Florida is emerging as a leader on one of the clearest measures in the housing market.
As Your Sun reported, four of the five fastest-growing master-planned communities in the United States are in the Sunshine State, including Wellen Park in North Port and Babcock Ranch in Charlotte County.
Here's what to know
Only one community in RCLCO's 2026 mid-year top five was outside Florida: Cadence in Nevada. The rest of the list, in order, was The Villages, Lakewood Ranch, Wellen Park, and Babcock Ranch.
According to Your Sun, RCLCO evaluates demographic and lifestyle trends as well as market and capital conditions.
After ranking No. 8 in 2025, Wellen Park climbed to No. 3 in RCLCO's 2026 mid-year update. The community posted 727 new-home sales in the first half of 2026, a 37% increase from the first half of 2025.
More background
As storm losses, insurance costs, and recovery bills remain major issues in Florida, more buyers seem willing to pay for homes built for tougher weather and higher energy costs.
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Babcock Ranch is promoted as the nation's first solar-powered town, with a plan built around elevation, resilient infrastructure, and sustainability.
"Babcock Ranch continues to demonstrate that exceptional lifestyle, environmentally responsible design and built-in resiliency are a winning combination for today's homebuyers," commented town founder Syd Kitson in a press release.
Adding neighborhoods near parks, trails, shopping, dining, healthcare, and education can shorten trips and make everyday routines easier.
"Our growth is supported by a wide range of home choices, new neighborhoods and continued investment in parks, trails, entertainment, programming, shopping and dining in Downtown Wellen, healthcare, education and the services residents want close to home," explained Rick Severance, president of Wellen Park, in a news release.
What's being done?
Developers are emphasizing how communities work for residents, not just how quickly they can grow. That approach includes solar generation, stronger infrastructure, and master-planned layouts that place homes and amenities in more durable, self-contained settings.
For Wellen Park, that means continued spending on shared spaces and services residents use in daily life. For Babcock Ranch, it means linking housing growth to design decisions meant to reduce energy use and strengthen storm resilience.
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