Best Independent Living in Lake County, FL

Why trust this guide? Our editorial team analyzed 4 independent living communities in Lake County, FL using FL Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) data, inspection records, complaints, amenities, and facility-level details. How we rank independent living in FL
Reviewed by
Last updated
We analyzed These are the facilities in Lake County, FL our team has analyzed — not a count of every independent living provider in Lake County, FL.
4 homes
Other senior care options in Lake County:

Video Tour: Top-rated Independent Living facilities in Lake County, Florida.

Watch this Video to see Lake County's Top-rated Senior Communities

Compare Independent Living around Lake County

Info below is compiled from the FL Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), senior community websites & trusted data sources such as Walk Score & BBB.

Communities are listed from highest-ranked to lowest-ranked based on our methodology.

Care Types in This Table AL (Assisted Living): Housing with help for daily activities like bathing, dressing, and medication, without 24-hour skilled nursing. NH (Nursing Home): 24/7 skilled nursing care for residents with complex, ongoing medical needs. SNF (Skilled Nursing Facility): Round-the-clock nursing care, often for recovery after surgery, injury, or illness. MC (Memory Care): Secured, specialized care for people living with Alzheimer's or dementia. RC (Respite Care): Short-term temporary care that gives family caregivers a break. IL (Independent Living): Community living with dining, activities, and transportation for active seniors who need little personal care. HC (Home Care): Professional care delivered in the person's own home, from companionship to skilled nursing.
City and state of the facility. Used for mapping and state-average comparisons.
Licensed bed capacity (maximum allowed). Not the same as how many beds are currently filled.
Indicates whether residents are allowed to have pets in the facility.
Third-party neighborhood walkability score (0–100). Convenience/context metric, not a healthcare quality measure.
Name of the licensed owner, operator, or managing entity as filed with the state. Useful for grouping facilities under the same organization.
A 0–100 score of a facility's regulatory inspection record, shown as a letter and compared with other facilities of the same kind in the same state. This is a proprietary Assisted Living Magazine grade. It is not a government rating. A dash means we have no inspection data for that facility.
Count of regulatory inspections in the reporting window. Higher volume can reflect more oversight visits, complaint-driven surveys, or routine licensure cycles.
Share of inspections that resulted in citations, expressed as a percentage of total inspections in the window.
Total count of citations (cited regulatory issues) recorded in the selected reporting period. Read alongside inspection counts for context.
The average number of citations this facility receives each time it's inspected, calculated as total citations ÷ total inspections. A lower number suggests more consistent compliance with safety and care standards.
Reported profit orientation for the operator or facility (e.g. for-profit vs nonprofit), as provided in state licensing or disclosure data.
Total monetary fines or penalties in the reporting window from the state source. A single large fine can dominate this figure.
A named contact for the facility. Hover the name to see their role — Administrator (state administrator of record or facility-provided administrator), Nursing Director, Medical Director, or Staff. The most authoritative available is shown.
Housing or bed configuration options (e.g. studio, shared), often from facility-reported amenities and licensing details.
The Villages
IL
The Villages
-Yes
58
Facility 58
FL AVG 40
Rank #128 / 538
----------
Sonata Lake Mary
IL
AL
MC
NH
RC
Lake Mary
110
Facility 110
FL AVG 107
Rank #141 / 328
Yes
16
Facility 16
FL AVG 40
Rank #428 / 538
Sonata Senior Living Lake Mary, LLCD+17
47%
Facility 47%
FL AVG 32.4%
Rank #269 / 301
23
Facility 23
FL AVG 33
Rank #184 / 301
1.4
Facility 1.4
FL AVG 1.0
Rank #256 / 301
For-Profit$82,000Veronica Chery-RosaStudio / 1 Bed / 2 Bed
The Oaks at Waterman Village Retirement Community
IL
AL
HC
MC
NH
RC
SNF
Mt Dora
100
Facility 100
FL AVG 107
Rank #162 / 328
Yes
46
Facility 46
FL AVG 40
Rank #210 / 538
Waterman Communities, IncA-24
25%
Facility 25%
FL AVG 32.4%
Rank #100 / 301
14
Facility 14
FL AVG 33
Rank #131 / 301
0.6
Facility 0.6
FL AVG 1.0
Rank #119 / 301
Not-For-Profit$5,625Ingrid Piedrahita-
Lakeside at Waterman Village Retirement Community
IL
AL
HC
MC
NH
RC
SNF
Mt Dora
-No
50
Facility 50
FL AVG 40
Rank #182 / 538
---------1 Bed / 2 Bed

