12 Unique Retirement Communities For Baby Boomers
Find the niche retirement community that’s perfect for you.
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If you’re looking for the best retirement community, one that appeals to your hobbies, passions, and lifestyle, you can find it. For years, retirement communities offered the same kinds of recreational activities, healthcare services, luxury homes, and amenities. Now, you can choose from niche communities for aviators or horse lovers. You can retire and live the Jimmy Buffett lifestyle or a more reflective Zen lifestyle. Lifelong learners, arts enthusiasts, Asian Americans, and RVers can discover a place just for them.
Niche retirement communities are growing. By 2030, there will be an estimated 73 million Baby Boomers1 65 years old or older.2 With such a huge market, older adults are now finding they have many more choices.
To complement the traditional retirement communities across the country that you’re probably more familiar with, here’s a list of 12 specialty retirement communities. These are perfect if you’re set on finding a community that suits your particular taste or interest.
Our free housing and care finder uses your unique needs to curate a list of the best options in your area.
1. For Jimmy Buffett Fans: Latitude Margaritaville
Parrot heads seeking to live with the “no worries” vibe will enjoy the beachside Latitude Margaritaville communities. The three communities are located in Daytona Beach, Florida; in Florida’s panhandle; and Hilton Head, South Carolina. Inspired by popular music icon Jimmy Buffett, residents here are buying into a lifestyle with great amenities. They can bask in paradise and enjoy gorgeous pools with their own Tiki islands.
Those who are looking for 55+ communities will appreciate living in this laid-back, fun-loving, and award-winning community. The Watersound in Panama City Beach won the National Association of Housing Builders (NAHB) 55+ Housing Industry Council award. Previously, Latitude Margaritaville ranked as the nation's most popular active adult community and won Best 55+ Community of the Year.3
2. For Lovers of Learning: Lasell Village
If you value lifelong education, you might want to look into living in Lasell Village. Retirement communities affiliated with college campuses have become popular. This one, located on 13 acres in Newton, Massachusetts, is part of the Lasell University campus. And it’s only an 11-minute drive to Boston. Residents here need to attend at least 450 hours of classes per year alongside college students. Retirees choose this university senior living community because they value an environment that prioritizes education. Benefits include a focus on green initiatives and solar power, as well as weather-protected walkways around campus for inclement weather days. Amenities include an art studio, heated pool, fitness center, greenhouse, art studio, hair salon, walking path, and libraries.
Pro Tip: To benefit from an intellectually stimulating environment in another location, check out UniversityRetirementCommunities.com, the first national directory of university retirement communities (URCs). This website was created by Andrew Carle, the well-respected senior living executive who coined the term “university-based retirement community” and built a five-criteria model for these communities. The directory includes 80 senior living communities associated with colleges and universities. You’ll find Duke, Stanford, Arizona State, Notre Dame, the University of Virginia, and many more here.
3. For a Zen Lifestyle: Enso Village
A senior living community devoted to Zen tradition, Enso Village is in Northern California’s wine country. It’s a partnership between the San Francisco Zen Center and Kendal Corporation, a not-for-profit provider of senior living communities and services that advocate for and empower older adults to achieve their full potential.
Zen is practiced in this community, but all faiths and philosophies are welcomed. Residents live in a sustainably designed environment that features meditation spaces, gardens, a tearoom, a Zendo, courtyards, and a memorial grove. Enso Village is a good option for those into mindfulness and Zen practices. It offers independent living, assisted living, memory care, and in-home services. Enso Village hopes to inspire a spirit of connection, compassion, and mutual respect. A second location in Simi Valley, California, is in progress.
4. For Die-Hard Aviators: Spruce Creek Fly-In
Aviation enthusiasts will be happy to discover this unique gem of a community in the Daytona Beach, Florida, area. Billed as the world’s most famous residential airpark, it was once a World War II naval airfield. It’s now an enclave of 5,000 people and a pilot’s dream, with a 4,000-foot runway and miles of taxiways to homes that can accommodate private jets.
The community includes a country club, tennis courts, parks, hiking paths, and a championship golf course. Residences include condominiums, townhouses, homes with hangars, and million-dollar mansions. With 14 miles of biking and hiking trails, tennis, golf, 20 specialty clubs, and more, Spruce Creek Fly-In is the perfect retirement community for those who own a plane and want the freedom to take to the skies often. The community isn’t open to the public, so you’ll need to arrange a guided tour.
5. For Horse Admirers: The Hacienda at the River
This senior living community in Tucson, Arizona, features a beautiful desert landscape. One of the foundational programs you’ll find here to promote physical, mental, and emotional well-being is its equine program, In the Presence of Horses®. Interacting with horses has many health benefits for seniors. For instance, a scientific study using the Presence of Horses program showed benefits for people and horses during guided interactions.4 Other research showed interacting with horses helped those with dementia. One scientific review also showed a beneficial effect of equine intervention on the quality of life for older adults with Alzheimer’s disease.5
Pro Tip: Interested in retiring in Arizona? Check out our guide to the best assisted living in Tucson.
The Hacienda at the River boasts over seven acres with seasonal gardens and small orchards. In addition to assisted living and memory care, this community also offers rehabilitation, skilled nursing care, and hospice care. The Hacienda at the River garnered Best Assisted Living and Best Memory Care awards from U.S. News in 2023.
6. For "Toy" Lovers: Lake Weir Preserve
America’s Toy-Friendly Community®, near Ocala, Florida, welcomes toys on wheels. Lake Weir Preserve is an active adult HOA-free community that has few or no community restrictions regarding toys like RVs, boats, trucks, motorcycles, hot rods, and vintage cars. But where do you park them? Lake Weir Preserve offers ample-sized garages, sometimes bigger than the homes themselves, geared for storing RVs, boats, and car collections. Close to both a national forest and a beach, this retirement community is heaven for those who want the freedom to ride and travel around as they wish.
