Two of the most popular retirement destinations in Florida right now are Ocala and The Villages. While both offer a unique retirement experience, they cater to slightly different preferences and lifestyles.
If you are choosing between these two places for retirement, I don't envy you. You've got a heckuva decision on your hands, as they are both great in their own ways.
In this article, we will take a closer look at these two options to help you make an informed decision about which one suits your retirement goals best.
Location
Depending on which part of Ocala or The Villages you're traveling to or from, it can take anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes to get between each place by car.
Because these two places are so close together, it's hard to argue that either location is necessarily better, but there are a few things to mention.
One that comes to mind is that The Villages is closer to Orlando, which is where most people visiting this part of the state fly into. Living in Ocala though, you might actually choose to fly in and out of Gainesville.
Since both locations are just about as far away from the coasts as possible, you will have far less to worry about as far as hurricanes are concerned and your insurance rates will likely be a little lower than in most of Florida's coastal counties.
In fact, according to a recent WSJ study, Ocala was determined to be the most hurricane resilient cities in Florida, and I'd venture to say The Villages is right there with it.
Healthcare
There are multiple hospitals in Ocala including HCA Florida Ocala Hospital and Advent Health Ocala and tons of local Dr's offices and specialty care options.
The Villages is sort of a mixed bag in the healthcare department. It does have it's own hospital, but it's not known for having the highest ratings. There is also The Villages Health, which is a network of care centers located all throughout the community, and golf cart accessible, which is nice.
Lifestyle
Ocala offers a more laid-back and traditional Florida lifestyle. It's ideal for retirees who prefer a slower pace and enjoy a mix of outdoor activities, cultural events, and natural beauty.
While Ocala itself has a wide range of amenities, including golf courses and parks, it doesn't have the same level of all-inclusive amenities and facilities found in The Villages.
The Villages is well known for its active and social lifestyle. It's great for retirees looking for an active, vibrant community with thousands of organized clubs, activities, and events.
Golfers looking for a lot of variety in the courses they play from day to day or week to week will probably find paradise in The Villages with its more than 700 holes of golf spread throughout the community, and of course the fact that golf carts are the preferred mode of transportation doesn't hurt either.
While a lot of the communities I'll mention below are very golf cart friendly, Ocala itself is more car dependent than The Villages.
Cost of Living
Among Florida's most popular retirement cities, Ocala is always among the best in the cost of living department.
The Villages cost of living is also among the best as far as places to retire in Florida go.
But it's also important to keep in mind that the community you choose will play a big role in your specific cost of living.
Obviously, independent of housing costs, most residents of The Villages will have a similar cost of living, but your cost of living in Ocala can vary quite a bit, based on the HOA fees, Golf fees, and so on in whatever community you choose.
Real Estate
The big difference here is that The Villages is obviously one big community, while Ocala is made up of a bunch of smaller (compared to The Villages anyway) communities.
But despite being one community, The Villages is also a community with a VERY wide range of home choices available. We're talking everything from manufactured homes in the older parts of The Villages to homes that go for more than a million dollars, and about every other price point in between.
Here you can scroll through some of the latest listings to hit the market in The Villages:
In Ocala on the other hand, you could choose to retire in a 55+ community similar to The Villages, but you could also find yourself a house on a piece of land that's a little more removed from your neighbors.
One thing I commonly hear from readers who chose Ocala instead of The Villages is that they felt they got a better bang for their buck as far as housing is concerned in Ocala. I don't think I've ever heard a reader who chose The Villages instead of Ocala express the same sentiment.
I think the competition among the variety of builders in Ocala contributes to this, and I also think they use price to try to entice people away from The Villages.
Here's one of the more popular 55+ communities in Ocala:
At On Top of the World Communities, active adults will find all they dream about and so much more. Located in beautiful Ocala Florida, On Top of the World residents can enjoy any schedule that suits their tastes – from activity packed to unhurried. Leisure amenities include 54 holes of golf on three courses, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, a private R/C flying field, bocce, racquetball, and basketball courts, a fitness center, a health club and spa, restaurants, cultural venues, and much more. Prices start in the $200k's.
We value your privacy. Your information will not be shared with anyone other than On Top of the World.
Final Thoughts
In the end, the choice between Ocala and The Villages as your Florida retirement destination depends on your personal preferences and priorities. Ocala offers maybe a little more diverse range of housing options and more of a nature-focused lifestyle, while The Villages provides a bustling, social, and amenity-rich community with an active lifestyle centered around golf and organized activities.
Before making your decision you should spend some time in both locations, talk to residents, and consider what aspects of retirement are most important to you.
If you live in either Ocala or The Villages, I'm sure my readers would love to hear which one you prefer and why, so please leave your thoughts down below!
