By Scout Eveleth,
Licensed Florida Realtor (FL License # BK3491000)
When buyers ask me what it costs to live in The Villages, they’re usually thinking about the home price and maybe the amenity fee. But the purchase price is only the beginning. There are five separate recurring costs that determine what you’ll actually pay every month, and they vary from one home to the next — sometimes by a lot. Two homes at the same price can cost noticeably different amounts to own. Here’s the honest, full breakdown so you can budget with real numbers instead of surprises.
Every homeowner in The Villages pays five recurring costs beyond their mortgage: property taxes, the CDD bond assessment, the CDD maintenance assessment, the fire/rescue assessment, and the monthly amenity fee. On top of those, you have the normal costs of any home — insurance, utilities, and upkeep. The five Villages-specific costs are what trip up out-of-state buyers, because most of them don’t exist in the same form anywhere else. Let me walk through each one.
The Villages spans three counties, and your property tax rate depends on which one your home sits in. Sumter County runs approximately 1.0%, Marion County approximately 1.4 to 1.5%, and Lake County approximately 1.6% of assessed value. Most of The Villages is in Sumter County, but the county line matters — two nearly identical homes in different counties can have meaningfully different tax bills.
One critical point for buyers: in Florida, the assessed value resets to your purchase price after you buy. The seller’s current tax bill is not what you’ll pay — calculate your projected taxes from the purchase price, then apply for the homestead exemption after closing to reduce your taxable value and cap future increases. Verify the county by property address, not ZIP code, since ZIP codes here don’t reliably match county lines. All the verified county and tax figures are on my Villages facts page.
The CDD bond is a property-based infrastructure assessment that financed the roads, utilities, and amenities in each section of The Villages. It appears as a non-ad valorem line on your property tax bill, and it transfers with the home unless it’s paid off. Bond amounts vary widely by village and build era — older homes often have bonds mostly or fully paid down, while newer homes carry active balances that can run several thousand dollars a year.
This is the single most-overlooked cost for new buyers, and it can swing your annual carrying cost significantly. Get the exact bond balance and annual assessment for any specific home before you make an offer. My bond explained guide covers how it works, and my post on bond-paid vs bond-balance homes explains how to compare them.
Separate from the bond, the CDD maintenance assessment funds ongoing upkeep of the common areas managed by your Community Development District — landscaping, roads, stormwater systems, and shared infrastructure. Unlike the bond, it doesn’t end when a balance is paid off; it continues for as long as you own the home and is reset annually based on the district’s budget. It also appears as a line item on your property tax bill.
The fire/rescue assessment funds fire protection and emergency medical services for the community. It’s a separate non-ad valorem line on your tax bill, set by the county. The developer’s own cost materials group the bond, maintenance, and fire assessments together as the property’s total assessment, but they’re distinct charges — worth understanding separately so you know exactly what each line on your bill represents.
The monthly amenity fee is approximately $204 for new buyers as of early 2026. It’s billed monthly and gives your household access to the community’s recreation infrastructure: unlimited walking play on all 46 executive golf courses, more than 100 recreation centers and pools, sports courts, the multi-modal path network, and free live entertainment at the established town squares.
It is not an HOA fee — The Villages has no traditional homeowners association. It’s a contractual obligation tied to the deed, and it adjusts annually based on each home’s deed restrictions, so a neighbor’s rate may differ slightly from yours. Championship golf, specialty club fees, and dining are not included. For the full breakdown of what the amenity fee does and doesn’t cover, see my costs and fees guide.
Beyond the five Villages-specific costs, budget for the normal costs of homeownership: homeowner’s insurance (where roof age is a major factor in Florida pricing), utilities including water and sewer billed through the district, lawn and pest service if you don’t handle it yourself, and irrigation. If you golf with a cart, trail fees apply on the executive courses even though walking play is included in the amenity fee. Optional costs include championship golf memberships and specialty club dues.
This is the part buyers miss when they shop by list price alone. Two homes can be listed at the same price but cost very different amounts each month once you add up all five costs. A home in Sumter County with a paid-off bond will carry far less than a similarly priced home in Lake County with an active bond balance. The purchase price tells you the upfront cost; the five recurring costs tell you the real monthly commitment.
When I help buyers compare homes, we look at total carrying cost — taxes, bond, maintenance, fire, and amenity fee together — not just the sticker price. It’s the only way to compare two homes fairly. Browse individual village pages to see how build era, county, and bond status vary across the community, or start with my breakdown of the three geographic areas.
The cost of living in The Villages isn’t a single number — it’s five recurring costs that vary by home, county, and build era, plus the normal costs of any home. The amenity fee gets the most attention, but the bond and county taxes often make the bigger difference between two homes. Before you make an offer, get the real numbers for the specific property and add them all up. That’s how you buy with clear eyes and no surprises on your first tax bill.
Want me to run the full cost breakdown on a specific home or village you’re considering? That’s exactly the kind of thing I help buyers work through before they make an offer.
Scout Eveleth, Licensed Florida Realtor
Realty Executives in The Villages
FL License BK3491000
352-780-1479
scout@scoutthevillages.com
scoutthevillages.com/contact/
This is general educational information, not legal, tax, insurance, or financial advice. Verify details for the specific property before making decisions.
I answer questions like these with buyers every week. Reach out any time.