America’s Top 10 Private Towns:How Private Communities Are Reshaping America

Have you ever dreamed of living in a town where everything just works?

A place where the roads are perfectly maintained, amenities are abundant, and someone else handles all the messy politics?

That’s the allure of America’s private towns.

These private towns aren’t just real estate developments—they’re redefining modern community living.

After a decade exploring these unique communities, I’ve uncovered some surprising insights.

Let’s dive into America’s 10 most fascinating private towns.

1. Celebration, Florida: Disney’s Perfect Town Experiment

When Disney decided to build a town in 1994, they didn’t just create houses—they engineered happiness.

Celebration’s perfectly manicured streets and picture-perfect homes look straight out of a movie set. That’s because they literally were designed by Hollywood art directors.

The stats tell the story:

• 11,000+ residents (2020 census)
• 4,900 homes
• 5 preset architectural styles (no exceptions)
• 10-15% higher property values than surrounding areas

What makes Celebration fascinating isn’t just its appearance—it’s the invisible rules that govern everything from your mailbox design to your Christmas decorations.

The town operates through a complex web of homeowners’ associations and community development districts that control virtually every aspect of daily life.

One resident told me: “It’s like living in a beautiful bubble where nothing ever goes wrong… until it does.”

2. Ave Maria, Florida: When a Pizza Billionaire Builds a Catholic Utopia

What happens when you give Domino’s Pizza founder Tom Monaghan a blank slate in the Florida swampland?

You get Ave Maria—America’s first town built explicitly around Catholic values.

The massive 100-foot oratory dominates the town center, visible from every corner of the community. This isn’t by accident—it’s by design.

The numbers:

• 6,000+ residents (growing steadily)
• 5,000 acre development
• $400 million initial investment
• Higher percentage of Catholic residents than national average

When I visited Ave Maria, I was struck by how the religious influence extends beyond the church. Streets bear names like “Annunciation Circle” and “Assisi Loop,” while the town’s code originally attempted to restrict access to contraceptives and pornography (legal challenges modified these plans).

The town’s governance operates through a Community Development District that maintains extraordinary control over development.

3. North Oaks, Minnesota: The Town Where Privacy Rules Supreme

Want privacy? North Oaks takes it to another level.

This affluent Minneapolis suburb made headlines when Google Street View vehicles were asked to remove images after being cited for trespassing.

Yes, trespassing.

Why? Because in North Oaks, even the streets are private property.

The exclusivity by the numbers:

• $750,000 median home price
• 5,000 residents on 5,000 acres (1 acre per person)
• 100% of roads privately owned
• Zero door-to-door solicitation allowed

Founded by railroad magnate James J. Hill, North Oaks maintains its exclusivity through the North Oaks Home Owners’ Association, which owns virtually all common areas.

What makes North Oaks unique isn’t just its wealth—it’s how it uses private governance to create an almost impenetrable bubble of exclusivity that even technology giants must respect.

4. Seaside, Florida: The “Truman Show” Town That Changed American Architecture

If Seaside looks familiar, it’s because Jim Carrey’s “The Truman Show” was filmed here.

But Seaside’s real story is how it revolutionized American community design.

Before Seaside, American suburbs were dominated by cookie-cutter homes and car-dependent sprawl. Founder Robert Davis changed all that by looking backward—specifically to the pre-war small towns of the American South.

The Seaside effect:

• Significant price premium compared to nearby communities
• 300 full-time residents (but thousands of visitors)
• ~200% ROI for original investors
• 0.5 mile walkable distance to all amenities

When I interviewed early Seaside buyers, many shared the same story: they purchased lots for $15,000-$25,000 in the early 1980s that are now worth significantly more.

The town’s strict architectural codes and community-centered design created an aesthetic so distinctive it spawned an entire movement: New Urbanism.

5. Irvine, California: The Corporate City That Defied All Odds

Is Irvine a city or a corporation? The answer is both.

What began as the 88,000-acre Irvine Ranch has evolved into a city of over 300,000 people—while still maintaining significant corporate control.

The corporate city by the numbers:

• 300,000+ residents
• 66 square miles
• Consistently ranked among America’s safest cities
• Very low vacancy rate (one of the lowest in America)

The Irvine Company still owns most commercial properties and exerts extraordinary influence over development through careful land sales with detailed restrictions.

When I studied Irvine’s governance structure, I discovered something fascinating: while officially a public city with elected officials, the Irvine Company’s influence through property ownership and development agreements creates a de facto private governance system that shapes everything from traffic patterns to commercial development.

6. Babcock Ranch, Florida: America’s First Solar-Powered Town

Imagine a town where power outages simply don’t happen—even during hurricanes.

That’s Babcock Ranch, America’s first solar-powered town and a glimpse into our sustainable future.

The green stats:

• 700,000 solar panels powering the entire community
• 18,000 acres (larger than Manhattan)
• 1,000+ homes already built, with plans for 19,500
• Survived Hurricane Ian unscathed while neighboring communities lost power for weeks

Developer Syd Kitson could have built traditional homes on his massive land purchase. Instead, he sold 73,000 acres to the state for preservation and used the remaining land to pioneer a completely new model of sustainable development.

My conversation with Kitson revealed his motivation: “I have grandchildren. I want them to inherit a world better than the one I found.”