I have had 3 homes in the Villages for about 9 years and it is the best decision I ever made. I am only here 6 months each year but I love every minute of it. I don’t golf or play pickleball but I dance(lots) and I swim. With over 110 pools, I can go to any I want. Where else can you find polo grounds? Because I am so busy, I love that I never have to leave T.V. unless I am going to the airport and we have shuttles for that. We have numerous grocery stores, drug stores, Home Goods, gobs of restaurants and all the chains plus local fun shops at all 3 town squares. We have 2 performing arts centers that I attend frequently. Of course it is growing but all the new growth is south of 44 and quite a distance away so I rarely go down there and they have their own town square. I am just north of the polo fields and is super quiet up here. What’s not to love? And even if you are not physically active, they have so many rec centers that you can do all kinds of crafts and play games with your new best friends.
So many people are migrating south now that most restaurants are crowded and do not have enough help. Also, I live in the villages north end with restaurants and retail shopping via golf cart. My friend lives in Ocala and the main highway is 200 which is bumper to bumper on any given day. Also they live in a small 55+ community with far less amenities and pay quite a bit more than I.
No place is perfect but choose wisely.
My Husband & I chose neither the Villages or On top of the World. We chose “The Plantations”. Love the location, 2 golf courses, 4 pools & any an all clubs, you could imagine. All this & more for a monthly fee of $135.00 a month. Love all the beautiful trees & we still can visit the Villages nightlife or shopping less then 20 minutes away.
Where is the Plantations community located please?
Before I moved I looked at the Villages and OTOTW as well as other locations in Florida. Wanting to stay away from Hurricanes placed my 2 locations as Villages and OTOTW.
Villages have music every night in multiple locations, lots of restaurants that you can eat at easily with a reservation.
OTOTW is a MUCH SLOWER pace with limited restaurants and poor infrastructure.
But because I got a better home for the money I chose OTOTW and realize I have to drive to Gainesville for nicer restaurants.
Good luck to you. Just realize no place is perfect.
Lived in The Villages for almost 20 years. It’s now an AirBNB mecca. Long lines for almost every activity and crime are common. Healthcare is limited especially during the winter months. If you need healthcare you are better off in Ocala since there is another hospital being built there. Most importantly The Villages is NOT a gated community.
Very informative. Thank you. Definitely leaning toward Ocala.
We bought in The Villages in 2014. At the time we were told we would be at the south end of the building, just north of Sr 44. NOT SO. We have great neighbors, but find the unabated growth troubling. Had we known what we know now we would have found another destination. The”village” design helps it retain the smaller feel, but outside you village as others have said it is large city. Trolls who can submit anonymous complaints sure deter from “Florida friendliest” along with unequal enforcement covenants and rules. If not for great neighbors we would be long gone. Choose Wisely and believe little what the realtors tell you.
Same thing I was told the same bought in 2009 sold in 2016
I was back in Florida this year and couldn’t believe how large it became and my salesman I would definitely not ever recommend. Glad I got out
We lived in The Villages for 8 years. Near the end of that period we felt the lines and wait times were too long and events too crowded. We have now been in On Top of The World near Ocala for 3 years. It was a great move for us. A good value, and a less crowded, more laid back, and more neighborly feel.
We moved to Florida 4 years ago. Prior to moving, we did an extensive search, including overnight stays, at 6 different communities including Citrus Hills and the Villages. We wanted to live in the Northern portion of Florida so we could drive North to other states rather than having to fly and we wanted to stay away from the tolls and traffic madness of Orlando and South.
We chose the Ocala area and moved into On Top of the World, and we have never regretted our decision! It is a great compromise in size between The Villages and Citrus Hills. OTOW is about 10% the size of The Villages, but that still means a community of almost 10,000 retirees. It is significantly larger than Citrus Hills which we learned was not a 55 + Community.
The two things that really impacted our decision were Cost of Living (COL) and a less busy and laid back lifestyle. At the outset, we feel we got about 20% more house than we would have at either The Villages or Citrus Hills. Our HOA fees are less that $300/month for all our security and activities, and we do not have any monthly infrastructure fees that the Villagers psy. We have found that in almost all categories that our COL is less than we budgeted with only moderate, if any increase year to year.
In terms of lifestyle, Citrus Hills is quite isolated and may lack many services. On the other hand, the “hustle and bustle” of The Villages was obvious once the snowbirds return. Golf carts buzzing around and waiting lines at restaurants and Pickleball courts was the norm. OTOW has over 100 Clubs that cover almost any activity you can imagine, and the developer keeps the premises in great condition. We also like that our (3) entrances are staffed with gate security 24/7.
There are really only two downsides to our chosen location, but we knew those before we moved in. The Villages has more services and restaurants “built-in” to their master plan, and we are an hour further from the major airport of Orlando and Tampa. At least for us, we gladly made those sacrifices for our quality of life in the Ocala area! We very much enjoy North Central Florida, and don’t at all miss the snow of Iowa!
We lived in The Villages for about 4 years until escaping to Citus Hills in Inverness. We are about 12 minutes in from Crystal River and the Gulf. There IS a lot to do in The Villages however, neighbors are very very close and if you’re not a golfer you can be out of the loop even with all other activities offered which you may not be able to get into because of being filled up! It’s got SO big! We enjoy the quieter area and having place where we are now. There’s a lot available here in Inverness and the downtown area ALWAYS has activities going on. I suggest renting in The Villages before buying. Just my opinion.