Are you nearing your retirement and know that you want to spend your retired years someplace else, but are unsure of where you want to retire to? Do you feel that there are too many options to be able to research them all without going crazy?
There are so many different retirement communities calling your name and because all that noise can be overwhelming, we’re going to walk you through our list of what we have found to be several of the best retirement communities in the USA. We’ll show you where they are, what they have to offer, and what they may cost for you if you were to purchase a home there.
Each of these communities is located in a different state, so you’ll get to have a good look at locations all over the country. Let’s begin, shall we?
The Villages
So, The Villages was actually mentioned in an article that we published previously about retirement communities in Florida, but because it’s such an incredible community there simply wasn’t any way that it was not going to make this list.
The Villages is located in The Villages, Florida. That’s right—it’s its own town. This community is huge.
It has several neighborhoods that you may select to move into, with each neighborhood having a unique theme. The community sits about 59 miles northwest of Orlando and 22 miles south of Ocala, so it’s not too far from the city should you wish to make a visit.
Some of the neighborhoods in The Villages still have homesites available if you want to build your new home, but there are also already constructed homes available for sale. The prices for pre-owned homes here can start as low as $150,000, but the pricing depends on which neighborhood the home is in as well as the model of the home.
This community has a lot to offer its residents, and because this community is so large there are three town squares in which residents may gather. These town squares offer free entertainment every night, movie theaters, shopping and dining at nationally-recognized chains as well as local businesses, banking, healthcare clinics, and more.
There are also facilities in The Villages to promote the health and wellness of residents, including The Villages Regional Hospital, three fitness facilities, and several senior living facilities. For spiritual well being, there are several churches and synagogues found throughout the community, with several different denominational options available.
Del Webb at Lake Oconee
When compiling our list for the best retirement communities, we couldn’t pass up Del Webb at Lake Oconee. Located in Greensboro, Georgia, this gated community is less than two hours east of Atlanta, an hour south of Athens, and about an hour west of Augusta.
Due to its location, finding something to do shouldn’t be very much trouble. Residents can check out the cultural or sports events going on at the University of Georgia in Athens, visit Atlanta for any number of events, or check out the museums in Augusta.
According to the community website, homes are starting at $243,990. There’s plenty to do within the community, too!
Del Webb at Lake Oconee is the only Del Webb community in the United States with direct lake access, so you can spend as much time as you want out on the water boating, swimming, or fishing. There are plenty of planned activities for residents to take part in around the community, from sports to crafts; walking trails around the lake; swimming in the heated pool; and more.
The Club at Lake Oconee is the clubhouse at the heart of this wonderful community and has much to offer residents of Del Webb at Lake Oconee. Residents are free to attend fitness classes or take advantage of the facilities at the fitness center, attend a crafts class in the arts and crafts room, enjoy the library, or play billiards in the billiard room.
PebbleCreek
PebbleCreek is one of the best active retirement communities we came across in our search. This community is located in Goodyear, AZ which is a suburb of Phoenix; so, you know that there will be no shortage of activities for retirees to check out while enjoying the beautiful weather of Phoenix.
Prices of the homes in PebbleCreek range from the $290s to the $800s, so there are homes there that can fit many different budgets.
Again, we can’t stress just how many things there are for active retirees to do at PebbleCreek. There are 18-hole and 36-hole championship golf courses, restaurants and lounges, driving ranges, a country club with a ballroom and auditorium, a fitness center, a resort-style swimming pool, and more. There are clubhouses, a creative arts center, a sports & aquatics complex with 20 pickleball courts with ramada, and more.
There are also parks and plazas found around the community. Plus, on top of everything mentioned, there are dozens of groups and clubs with activities involving creative arts, games & social, wellness & fitness, the performing arts, golf, interests & hobbies, a lifelong learning group, and even volunteer opportunities.
PebbleCreek is an excellent choice for the retiree seeking to lead an active lifestyle during their retirement!
The Village at Sherman Oaks
A lovely retirement community located in the Los Angeles, CA neighborhood of Sherman Oaks, The Village at Sherman Oaks has plenty for residents to check out in the surrounding city. The community even has its own scheduled transportation and very frequent outings for residents to go shopping or participate in local events.
This particular community does not have houses but instead has studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments for potential residents to choose from, with four floorplans available. Unfortunately, The Village at Sherman Oak website does not give out the pricing of their units, so if you are interested in this community you will need to reach out to them and request information.
There are three different lifestyle options available to residents of The Village at Sherman Oaks: independent living, assisted living, and in-home care; with these options, residents are well taken care of no matter what their living situation might be. For the in-home care option, The Village at Sherman Oaks has partnered with InTouch at Home, a senior living company, to offer personalized in-home care that meets residents’ needs.
Some of the many amenities offered to the residents of The Village at Sherman Oaks include a fitness center with group classes, a restaurant with a constantly changing menu and daily specials that’s available for 12 hours a day, a swimming pool and spa, a high-speed internet café, a store for gifts and sundries, an art room, a greenhouse and raised-bed gardens, a library, a full service salon/barbershop, and more.
Just about every need a resident may have is met by this community!
The Pinehills
The Pinehills is a beautiful community located in Plymouth, MA with some of the best retirement homes. They are gorgeous! Also, being about 45 minutes away from Boston in the north and Cape Cod to the south means that there’s plenty of adventure to be had if you like to make trips to the city.
For pricing, there are some options for building townhomes in the low $400,000s but move-in ready homes can end up all the way in the $800,000s or higher, so while it’s pricier than the other communities we’ve covered, there is still a wide range of budget options available. The price not only gets you a beautiful home, but it gets you an equally beautiful view of pines and the Atlantic Ocean!
There’s so much going on at the Pinehills for residents to take advantage of, including shopping, restaurants, a beer garden, an inn & spa, two championship golf courses, a community center with a swimming pool, a fitness center, and more than 80 clubs and classes.
The community may deal with colder weather, but the natural beauty of the surrounding area of Plymouth really adds to the charm of The Pinehills. Plus, there’s just so much history to be found here!
Conclusion
Whether you’re looking for a huge community to explore or a more intimate atmosphere, you have some options in which retirement communities to choose from now. We’ve gone over five of the best 55 and over communities that we could find, and we hope that through this list you have a little more clarity on the kind of community you wish to join.
So, what draws your interest the most? Is it the enormous community of The Villages, or perhaps the smaller community found in The Villages at Sherman Oaks? Does the rustic and historic area of Plymouth, Massachusetts draw you to The Pinehills?
Regardless of the community which you decide to join, you simply can’t deny that these five communities offer something special to their residents. Looking over these retirement communities will no doubt bring fresh ideas to your mind, and hopefully, give you some new ideas for your future retirement community.