Five Relatively Affordable Active Adult Communities

While some active adult communities have relatively affordable homes, they also often have high HOA fees. Some of these dues, particularly in coastal developments, can reach $1,500 or more per month.  Here, though, are five reputable 55+ communities with home prices below the national median and HOA fees well below $1,500 a month.

Sun City West, Arizona

A sprawling master-planned 55+ community northwest of Phoenix, Sun City West was started by Del Webb in the last 1970s, with construction wrapping up about 20 years later. It is one of six Sun Cities in Arizona and has grown into a self-contained neighborhood with about 25,000 residents. The community is golf-cart friendly and offers extensive amenities, including multiple golf courses, recreation centers, fitness centers, swimming pools, tennis courts and more. One hundred clubs cover hobbies, sports, and social interests. Single family homes, town home and condos are Territorial and Mediterranean style. Prices begin in the low-$200,000s. The HOA fee for many properties is in the low- to mid-$300s per month.

Heritage Shores, Bridgeville, Delaware

Begun in 2004, Heritage Shores is 55+ community with 1,800 residences about 35 miles from the Atlantic Ocean. It’s built around an 18-hole Arthur Hills championship golf course and features a 28,000 square foot clubhouse with dining, social spaces, a fitness center, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, pickleball courts, bocce ball courts, a restaurant and more. The thriving activities calendar includes potlucks, movies, wine tastings, etc.  Homes are attached and single family. Prices begin in the low-$300,000s. The HOA fee is in the low-$300s per month for many properties.

Trilogy at Rio Vista, Rio Vista, California

Constructed from 1996 to 2020, Trilogy at Rio Vista is a gated 55+ community outside of San Francisco. It has 3,000 single family homes and is centered around an 18-hole championship golf course and features two clubhouses. The Delta Club has an outdoor pool and game rooms, while the larger Vista Clubhouse boasts a state-of-the-art fitness center, a heated indoor pool, walking track, billiards, Cyber Café, and more. A full-time activities director organizes clubs, events, and classes. Home prices start in the high-$300,000s. The HOA fee for most homes is $285 per month.

Royal Highlands, Leesburg, Florida

Set amid blue lakes and green spaces in pastoral north central Florida, Royal Highlands is a gated 55+ community with 1,500 single family homes and was built by Pringle from 1999 to 2006. It spreads across 1,100 acres, with much of the land devoted to wetlands and ponds that are home to birds and other wildlife. The Monarch Golf Course, semi-private and member-owned, has 18 holes, a pro shop and a restaurant. Other amenities include clubhouses, a fitness center, two swimming pools, tennis courts, horseshoe pits, walking trails, a fishing pier, a dance studio and a library. Social activities are in good supply, too, because Royal Highland has an activities director. Home prices begin in the mid-$200,000s . The HOA fee for most residences is $229 per month.

Sun City Hilton Head, Bluffton, South Carolina

Tucked in South Carolina’s Lowcountry, Sun City Hilton Head is a 55+ community with single family homes and attached homes. Construction began in 1995 and continues today with 10,000 homes planned. Residents enjoy three golf courses, multiple fitness centers, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, pickleball courts and bocce courts, as well as miles of walking trails. More than 100 clubs and social groups, crafts centers, and restaurants keep everyone engaged. Home prices start in the low- to mid-$300,000s. The HOA fee for most properties is in the mid- to high-$200s per month. There is also an initiation fee of .33% of the sales price on new homes and a $3,500 fee on resale homes.

These five communities show that an active 55+ lifestyle doesn’t have to come with sky-high real estate prices and monthly dues. While each development has its own mix of amenities, home styles, and locations—from the Southwest to the Lowcountry—they all share a balance of affordability and robust recreational opportunities.