Golf, and lots of it
Around nine golf courses inside the gates mean serious players can rotate layouts all week. Confirm current course counts, memberships, and greens fees with the POA.
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The flagship gated community
Hot Springs Village
One of the largest gated residential communities in the country by land area — with a golf-and-lakes lifestyle, a Property Owners' Association, and a lot to learn before you move in.
What Hot Springs Village actually is
Hot Springs Village (locals call it "the Village," or HSV) is a gated, master-planned residential community north of Hot Springs that straddles the line between Garland and Saline counties. It is frequently cited as one of the largest gated communities in the United States by land area — on the order of 26,000 acres — a scale that makes it feel less like a subdivision and more like its own small town with woods, water, and golf woven through it. It is governed not by a city but by a Property Owners' Association (POA), funded through owner assessments, that maintains the roads, gates, amenities, and common areas. Amenity counts and fees change over time, so treat the figures here as a starting point and confirm the current specifics with the POA before you buy.
The Village is a magnet for active retirees precisely because the amenities are built in. Reporting and the community's own materials describe roughly nine golf courses and around eleven recreational lakes within the gates, alongside pools, tennis and pickleball, trails, a performing-arts venue, restaurants, and dozens of clubs and interest groups. It is not formally an age-restricted "55-plus" community — families of all ages can live there — but its design and culture skew heavily toward retirement-age owners.
The Village lifestyle
Life inside the gates
The features owners cite most when they explain why they chose HSV over a conventional neighborhood.
Roughly eleven lakes
A string of recreational lakes supports boating, fishing, kayaking, and lakefront living without leaving the community. Amenity access and boat rules are POA-governed — verify current terms.
Clubs, arts & rec
Pools, tennis and pickleball, trails, a performing-arts center, and a deep roster of hobby and interest clubs make it easy to build a social calendar fast.
Gated & POA-run
Manned and card-access gates, private roads, and shared amenities are funded by owner assessments through the Property Owners' Association rather than a municipal government.
What to verify before you buy in
The Village is a wonderful fit for many retirees, but it rewards homework. Because it's POA-governed, you'll want to understand the current assessment and fee structure (monthly or annual owner dues, plus any amenity or golf fees), the architectural and deed covenants that dictate what you can build and how you must maintain it, and how services like water, fire, and emergency response are provided across the two-county footprint. Ask about the POA's budget and any special assessments, and confirm exactly which amenities are included versus pay-to-play. None of this is a red flag — it's simply how a large private community operates — but the answers shape your true cost of ownership.
It's also worth thinking about where the Village sits relative to the rest of your life here. It's a comfortable drive from downtown Hot Springs, the hospitals, and the airport in Little Rock, but it is its own place with its own rhythm. If you'd rather be closer to Central Avenue, the lakes outside the gates, or a more urban walkable core, compare it against our downtown living guide and lake homes guide. For the tax and budgeting side of a move, see our cost and taxes guide.
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Tour the Village
A visual tour, plus a resident's candid list of what to know before moving in.
Hot Springs Village Video TourCommunity tour
10 Things to Know Before Moving to Hot Springs VillageResident guideConsidering the Village?
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