The Top 10 Master-Planned Communities in the U.S. Revealed: Florida’s Infamous Villages Claims No. 1 Spot

There are more than 500 master-planned communities in the U.S., ranging from small, tight-knit neighborhoods to ones with thousands of residents and multiple ZIP codes.

The John Burns Research and Consulting team recently released its annual Top 50 Master-Planned Communities list with a well-known Florida community topping the list.

A master-planned community (MPC) is a cohesive development that typically has a wide array of housing, often combined with retail and commercial spaces, and lifestyle amenities such as trails, parks, a fitness center, and a pool.

There are often homeowners association (HOA) fees involved for maintenance and access to amenities. MPCs also usually have consistent themes, branding, and marketing.

For instance, Amblebrook in Gettysburg, PA, leans heavily on social clubs and classes, many with intellectual interests. Serenbe, outside of Atlanta, is all about wellness and sustainability.

Each MPC on the list sold over 360 homes in 2025, with seven selling over 1,000, a new record in the John Burns survey.

In total, approximately 34,000 MPC homes were sold, down 4% from last year. This is also down from the 39,000 homes sold in the banner year of 2021, when interest rates were at historic lows.

Beyond the sense of community it offers, is an MPC worth buying into?

"MPCs offer some predictability in terms of what will be built near your home next that a regular new-home community does not, but those who bristle at overreaching HOAs may not like the rules they are subject to with their own homes," says Joel Berner, senior economist at Realtor.com®.

"Those with keen architectural sense may perceive MPC homes as somewhat 'cookie-cutter,' but they are generally high in quality and hold value well."

Ranked No. 1: The Villages in Florida

No. 1 on the list, The Villages in Florida, has made headlines for its apparent wild, swinging ways—though some living there have debunked the rumors.

The senior community, northwest of Orlando, spans 57 square miles and has over 100,000 residents who call themselves "Villagers."

It's the largest MPC in the country, offering a wide array of amenities, including 4,000-plus social and special-interest clubs as well as activities like square dancing, drama, water ballet, belly dancing, precision golf cart driving, cheerleading, and tambourine tapping, all for the low $204 amenity fee.

Last year, U.S. Census Bureau data revealed that The Villages was the nation's fastest-growing metro, growing 4.7% from 2022 to 2023.

The community's reputation as a party town is so well-known that an NBA legend shared that he'd like to retire there.

“The dream scenario is: There’s this place called The Villages. The Villages is an old folks’ home, but they have the highest rate of STDs. I want to be there," said Shaquille O'Neal on his podcast. "When I get to 65 and I can’t move, take me down to Ocala, FL. Just drop me off, my boy."

Should The Villages not appeal to you, there's Babcock Ranch in Fort Myers, which had the biggest increase in sales, from 797 to 1,066, a 34% bump.

The 18,000-acre MPC runs on solar power. In 2022, it was hit by Hurricane Ian and came away unscathed.

"When they were building the community, hurricanes were the No. 1 thing they wanted to make sure it could withstand," Benjamin Board of Nicklaus Vance, who lives in the community, told Realtor.com in December.

MPC lifestyle and amenities

Lifestyle was the No. 1 factor that influenced buyer demand.

"Master-planned communities continue to differentiate themselves from traditional neighborhoods through cohesive design strategies that focus on enhancing residents' quality of life," says the report.

Top-quality amenities, access to good schools, enhanced security, mixed housing offerings that can appeal to different seasons of life, and a built-in sense of community and belonging were the factors buyers wanted the most.

Florida agent Cara Ameer, who sells in the No. 7-ranked SilverLeaf in Jacksonville, tells Realtor.com that excellent schools were a big lure of the MPC.

"Buyers love the St. Johns County location that affords a very nice quality of life and access to top-notch schools," she says. "The county is building a brand-new K-8 school right in the community."