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7. For Arts Enthusiasts: NoHo Senior Artists Colony
In a trendy neighborhood in North Hollywood, California, this retirement community caters to older adults with a passion for the arts. Many of the residents are Hollywood writers and actors, but the community welcomes anyone in the arts. Adjacent to NoHo is a performing arts theater, where the Road Theatre Company often plays. NoHo offers programs designed for the arts, theater, and film. Imagine living in a beautiful luxury apartment and taking an acting or playwriting class. Amenities include a pool, fitness room, visual arts studio, and digital arts room. You can also partake in complimentary arts and wellness programs.
Fun Fact: The Burbank Senior Artists Colony in Burbank, California, was the first independent living apartment rental community to offer a creative environment for artists and wannabe artists. Amenities include a theater, Hollywood-themed clubhouse, and art studios.
8. For RVers: Escapees CARE
Escapees CARE (continuing assistance for retired escapees) in Livingston, Texas, provides services at affordable prices to RVers whose travels have been affected by health problems. This could be following an illness or injury, or after they’ve had surgery. Escapees CARE is a nonprofit that allows residents to live in their own RV, but it serves them three meals a day and offers them other services.
Staff will help you schedule medical appointments and provide you with transportation to these visits. You can also park your RV in its lot for an extended period of time. Its goal is to help people “delay or eliminate the need for a nursing home, or assisted living.” Adult day services are made available to the local Livingston community too.
9. For the LGBTQ Community: Fountaingrove Lodge
Fountaingrove Lodge, a large, premier LGBTQ+ community in Santa Rosa, California, is known for its top-notch assisted living and memory care facilities. With its resort lifestyle, residents can enjoy cuisine prepared by a chef, a wine cave, and a private movie theater. Fountaingrove Lodge offers residents access to a salon and day spa, bar and lounge, gardens, walking path, and pet park. With concierge and chauffeur service, along with a 24-hour care team on-site, you’ll be pampered and cared for in this luxury senior community.
Did You Know? Not into luxury-style living? Birds of a Feather is a more down-to-earth alternative. This community is located near Santa Fe, New Mexico, and tucked into the Sangre de Cristo Mountain foothills. Founded in 2004 as a safe haven for members of the LGBT community age 50 and over, most residents here are aging in place. The community welcomes singles, couples, and friends who seek a healthy lifestyle, care about the environment, and want to create strong social ties.
10. For Star Gazers: Chiefland Astronomy Village
A small community of retirees live in Chiefland, Florida, where they pursue their passion for astronomy. The community established a spot in Chiefland because northwest Florida skies are not as affected by light pollution as much as in other parts of the country. There are 25 homeowners here who have built 15 astronomical observatories.
11. For Asian Retirees: Nalanda Estates or Aegis Gardens
Nalanda Estates is an upscale Indian retirement community for active seniors in Parrish, Florida. Residents of the gated community enjoy a huge clubhouse and banquet hall for social activities. Amenities include a pickleball court, theater for Bollywood and other movies, prayer room, and a wine/snack bar. For quiet times, relax by the fire pit or Zen garden. (Shantiniketan, a 55+ retirement community in Tavares, Florida, is another option for those interested in Indian culture.)
Aegis Gardens in Fremont, California, celebrates Chinese culture, and its staff speak a variety of Chinese dialects. Residents enjoy culturally authentic décor and cuisine, and live in a facility designed using feng shui. Activities include mahjong, tai chi, and calligraphy. This community offers both assisted living and memory care. A second location in Newcastle, Washington, offers stunning views.
12. For Pickleball Devotees: The Villages
Not far from Ocala, Florida, The Villages is the largest active adult community in the world and has 145,000 residents. It’s also a top destination for pickleball players. So, if you’re one of the 8.9 million pickleball players in the U.S.,6 rest assured you’ll have access to the more than 150 courts at The Villages.
Known for its premier amenities, The Villages has become a very popular retirement community. Choose from 50 golf courses, various country clubs, pools galore, sports like racquetball and polo, a spacious fitness center, barbecue competitions, social clubs, shopping and dining experiences, health and wellness offerings, and tons of activities.
FYI: If none of these appealed to you, there are other specialty retirement communities out there. If you enjoy the water, check out houseboat communities. For those who are Jewish, seek out Jewish retirement communities. If you're a postal worker, there's even a retirement community for letter carriers called Nalcrest!
Final Thoughts
If you’ve done your financial planning for retirement and are ready to find a community that caters to like-minded people, start with this list of specialty retirement communities. Keep in mind that these niche communities are predicted to increase due to the demands and personalized needs of Baby Boomers.
After you do research on the internet and perhaps even make a phone call or two, talk to family and friends about their recommendations. Be sure to visit in person to be sure the community you read about matches your desires. You can also visit our senior housing directory to learn about other options in your area.
National Library of Medicine. (2002). The 2030 Problem: Caring for Aging Baby Boomers.
U.S. Census Bureau. (2019). 2020 Census Will Help Policymakers Prepare for the Incoming Wave of Aging Boomers.
Latitude Margaritaville. (2024). Minto Communities.
PubMed. (2021). Physiological and Behavioral Benefits for People and Horses during Guided Interactions at an Assisted Living Residence
PubMed Central. (2022). Effects of equine-assisted interventions on older adults’ health: A systematic review.
Sports & Fitness Industry Association. (2023). Pickleball Sees Unprecedented Growth.
