The Villages vs. On Top of the World

Of all the community comparison articles I've written, this is probably the one people have focused on the most.

Some people describe On Top of the World in Ocala as a miniature version of The Villages, and that's a fairly good description.

“The Villages Light” if you wish.

I think that most people living in The Villages love the size and scope of the community, but it is understandably getting too big and crowded for some people, and other communities like On Top of the World that offer the same or similar amenities might be a better fit for them.

That's why I'm doing these comparisons. So let's look at a few key aspects and help you decide what's right for you.

You can also check out these other comparisons I've written, though none are as updated as the one you are reading right now:
The Villages vs. Citrus Hills
The Villages vs. Latitude Margaritaville
The Villages vs. Solivita
The Villages vs. Tradition

Location

One of the biggest complaints I hear about The Villages, particularly from those who have dreamed of living out their retirement years on or near a beach, is that it's in the middle of the state. This complaint is mitigated quite a bit by the fact that, really, pretty much anything and everything you'd need can be found within the community.

Residents call it living “inside the bubble”. Venturing outside the community is called going “outside of the bubble”. For some, this is great…totally what they're looking for, while others yearn for more diversity in the surrounding community.

On Top of the World is similar to The Villages in that you're likely not driving to the beach every day, but pretty much anything and everything you need is either right in the community or in Ocala.

Ocala, called the “Horse Capital of the World” because so many thoroughbred horses are raised and trained there, is one of the most scenic Florida locales, and is rich in history, culture, shopping, and dining.

Here's where the two communities are in relation to one another:

Editor's Note:
If you enjoy this sort of analysis, in my private, member’s only community for future Florida retirees, I’m comparing and contrasting other popular Florida retirement communities just like you see here. Learn more here… (opens in a new window)

Safety

The Villages is consistently ranked the safest place to live in Florida when I look through the FBI crime data each year, while Ocala tends to be further down the list.

But, I would argue that most 55+ communities in Florida have a safety profile similar to that of The Villages, and many of them, including On Top of the World might even be safer to live in because they have actual security gates as opposed to the many “push-button-to-open” gates The Villages has.

Size

The Villages is currently home to more than 130,000 people and nobody quite knows what they'll top out at, though recently the developer has stated people can expect The Villages to essentially double in size over the next 20 years. Yowza!

On Top of the World on the other hand is slated to have around 13,000 total homes at completion, which is still pretty big compared to most other 55+ communities in Florida.

Are you looking for smaller and perhaps more close-knit, or is bigger better for you? That will likely guide your choice.

Amenities

On Top of the World has most of the same amenities you'll find in The Villages, just fewer of them because there are far less people to serve.

On Top of the World has clubhouses, golf courses, tennis and pickleball courts, a woodshop, dog parks, basketball courts, walking trails, and so on. They just number a lot less than they do in The Villages.

While The Villages has multiple town squares with free nightly entertainment, On Top of the World only has one, and nightly entertainment only takes place on certain nights.

Both communities have regular farmer's markets, restaurants, coffee shops, and stores, but again, in The Villages, they vastly outnumber what's available at On Top of the World. Look at it this way, I know people who live at On Top of the World and travel to The Villages for entertainment, restaurants, and shopping. I'm not sure I've ever heard it happening the other way around.

But, one thing On Top of the World DOES have is an indoor pool … something The Villages still DOES NOT have despite numerous requests from residents over the years.

Fees

The monthly amenities fee in The Villages is $189/month at the time of this writing.

At On Top of the World fees range from about $184 to $390 per month depending on which type of neighborhood you decide to live in and what is included. 

As you'll learn about below there are some neighborhoods in On Top of the World that are “maintenance-free”, meaning all your grass cutting, landscaping, and other outside items are taken care of for you, but the costs to deliver those services are rolled into your monthly fee.

If you're interested in the nitty gritty, I provide a full cost of living breakdown for On Top of the World at Florida Retirement Insider.

Golf

The Villages is the single biggest golf community in the world, with more than 700 holes of golf and the number is still growing. If variety is what you're after, I would say The Villages is your best bet in the golf department.

On Top of the World on the other hand has 54 holes of golf spread out over 3 courses, two of which are private and one is semi-private. Their semi-private course, Candler Hills, was recently named by GolfAdvisor the #3 golf course in Florida, so if quality is what you're after, On Top of the World might be the better option for you.

Clubs and Organized Groups

Both The Villages and On Top of the World offer lots of clubs and organized groups you can join, and the number of options closely correlates to the number of residents in each community.

Currently, I'm told On Top of the World has about 175 clubs, compared to The Villages which has more than 2,400 clubs and organized groups.

Lifelong Learning

Both communities excel compared to most other Florida retirement communities in the realm of lifelong learning.

The Villages has led the charge among 55+ communities in terms of opportunities for lifelong learning, first with their Lifelong Learning College, which had to unwind due to a lawsuit brought by residents with hearing disabilities that felt like proper accommodations were not being provided for them.

A little while later, a new program took its place, called The Enrichment Academy. Similar concept as the Lifelong Learning College, just administered under the direction of the recreation department as opposed to being a stand-alone entity. The current course catalog lists hundreds of available classes, seminars, talks, and other opportunities.

On Top of the World has a similar program called Master the Possibilities. Master the Possibilities boasts a highly credentialed faculty with over 150 instructors, medical professionals and college professors from across the U.S. as well as a Visiting Scholars program. Their state-of-the-art facility features lecture halls, classrooms, art studios, a computer lab and more.

Real Estate

The Villages' own salespeople will be the first to tell you, you're not buying a house there, you're buying a lifestyle. That said, the homes there are perfectly fine for most people and you can find places priced from about the $200k's to well over a million and everything in between.

Home prices at On Top of the World are pretty similar to what you'll find in The Villages, but I've had readers tell me that they felt they got more “bang for their buck” at On Top of the World.

Here's what one reader who recently considered both communities but ultimately chose On Top of the World had to say about this:

Most homes in The Villages are quite small, as are the lots, and it’s expensive.  At On Top of the World, on the other hand, the homes are much larger, the lots (for the estate homes) are .25 acre, spreading the homes out a bit, and the cost to build is very reasonable.

We've mentioned this in other head-to-head community comparisons, but one thing I know a lot of people are looking for is the concept of “maintenance-free”.

It's very hard to find that in The Villages, but On Top of the World offers entire maintenance-free neighborhoods where all of your home's exterior maintenance and lawn care is taken care of.

It's “lock and leave” convenience for those who travel frequently and/or just want less hassle with those types of issues in retirement.

Rentals

Need a rental, even for as short as a few days or a week? The Villages is the place for you. In fact, much has been written about the issues The Villages is facing caused by too much short term rental activity.

While The Villages has pretty lax rental restrictions, On Top of the World's rental restrictions are pretty stiff.

On Top of the World only allows rentals of at least 6 months + 1 day or longer. This is great if you are a full-time resident and don't want to see a steady stream of strangers in and out of the houses around you, but not so good if you want to rent and do so on a short-term basis.

Which community should you choose?

This will really boil down to the features that are most important to you above and how each community delivers on those things.

Whichever way you choose, I don’t think you could go wrong with either one.

You can request more information about On Top of the World just by filling out the form below, or you can check out my book and learn more about The Villages here.