The Carolinas – So Many Great Communities to Choose From – Retirement Blog | the-carolinas-so-many-great-communities-to-choose-from

May 24, 2025 — Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of baby boomers are headed for a retirement in the Carolinas. There are plenty of good reasons why. In addition to a mild winter climate, both states are considered fairly tax-friendly for retirees. They offer attractive real estate prices and a lower cost of living than the Northeast or coastal Florida. The Carolinas have gained attention for attracting “halfbacks”, the so-called retirees who moved from the north to Florida, only to become disillusioned and move “halfway back” home to the Carolinas.

The Problem – So many retirement choices!

Let’s say you’ve heard the Carolinas are a great place to retire. But where do you start in an area that has so many different choices? Part of the answer is to figure out what kind of region you prefer – mountains, Piedmont, or coastal. Urban, rural, or suburban? From there you can narrow the search. In this article we have provided a sampling of the kinds of active adult and 55+ communities there are to choose from in this immense area. Obviously, it is just scratching the surface.

Geographically diverse states
Both states have very different geographic areas. They go from beach towns on the Atlantic coastal plain… to the Piedmont… and ultimately ends high up in the west’s Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains. Thus in Asheville (NC) you can experience all four seasons, while towns on the coast have winters that are fairly mild. South Carolina does not have the big urban centers that its northern sibling, North Carolina has: SC has only three with a population over 100,000, and then only barely so (Charleston, Columbia, and North Charleston). Myrtle Beach is an area in SC that is quite large and has many neighboring towns with a fair number of people.

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10 Great Carolina Active Adult Communities

We chose these communities because they seem interesting and are in popular retirement areas. They are of different types, thus offering a tiny snapshot of the type and range of 55+ and active adult communities that await you in the Carolinas.

Camden Villas at New South Club (Southern Pines, NC). This community of 58 ranch-style condominiums was built by Epcon Communities. Located in the Mid South Club master-planned golf community, Camden Villas are situated on the The 2 & 3 bedroom ranch-style condominiums have Carolina rooms and attached 2-car garages.

Woodside. Aiken is known for its stately mansions and equestrian and polo traditions, Woodside provides a range of active and social opportunities at the community’s social hub – The Reserve Club. Those include golf at a Nicklaus Design course, USTA certified racquet pavilion, and miles of walking paths and nature trails.

Indigo Run (Hilton Head, SC). Located on over 1500 scenic acres, this community has two outstanding golf courses; The Golden Bear Course, an acclaimed layout from Nicklaus Design and The Golf Club Course. Residential options include the very private Golf Club at Indigo Run to the waterfront River Club and Broad Pointe.

Handsmill on Lake Wylie (York, SC). A lakefront community located in the historic and quaint town of York. The master-planned community boasts direct access a boat launch, fishing, water sports, and lakeside dining on Lake Wylie. The Gentry at Handsmill is a beautiful new neighborhood within the community designed just for active adults and featuring 1 story homes.

Alston Park at New Riverside (Bluffton, SC). This community of single family homes in Bluffton is made up of about 130 homes. There are miles of walking and biking trails. Amenities include a swimming pool and a clubhouse that is the hub of the community for activities, and which also houses the fitness center.

Fearrington Village in Pittsboro (near Chapel Hill,NC) is one of the most unique communities in the country. It is open to all ages and offers a range of housing types. It is unusual in that it also has a CCRC attached to it as well as a 5 star restaurant, inn, and bookstore at the heart of the community. Residents enjoy the “Belties”, beautiful cows who live on the farm portion of the development.

The Courtyards at Cramerton, (Belmont west of Charlotte, NC). A new 55+ active adult community featuring all brick architecture and single-level home designs featuring open floor plans, gourmet kitchens, cozy front porches, and private courtyard spaces.

Fendol Farms (Durham, NC). The community consists of over 1,000 single-family homes. It features a clubhouse with fitness center, kitchen, billiards, bar and lounge, and ballroom. Outside, homeowners enjoy a swimming pool, tennis and pickleball courts.

Hampton Lake (Bluffton, SC). This all-ages community offers a casual, relaxed way of life centered around a 165-acre freshwater fishing and boating lake and resort-like amenities. The Lakeside Village houses the majority of the community amenities and the Lakehouse clubhouse. The Cool Pool, which is the adult-only pool area behind the Lakehouse offers a a zero-entry pool, and outdoor bar and fireplace at the Tower Bar, and Doc’s Boathouse offers kayaks to residents.

Liberty Cottages at Park West (Charleston, SC). The neighborhood of cottage homes for active adults 55+ is within the master-planned community of Park West. The gated community of just over 40 homes offers cottages designed with first-floor living. Residents have access to the amenities of the nearby Somerby at Mount Pleasant retirement community.

Find More Carolina Communities
We encourage you to use our South Carolina and North Carolina Directories to explore more possibilities. There we have reviewed almost 200 communities in 34 towns in the Palmetto State and 250 communities and 58 towns in North Carolina. You can also use our Community Explorer to find communities by state, size, amenity, lifestyle, type of units etc.

Comments? Do you have a favorite Carolina active adult or 55+ community you think should have made this list? Or, do you think there is a Carolina retirement in your future? Please share your thoughts in the Comments section below.

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Comments?. Do you have a favorite Carolina active adult or 55+ community you think should have made this list? Do you see a Carolina retirement in our future? Please share your thoughts in the Comments section below.