet.

Four recreation centers anchor the amenity side. The R.H. Johnson Center, spread across 48 acres with 118,000 square feet under one roof, is the largest activity center in Arizona. The Palm Ridge Center adds three pools, a fitness center, tennis courts, and a ballroom. The Beardsley Center has an Olympic-size indoor pool, a mini-golf course, a greenhouse, and shady picnic pavilions. The Kuentz Center includes a softball field, a woodworking shop, and the Stardust Theatre. Seven golf courses, nine restaurants, and more than 100 chartered clubs complete the picture. The commercial corridor along Sun City West’s main streets integrates retail and dining into the community’s footprint, and most residents can meet their daily needs without leaving the area.

23. Latitude Margaritaville Watersound – Panama City Beach, FL

Mid $300ks – Low $1Ms

Built on Florida’s Emerald Coast with about 15 miles of frontage on the Intracoastal Waterway, Latitude Margaritaville Watersound is the newest entry in Minto Communities’ Jimmy Buffett-inspired lineup. The first phase of development covers 3,500 homes across five collections, from attached Conch Cottages from 1,210 to 1,481 square feet up to the spacious Vista Collection from 3,095 to 4,048 square feet, giving the community more range than either of its sister locations.

The Latitude Town Square serves as the social hub, with the Latitude Bar & Chill, the second-floor Overlook Bar, the Fins Up! Fitness Center with an indoor pool, and a town square amphitheater with a permanent dance floor. The Last Mango Theater, a craft studio, a pet spa, and a card room have recently opened. Outside, the resort-style Paradise Pool, tennis, bocce, and pickleball courts, and a kayak launch are already active, with a public marina planned. Panama City Beach is about 15 minutes away. Also, the Scenic Highway 30A corridor is a short drive in the other direction.

24. Kings Point in Delray Beach – Delray Beach, FL

Below $100k – High $200ks

Kings Point in Delray Beach is one of South Florida’s most affordable 55+ options, with 7,200 condominiums in Palm Beach County. Units range from approximately 762 to 1,100 square feet, most with one to two bedrooms, open-concept floor plans, and screened porches. Many have golf course or water views. It’s a resale-only community, which is part of what makes the price point work.

Three clubhouses handle the amenity side differently. The main clubhouse has a fitness center, theater, cafe, salon, crafting studios, and a card room, plus two outdoor pools, two tennis courts, 28 shuffleboard courts, and an 18-hole par-3 golf course. The Flanders Clubhouse adds its own fitness center, an 18-hole executive course, and four tennis courts. The Monaco Clubhouse is the smallest, covering billiards, a card room, a fitness room, a pool, and a spa. Boca Raton is 15 minutes south of this community, while West Palm Beach is 35 minutes north.

25. Kings Point – Sun City Center, FL

Low $100ks – Mid $400ks

Kings Point is a gated community within the greater Sun City Center area, but it operates independently, with its own separate legal boundaries, bylaws, and more than 100 individual condo associations. That structure is worth understanding before you start the search. Dues and rules can vary depending on which association a particular home falls under. What’s consistent is the access, with golf-cart-legal streets connecting to the retail and dining in Sun City Center, 25 miles south of Tampa.

The 90,000-square-foot main clubhouse has an indoor and outdoor pool, a spa, fitness rooms, a bingo hall, billiards, hobby and game rooms, a cafe, and the Borini Theater, a large venue featuring Broadway productions and well-known performers. The South Clubhouse, at 28,000 square feet, includes a fitness center, craft studios, and an outdoor pool, as well as volleyball, pickleball, and basketball courts. Residents also have access to Sun City Center’s amenity campuses. Three golf courses operate within Kings Point’s boundaries, including the original 18-hole executive course designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr.

FAQ: Popular 55+ Communities

What is the most affordable popular 55+ community?

Several top communities offer homes below $100,000, including Sun City in Arizona, Fairfield Glade in Crossville, TN, and Kings Point in Delray Beach, FL. Other affordable options include Oak Run in Ocala, FL (mid $100ks); Holiday City at Berkeley in Toms River, NJ (high $100ks); and Leisure Village West in Manchester, NJ (mid $100ks). Price ranges vary widely within each community.

Which states have the most popular 55+ communities?

Florida dominates the list with 11 of the top 25 communities. Arizona has four (Sun City, The Grand, PebbleCreek, Sun City West). New Jersey has three (Renaissance at Manchester, Holiday City at Berkeley, Leisure Village West). California has two (Laguna Woods Village, Sun City Lincoln Hills). South Carolina, Tennessee, and Illinois each have one or two. Florida and Arizona together account for more than half the list.

Which popular 55+ communities have golf courses?

Nearly all of the top 25 have golf. Sun City has eight courses. Sun City West has seven. The Villages has 41. Sun City Hilton Head has three. On Top of the World has three. PebbleCreek, Stone Creek, Sun City Lincoln Hills, Sun City Huntley, Sun City Center, and Sun City Carolina Lakes each have championship courses. Golf remains one of the defining amenities of the most popular active adult communities.

What are the largest 55+ communities in the U.S.?

The Villages in Florida is the largest with over 70,000 homes. Sun City in Arizona has 28,257 homes. Sun City West has 16,900. Laguna Woods Village in California has 12,736. Sun City Center in Florida has over 11,000. Sun City Hilton Head has over 10,000. On Top of the World in Ocala is planning for 10,000. Holiday City at Berkeley in New Jersey has over 10,000. Scale varies widely. Some buyers want the options a large community provides, while others prefer something smaller.

How do I choose between popular 55+ communities?

Start with your non-negotiables: climate, budget, proximity to family, and the amenities that matter most. Then narrow by community size—large communities offer more options and social variety, while smaller ones feel more intimate. Tour in person when possible, as floor plans and amenities feel different on the ground than on a screen. Compare HOA fees, what they cover, and the community’s financial health. Also, a 55places real estate expert can help you evaluate your top choices and find the right fit!