Districts & Villages
Reviewed 2026-08-16
How the community is structured into 25+ government districts and 100+ named neighborhoods, expanding north-to-south over four decades — plus how to find which district a specific home is in, since that (not the village name) drives its fees, bond, and vote.
The CDD Structure: 25+ Special-Purpose Districts
The Villages is governed by 25+ Community Development Districts (CDDs) — special-purpose local governments created under Florida Chapter 190. They are grouped into: 16 residential CDDs (Lady Lake/Lake County + Districts 1–15), 4 commercial CDDs (Village Center, Sumter Landing, Brownwood, Eastport), and 3 utility/service districts (North Sumter County Utility, Wildwood Utility, Villages Public Safety Department). Each residential CDD has a 5-member Board of Supervisors that sets its budget and policies. CDDs handle infrastructure maintenance, bond debt repayment, deed compliance, fire service, and amenity access — but do NOT control real estate transactions, law enforcement, entertainment, hospitals, or county tax rates.
Sources: [Villages Community Development Districts (districtgov.org)] [The Villages 101] [Wikipedia]
Origins: Orange Blossom Gardens to The Villages
The community began in the 1960s when Michigan businessman Harold Schwartz bought thousands of central Florida acres and sold parcels by mail order. After a 1968 federal law ended mail-order land sales, Schwartz and partner Al Tarrson built Orange Blossom Gardens — a modest mobile home park in northwestern Lake County with about 400 units by the early 1980s. In 1983 Schwartz brought in his son H. Gary Morse, who rapidly expanded amenities and sales (99 homes in 1983, 277 in 1984). The community was formally renamed 'The Villages' in 1992. By 2001 it had 27,000+ residents; by 2020 it exceeded 130,000.
North-to-South Growth: Four Eras
The Villages has expanded in four broad waves keyed to its three county road / highway boundaries: (1) Pre-CR 466 / Lake County — the original 1980s–early 1990s development around Orange Blossom Gardens and Spanish Springs; Spanish Springs Town Square opened in 1994–1995 as the first themed town center. (2) CR 466 to CR 466A — 1990s–2000s Sumter County expansion; Lake Sumter Landing Market Square anchors this band. (3) CR 466A to SR 44 — 2000s–2010s; Brownwood Paddock Square opened October 2012 as the third town center with an 'Old Florida' cattle-country theme. (4) South of SR 44 — 2010s–present; the massive Southern Oaks and Middleton expansion, with Sawgrass Grove already established and Eastport emerging as the newest southern square and entertainment hub.
Sources: [Florida Heritage] [Inside the Bubble] [Villages-News.com]
Districts by Geographic Band
The 16 residential CDDs map onto the four geographic bands. Lady Lake / Lake County district covers the original Orange Blossom Gardens area. Districts 1–3 lie north of CR 466 in early Sumter County, and District 4 is the community's northernmost residential CDD, located in Marion County (established 2000 under Marion County Ordinance 00-06) — together these are among the oldest homes, many bonds already paid off, with the lowest CDD maintenance fees (~$355/yr). Districts 5–11 occupy the CR 466 to SR 44 band — mid-period development, a mix of paid and active bonds. Districts 12–16 are south of SR 44 — the newest construction, bonds rarely paid off (balances $20,000–$30,000+), highest CDD maintenance fees (up to $1,200/yr). Marion County's villages are not outside the numbered series — they make up numbered residential District 4.
Sources: [The Villages 101] [Robyn Cavallaro (Villages Buyer Specialist)] [Villages Community Development Districts (districtgov.org)]
100+ Named Neighborhoods ('Villages')
Within the CDDs there are now over 100 individually named neighborhoods — each marketed as a 'Village.' Lake County (oldest, ~15 villages) includes Country Club, Orange Blossom Gardens, Pine Hills, Silver Lake, Valle Verde. Sumter County (60+ villages) includes familiar names like Alhambra, Belle Aire, Duval, Fenney, Gilchrist, Largo, Osceola Hills, Santiago, Sanibel, Summerhill, and Tierra Del Sol. Marion County (a northern portion, ~8 villages) includes Briar Meadow, Calumet Grove, Chatham, Piedmont, Springdale, and Woodbury. Each village has its own deed restrictions governing landscaping, exterior modifications, and use.
Sources: [Every Day Is A Vacation] [The Villages 101] [Wikipedia]
Older North vs. Newer South: Key Differences
The age of the development zone has practical financial consequences. Older northern villages (Lake and Marion County / Districts 1–4) typically have smaller homes (Patio Villas, ranch styles), lower base prices, bonds that are often paid off or nearly so, and lower CDD maintenance fees. Newer southern villages (Districts 12–16, Sumter County / Wildwood) have larger designer homes and cottages, higher purchase prices, active bonds with $20,000–$30,000+ remaining balances, and higher CDD fees. Golf cart path access and proximity to a town square also vary significantly by zone — the southernmost expansion areas are farthest from the established town squares.
Sources: [Robyn Cavallaro (Villages Buyer Specialist)] [Here to There Moving LLC]
The Southern Expansion: Southern Oaks and Middleton
The current frontier of growth is south of SR 44 toward the city of Center Hill and Bushnell. In September 2024, Wildwood commissioners approved 2,100 more homes on 753 acres near Middleton. A December 2023 site plan for 3,700 homes on 1,483 acres in the Villages of Southern Oaks was also approved. Middleton is being developed as a mixed-use 'live, work, play' district that includes the new Villages Charter School campus — a departure from the strict 55+ model. In total, Wildwood has authorized construction of nearly 50,000 homes in the broader expansion area, which would roughly double the existing community when complete.
Sources: [Villages-News.com] [Homes.com News]
Which district is a home in — and why it matters
Here's the practical part for a buyer: the VILLAGE name does not tell you the DISTRICT number, and the district is what actually governs your fees, bond, and vote. Two adjacent streets — even homes in the same named village — can sit in different CDDs with different bond balances and different annual maintenance fees. So don't assume; look it up by the exact address. The District runs an official 'Find My District' tool: type in the home's address and it returns the residential CDD number, which then tells you the board that sets that district's budget, the maintenance-fee schedule, and (if you own there) the Board of Supervisors election you'd vote in. Why it matters: (1) your CDD maintenance fee varies by district (from roughly $355/yr up north to $1,200/yr in the newest southern districts); (2) your bond balance is per-unit within the district (look it up separately — see Taxes & Fees for the bond tool); and (3) as a resident you elect that district's five-member Board of Supervisors, so the district is your most local layer of government. Confirm the district for any specific home before you make an offer, alongside the bond and the amenity fee.
Sources: [The Villages Community Development Districts] [Villages-News.com] [Robyn Cavallaro (Villages Buyer Specialist)]