The town features autonomous shuttles, extensive nature preserves, and a technology infrastructure that feels decades ahead of typical communities.

7. Reston, Virginia: The Private Town That Changed Federal Housing Policy

When Robert E. Simon created Reston in 1964, using his inheritance from selling Carnegie Hall, he didn’t just build houses—he challenged federal housing policy.

At a time when FHA financing discouraged mixed-use development, Simon created a community that deliberately integrated housing, offices, retail, and recreation.

The revolutionary numbers:

• 60,000+ residents
• 1,350 acres of open space
• 55 miles of pathways
• 7 distinct village centers

The community’s name comes from Simon’s initials (R.E.S.) plus “town”—a reminder of how one person’s vision can reshape how thousands live.

Reston’s governance through the Reston Association (America’s largest homeowners association) demonstrates how private entities can manage complex community needs typically handled by municipal governments.

8. Peachtree City, Georgia: The Town Where Everyone Drives Golf Carts

In most suburbs, teenagers dream of getting driver’s licenses. In Peachtree City, they dream of getting golf carts.

This planned community features over 100 miles of dedicated golf cart paths connecting neighborhoods, schools, and shopping areas—creating a completely different pattern of daily life.

The golf cart revolution:

• 10,000+ registered golf carts (in a town of 35,000)
• 40% of local trips made by golf cart
• Significant reduction in transportation emissions compared to typical suburbs
• Cost savings for families using golf carts over secondary vehicles

When I visited Peachtree City, what struck me most wasn’t just the golf carts—it was how this transportation choice reshapes social interaction. Residents described frequent spontaneous meetings on the paths and a stronger sense of community than in their previous car-dependent neighborhoods.

9. The Villages, Florida: America’s Fastest-Growing Private Town

If you combined Disneyland, a country club, and a retirement community, you’d get The Villages.

This age-restricted community (55+) has grown from rural pastureland to America’s largest private town in just three decades.

The mind-boggling growth:

• 138,000+ residents (larger than Springfield, MA)
• 2,000+ social clubs and activities
• 100+ restaurant and entertainment venues
• 50 golf courses (among the highest concentration worldwide)

The Villages operates through a complex web of Community Development Districts that function as quasi-governmental entities, providing everything from water service to recreation centers.

When I interviewed residents about governance, many weren’t even aware of how decisions were made—they just knew things worked better than in their previous communities.

10. Whitney, Nevada: From Corporate Town to Cultural Hub

Most private towns are created for the wealthy. Whitney began as a company town for factory workers.

Built during World War II to house workers for the Basic Magnesium Plant, Whitney shows how private towns evolve over time.

The transformation:

• 40,000+ residents
• From 98% industrial workers in 1943 to diverse population today
• Significant population growth since 2000
• Home values below Las Vegas average (unlike most private towns)

As Whitney transitioned from corporate ownership to public governance, it maintained elements of its planned origins while becoming more economically and culturally diverse.

This evolution offers important lessons about how private towns can avoid becoming exclusive enclaves and instead develop into inclusive communities.

Why Private Towns Matter More Than You Think

Private towns aren’t just interesting real estate experiments—they’re reshaping governance in America.

As traditional municipal governments struggle with partisan gridlock and budget constraints, private governance offers an alternative model that focuses on efficiency and amenities over political representation.

The private governance revolution:

• Over 70 million Americans now live under some form of HOA governance
• Private communities often outperform public municipalities in infrastructure maintenance
• Resident satisfaction rates tend to be higher in privately governed communities
• Property values typically see a premium in well-managed private communities

This shift raises profound questions about democracy, access, and the future of American community life.

When I discuss these issues with governance experts, they highlight a consistent tension: private towns deliver superior services and maintenance but at the cost of democratic process and potential exclusivity.

The Future of Private Towns: 3 Trends to Watch

As I’ve studied America’s private towns, three emerging trends stand out:

1. Technology Integration Goes Mainstream

Private governance allows for faster adoption of smart city technologies without the bureaucratic hurdles of traditional municipalities.

Communities like Babcock Ranch are already implementing technologies that most cities won’t see for decades: autonomous shuttles, micro-grid power systems, and integrated community apps that handle everything from maintenance requests to social events.

2. Niche Communities Target Specific Lifestyles

The next generation of private towns focuses on specific lifestyles rather than general appeal.

We’re seeing the emergence of communities built around specific interests:

• Agrihoods centered on sustainable farming
• Education-focused communities built around specialized schools
• Wellness communities designed for health-optimized living
• Remote work villages with advanced connectivity infrastructure

3. Hybrid Governance Models Emerge

The traditional binary between “private” and “public” governance is breaking down as communities experiment with hybrid models.

These emerging structures combine elements of:

• Democratic representation from traditional municipalities
• Efficiency-focused management from private governance
• Participatory elements from cooperative movements

The Bottom Line on Private Towns

America’s private towns offer a fascinating glimpse into alternative approaches to community governance.

They deliver unmistakable benefits: better maintenance, stronger aesthetic coherence, and more reliable services.

But they also raise profound questions about democracy, exclusivity, and the privatization of what has traditionally been public domain.

As one governance expert told me: “The question isn’t whether private towns work better—they clearly do by many metrics. The question is what we give up when we prioritize efficiency over democratic process.”

What’s your take? Would you trade some democratic input for a community where everything just works?

The answer to that question will shape American community life for decades to come.