Very important to buyers are accessible outdoor spaces, such as trails and parks. Innovative features such as bird sanctuaries, community gardens, and skate parks are gaining popularity. One of the hottest amenities in recent years is pickleball, a sport similar to tennis but with small paddles.

Pickleball has become so trendy that you'd be hard-pressed to find a newer MPC that doesn't offer several courts.

Then there are communities known for their luxury and upscale clientele.

Las Vegas' Summerlin, named for billionaire aviator Howard Hughes' grandmother Jean Summerlin, has strict architectural and design standards. Spanning 22,500 acres, it boasts more than 300 parks and 200 miles of walking, biking, and hiking trails.

This elevated look and lifestyle—not to mention proximity to Sin City—has attracted notables such as tennis champ Andre Agassi, actor Mark Wahlberg, singer Celine Dion, and musician Carlos Santana.

"When buyers tour the area, they consistently notice how clean, cohesive, and upscale the community feels compared to other parts of the valley," Re/Max Advantage agent Robert Little tells Realtor.com.

"I recently worked with a couple who explored homes throughout the Las Vegas Valley, but ultimately chose Summerlin because of the stunning mountain views from their backyard and the close proximity to hiking trails and outdoor recreation," he says.

There are currently 185 listed properties in Summerlin, with a robust median price of $675,000.

Affordability

The next feature that attracted buyers was, no surprise, affordability.

"Affordability remained a major housing headwind in 2025, driven by elevated mortgage rates, rising insurance costs, and persistent construction and regulatory pressures," says the report.

"Living in an MPC provides the opportunity for access to robust shared amenities and thoughtful community development, but at the expense of individuality and higher costs," says Berner. "Homes in MPCs are usually more expensive and subject to higher HOA fees."

Through coordinated planning and flexible product strategies, MPCs were mostly able to meet affordability challenges.

"Affordability challenges were increasingly addressed through design flexibility and product mix rather than rigid land plans," says the report.

Builders' ability to offer incentives like free upgrades and mortgage rate buydowns kept the sales going.

Inventory and incentives

Unlike traditional sellers who are trying to get the most for their home, national builders can shift to offering prospective buyers a host of incentives, such as special mortgage rates, mortgage rate buydowns, free upgrades, flexible floor plans, prefabricated homes, and cheaper finishes.

The Colony, a 2,300-acre master-planned community with 4,000 homes under construction in Bastrop, TX, is offering enticing deals to buyers—and, as a local agent lamented to Realtor.com, it was causing the existing-home market to stagnate.

Inventory was high in 2025, peaking near 3.0 unsold homes per community. This pushed down prices, particularly in the Sun Belt markets, prompting builders to prioritize sales pace over profit margins, says the report.

Places with the largest inventory include Texas, the Southwest, and Florida.

But the report remains optimistic about the future of the MPC.

"Despite elevated inventory, which affected even top-performing MPCs, communities that combined targeted incentive strategies, compelling lifestyle positioning, and well-coordinated sales execution outperformed," it says.

1. The Villages in Florida

Net sales: 3,611

Median price: $360,000

2. Lakewood Ranch in Sarasota, FL

Net sales: 2,085

Median price: $649,000

3. Cadence in Las Vegas, NV

Net sales: 1,247

Median price: $524,900

4. Babcock Ranch in Fort Myers, FL

Net sales: 1,066

Median price: $448,510

5. Sunterra in Houston, TX

Net sales: 1,024

Median price (Katy, TX): $382,990

6. Cane Bay Plantation in Charleston, SC

Net sales: 1,005

Median price: $429,900

7. SilverLeaf in Jacksonville, FL

Net sales: 1,002

Homes start at $249,000

8. Wellen Park in Sarasota, FL

Net sales: 992

Homes start at $690,000

9. Summerlin in Las Vegas, NV

Net sales: 962

Median price: $881,900

10. Bridgeland in Houston , TX

Net sales: 812

Median price: $519,950