A typical suburb for the rich.
These photos look like a typical suburb, where the rich people live. But appearances can be deceiving. Located in Florida “The Villages” is the world’s largest community… retirees. Of course, wealthy seniors. Luxury homes, Golf course, light-heartedness and peace of mind — so might look life in retirement. On a visit to a rich American pensioners looked reporter Reuters Carlo Allegri.
This “Paradise” is located in the heart of Florida. Actually The Villages is a city that is the world’s largest community… retirees.
The idea of creating a luxurious place for retirees who wish to leave the bustling cities, appeared in 1983. In 1992, this retirement community has received its present name — The Villages. The town is controlled by the administration, called Community Development Districts, which now lead the children of the founders of the first settlements.
The population of The Villages grows very quickly. So, in 2010 there were 51 442 individuals, whereas currently already in two times more — 114 350 people. And in 2000 the population of the town of pensioners was only 8.3 thousand people.
The “village” is just one of many similar to each other “settlements of retired persons in the United States — they are mostly located in warm, southern States like Arizona, California, Florida and Texas.
Settlement of pensioners are distinguishable only contracted level of health care. There are towns in which every resident is guaranteed full medical support 24 hours a day. But it is not cheap. In The Villages the average annual income, which accounts for one household, is 42 542 of the dollar, which is only 1 thousand less than the median income (that is, data for 50 percent of the population) in the U.S. (according to Gallup).
57 percent of the residents of the Village over the age of 65 years, 40.4 per cent aged 45 to 64 years. Persons under 19 years of age, are unable to live there (although, of course, unable to visit their parents, and grandparents).
What kind of people decided to spend the rest of his life in The Villages? 98.4 percent of them — are white. This so-called generation of baby Numerov, people born in the years 1946-1964, which has had an enormous impact on virtually all aspects of American life — culture, music, consumption and political activities.
American settlement of pensioners with their large houses and gardens take up much space in the suburbs of major cities, where once there were beautiful corners of nature.
Now the beautiful landscapes turned into paved paths, Golf courses, clubs, theaters, etc.
Just Golf is a way of life “the Village”. Residents often move around the area in cars for Golf, sometimes very extravagant.
The Villages engulfed more than 8,000 acres of arable land. And now a retirement community has become larger in size and population than existing there for decades.
The son of the founder of The Villages, H. Gary Morse, who died in 2014, passing the company on to the next generation, was invited to all future retirees to settle in his “Paradise” — in this carefree place where you can relax at the last stage of his life.
The only question, writes Carlo Allegri — what will happen to this place when these people die? Since a new generation of future retirees has already shown that more than Golf, they are interested in life in a noisy busy cities.
