America's fastest-growing neighborhood for young people revealed - and why it's the last place you'd expect
The fastest-growing place for young people in the US is the last place you might expect: a metro area that includes a 55-plus retirement in Central Florida previously labeled a 'drunken' hotbed for elderly hookups.
The Villages, located between Sumter and Marion counties, is described as one of the nation's largest retirements communities yet its neighboring Wildwood has seen a youth invasion over the last decade.
Its fastest growing demographic is children aged 14 and under, Tampa Bay Times reported. There has been a staggering 18.4 percent rise due, in part, to the working-age population soaring by 19.1 percent, the U.S. Census Bureau data showed.
The Wildwood-The Villages metro area had more than 151,500 residents last year, most of whom are retirees, up from 130,000 residents in 2020.
However, despite the influx of young families, some residents are concerned due to a lack of resources such as childcare.
The Villages, a retirement community in Central Florida, where more young families are flocking
The fastest growing demographic is children 14 and younger - with data showing a staggering 18.4 percent rise due, in part, to the working-age population soaring by 19.1 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau
The lack of family-friendly services available - including an urgent care center for children, pediatric dentists and specialists, youth programs and family activities - has left some residents struggling.
Eldresh St. Fleurant, 28, a married mother-of-two, described the area as both 'good' and 'bad.'
'If you don't come to something like [the library's Storytime event for kids], you're not going to find young families cruising around here,' she explained.
Morgan Philion, 31, shared the same sentiment, explaining that if you want to go to a children's museum the closest one is 80 miles away in Tampa.
Meanwhile, Sarah Feeney, 40, a mother of two young children, called her experience finding a local audiologist for her three-year-old 'a nightmare.'
The Villages has a reputation for boozy nights out among its retired clientele, many of whom are often reportedly on the prowl in the community's golf carts
Pictured: A stock photo of the town square of The Villages
She explained that many of the services are 'geared towards the older generation,' and had to drive 60 miles to a doctor in Orlando.
To help offset this issue, The Villages recently opened Middleton, a master-planned residential development next to the community geared towards employees and their families who live near neighboring Wildwood and Oxford.
The Villages, however, reportedly has a reputation for boozy nights out among its retired clientele, with some said to have been seen out on the prowl for partners in the community's golf carts.
The 55-plus community was previously labeled 'ground zero for geriatrics who are seriously getting it on' amid rising STD rates in the state, according to a 2009 article in The New York Post.
'See those two?' a blonde-haired woman told the Post reporter at the time. 'They were caught having sex in their golf cart a few weeks ago. It happens a lot!'
The Villages, located between Sumter and Marion counties and described as one of the nation's largest retirements communities, has more than 100,000 residents
Many residents of The Villages opt to use a golf cart to get around town
At the time, the outlet reported there were nearly ten times as many women as men in the community, with local authorities bemoaning instances of drunk golf cart driving amid rumors Viagra was being bought on a local black market.
The Villages did not immediately respond to the DailyMail.com's request for comment.
Beyond its past hookup culture among retirees, the lure of the metro area can also be found in the neighborhood's affordability, convenience, and charming surrounding area.
Sumter County Commissioner and longtime resident Andrew Bilardello recalled when the area was not nearly as populated after many people left to seek employment elsewhere and said he is pleased to see young people returning.
'We want to keep young people here,' Bilardello told the news outlet. 'That is our future.'
Pictured: A group of older adults dancing the during a concert at The Villages
Pictured: The Lake Sumter Landing Market Square, one of the social hubs of The Villages
New homes are being built and jobs are aplenty - with plumbers, electricians, lawn care providers, construction workers and roofers are all in demand.
There are also opportunities in professional services such as financial advisors, real estate agents and the healthcare industry.
'Someone has to provide services to that growing population of retirees and many of these workers will be young adults with children who live in the county,' said Stefan Rayer, population program director at the Bureau of Economic and Business Research at the University of Florida in Gainesville.
Many residents describe the young people as a 'breath of fresh air'.
But others share their angst with some daily issues they face including restrictions dictating that no one younger than 19 can live in The Villages, with one member of the household required to be 55 or over.
Chris Stanley, 60, also told the Times that he was concerned about overcrowded classrooms and a lack of affordable housing options in the area.
Pictured: A boat leaves the Lake Sumter Landing Market Square
Currently, there are 13 school district for its 9,400 students, and The Villages Charter School is open for the children of employees.
The population boom seen near The Villages paints a very different picture to elsewhere in the country, the Times reported.
In the last decade, the number of children aged 14 and under in the US has declined by 3.3 percent.
The three biggest cities, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, have reported a combined 614,000 fewer children living there since 2020.
