Ideal Living Logo Dark

Receive your complimentary relocation guide

Guide to the Top Gated Communities



Yes! Please send me The Digital "Choose Your Ideal Place" Guide
Yes! I want to receive ideal-LIVING Magazine
Ideal Living Relocation Guide Package Reflection

Guide to the Top Gated Communities

When it comes to privacy, security, and a close-knit neighborhood, gated communities are unmatched. With over 25,000 gated communities in the United States alone, there’s a perfect location for everyone.

Privacy and Security

Peace of mind is the top priority of these communities. Gated entrances, private roads, and security systems keep neighborhoods safe year-round. Many places even have security personnel that patrols the streets. 

Social activities

Being part of an exclusive community means that neighbors get to know each other well. Onsite amenities, such as clubhouses and pools, foster these close relationships. Staff members also organize themed dinners, holiday events, and special interest groups.

Top-Notch Amenities

Gated communities offer updated facilities. Pools, fitness rooms, and tennis courts are generally found onsite. Those who have particular interests such as golf or sailing can find gated communities that cater specifically to those activities.

Family-Friendly Environment

Gated communities are diverse—they are a sanctuary to young families and empty-nesters alike. From playgrounds to lounges, these communities offer amenities to entertain residents of any age. 

Further, these amenities add value to the neighborhood, which benefit homeowners in these communities.

Sample Communities to Discover

South Carolina Gated Community | Woodside | Best Places to Retire in SC
FEATURED

Woodside

Aiken, SC
Homes: Priced from $500,000 - $1 million+ and Lots: Priced from $60,000 - $150,000+

Enhanced by the region’s lucrative cost of living, mild climate, stunning natural beauty, and charming
Southern hospitality, Woodside’s 3,000-acre community is ideally located in one of the Southeast’s best-kept secrets, Aiken, SC.

Meticulously designed from concept to creation for discerning active-active adults, downsizing retirees, and anyone else with a taste for the finer things in life, Woodside’s location in one of Southern Living Magazine’s “South’s Best Small Towns” offers residents walkable access to the best of both worlds. On top of Woodside’s world-class amenities, including 4 championship golf courses, 2 clubhouses, more than 60 member-led social groups and clubs, 2 resort-style pools, a state-of-the-art fitness center, over 21 miles of hiking and nature trails, 7 landscaped parks and green spaces – including a Certified Butterfly Park – Woodside residents enjoy 10-minute access to downtown Aiken’s Gilded-Age avenues filled with exceptional local restaurants, designer boutiques, art galleries, and more.

Whether you envision yourself perfecting your swing on our Nicklaus Design course, dozing by the pool,
or creating new memories with friends you’ve yet to meet, life at Woodside is designed to deliver you a
home that extends far beyond your property line!

Read More...

Community in Florida with a Farm | Agrihood | Arden | Wellington FL

Arden

Palm Beach County, FL
Single Family and Paired Villa Homes from the Low $500's to $1mil+

With a Palm Beach County location and a unique collection of lifestyle extras, retirees and families are finding a premier Florida residential destination at Arden.

Arden’s lakeside clubhouse is home to a state-of-the-art fitness center, meeting spaces for community clubs, a tea and coffee bar, and a multi-tier pool complex with fountains and a splash pad. Nearby is the community dock with ramps for launching kayaks, canoes, and electric-powered fishing boats. Tennis and pickleball courts, playing fields, an event lawn, and 20+ miles of walking and biking trails are among the outdoor recreation offerings. But Arden’s signature amenity is its unique “Agrihood,” a five-acre community garden for growing organic fruits and vegetables, plus a big red barn for community events and family gatherings.

Arden features customizable single-family homes and villas by leading Florida builders like GL Homes, Lennar, and Ryan Homes. All of the Arden neighborhoods have been planned to make a natural connection to healthy living, with contoured green spaces to enhance privacy and a wildlife refuge directly across the boulevard.

Just outside Arden’s gates are convenient grocery markets, retail stores, and restaurants. Resort golf courses and white-sand Atlantic beaches are also nearby, along with all of the first-class medical centers, schools, and cultural amenities that you’d expect in the heart of Palm Beach County.

Request more information about Arden and discover why this one-of-a-kind Florida community may be the perfect fit for your Sunshine State lifestyle.

Read More...

Carmel Ranch

Oakdale, CA
pricing starting at upper $500s

Carmel Ranch is a beautiful gated new home community in Oakdale, CA. These new homes have 3 single story and two 2-story home designs with up to 5 beds, 3 baths and 2,752 sq. ft. of living space. If you are looking for multi-generational living 2 of our home designs offer our Extra Suite or our Extra Suite Plus. Each home is offered in one of our new interior design Looks Collections: Loft, Farmhouse, Classic or Elements for on-trend style in your new home. Come experience stunning interiors and sophisticated living all at an incredible value. Homeowners will enjoy a low-maintenance lifestyle with easy access to a charming downtown, Oakdale Golf & Country Club across the street and many other outdoor recreation in the area. Know as the “Cowboy Capital of the World” Oakdale has a lot to offer.
Offered By: K. Hovnanian Homes Northern California, Inc.

Read More...

Get Started

Finding and choosing the right gated community can be a daunting task. This is where ideal-LIVING can help. Sign up below to receive our complimentary relocation package, which offers tips on how to find a community that suits your needs. In this guide, you’ll discover the top gated communities, as well as what you can do to get started. Sign up for this free package to take the first step in your exciting journey.

Free Package includes:

 

  • ideal-LIVING Relocation Guide
    The ultimate guide to find your ideal destination, life and home. This annual guide contains more than 15 state maps, a location-based cost of living and climate comparison chart and discovery travel packages.
  • ideal-LIVING Magazine
    Quarterly print magazine features the best places to retire and/or purchase your ideal second home.
  • ideal-LIVING E-Newsletter
    Receive our digital newsletter, two to three times a month, highlighting communities around the country and abroad.
  • Tickets to ideal-LIVING Live Events
    The ideal-LIVING Resort & Retirement Show has helped retirees and second-home buyers find their ideal community and home for more than 30 years.

© 2025 ideal-LIVING Magazine • 265 Racine Dr #201 • Wilmington, NC 28403 • 910.763.2100