The Villages is one of the largest retirement communities in the country and a senior-care market all its own. Here's how care works there, what it costs, and how to plan a move.
By Orlando Senior Advisor Care Team · June 27, 2026
The Villages spans Sumter, Lake, and Marion counties about an hour northwest of downtown Orlando, with well over 140,000 mostly-retired residents. It functions as a self-contained town — three town squares, its own UF Health hospital, and golf-cart infrastructure — so the senior-care continuum here is unusually complete, from active independent living to assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing.
That self-sufficiency is the key planning point: families don't need to 'move a parent to Orlando' for care. The Villages and the surrounding communities of Lady Lake, Wildwood, and Oxford have their own licensed providers, and we track them just as we do the rest of the metro.
You'll find the full range here: large active-adult and independent-living communities, AHCA-licensed assisted living, secured memory care, and nursing/rehab. Costs run near the Orlando metro average, with assisted living roughly $3,400–$5,400 a month. Because so many residents arrive while still independent, planning the next care level early is especially valuable in The Villages.
Whether your parent already lives in The Villages or is relocating to be near family, line up the care level first, verify the AHCA license, and factor in the distance from Orlando proper when coordinating hospital follow-up. UF Health The Villages Hospital and AdventHealth Waterman in nearby Tavares are the main anchors.
A free advisor who knows the Sumter/Lake market can shortlist licensed options near a specific village and coordinate the move.
A free call with zero sales pressure. Whether you're new to Central Florida or new to senior care, we answer to your family — not to the communities we recommend.