Rank badges are statewide and care-type specific: each independent living community is ranked against every other FL independent living community we track that reports that metric, not just the 4 analyzed for Lake County. See how we rank facilities

Overview of The Oaks at Waterman Village Retirement Community

The Oaks at Waterman Village Retirement Community in Mt Dora, Florida, offers assisted living, home care, independent living, memory care, nursing care, respite care, and skilled nursing. Assisted living supports daily tasks such as dressing, bathing, and medication while a resident keeps a private living space. Memory care provides a secured setting with supervision for someone at risk of wandering.

Independent living offers private living with community services and no daily care, while home care brings assistance to the place where a resident lives. Nursing care provides nursing support, and skilled nursing provides licensed nursing care on site around the clock. Respite care is a short stay for a family whose usual caregiver needs to travel or recover.

Having several care levels can suit a resident whose needs may grow over time, because the resident may be able to move to another level without leaving the community. The community has 100 beds, and Medicaid is accepted, giving families whose savings may not cover a long stay a payment option. Ingrid Piedrahita serves as the administrator, and Waterman Communities operates the community.

Pets are allowed, so a resident may bring a pet when moving in. The area has a Walk Score of 46 and is dependent on cars, meaning most errands require a car or a ride. A resident who no longer drives would generally need transportation for errands.

Contact The Oaks at Waterman Village Retirement Community

Sonata Lake Mary

410 Caring Dr, Lake Mary, FL 32746
Overview of Sonata Lake Mary

Administered by Veronica Chery-Rosa, Sonata Lake Mary is an assisted living community in Lake Mary, Florida, that offers personal care. With a mid-rise setting, this 110-bed community has a variety of studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom residences.

The surrounding area has a Walk Score of 16, suggesting a very car-dependent neighborhood. This also suggests that transportation is the most practical option to complete most errands.

State inspections have identified opportunities to strengthen resident supervision, staffing practices, reporting procedures, and licensure compliance. In response, ongoing corrective actions and regulatory oversight were implemented.

Contact Sonata Lake Mary

Overview of Lakeside at Waterman Village Retirement Community

Lakeside at Waterman Village Retirement Community in Mt Dora, FL, offers assisted living, home care, independent living, memory care, nursing care, respite care, and skilled nursing. Independent living provides private living with community services and no daily care, while assisted living adds help with daily tasks. Memory care offers a secured setting with supervision, and home care brings services to a resident’s own living setting. Nursing care and skilled nursing provide licensed nursing care on site around the clock.

Respite care offers a short stay when a resident’s usual caregiver needs time to travel or recover. The range of care levels can also suit someone whose needs grow over time. One bedroom and two bedroom housing options are available, including a layout that can work for a couple moving together or for someone who wants a companion.

A premier salon and spa, full service dental offices, an audiology clinic, and a physical, occupational, and speech therapy clinic give residents access to personal care, hearing services, and rehabilitation without arranging visits elsewhere. The community also has a Medicare certified home health care agency, spiritual wellness and support groups, and transportation.

A Walk Score of 50 is classified as somewhat walkable, meaning some errands can be done on foot. A resident who no longer drives may therefore be able to handle certain outings independently.

Contact Lakeside at Waterman Village Retirement Community

The Villages

1000 Lake Sumter Landing, The Villages, FL 32162
Overview of The Villages

Located in the Lake Sumter Landing neighborhood in Lake County, Florida, The Villages is an independent living community for adults 55 and older. The property sits at 1000 Lake Sumter Landing, roughly 3.0 miles from downtown and positioned in a moderately walkable setting (Walk Score 58). Among 1,485 similar communities statewide, the facility ranks 380th for neighborhood walkability; indicating that while some daily errands can be managed on foot, most outings require transportation.

The Villages does not participate in Medicare or Medicaid, meaning it operates privately without federal certification or publicly disclosed quality metrics, inspection records, or staffing information.

The community’s identity centers on active recreation and social engagement. Golf courses which the community has described as world-class anchor the recreational programming. Golf cart mobility connects residents to these scattered amenities, creating a vehicle-based social infrastructure within the property.

Residents can access scenic trails and parks throughout the property.

A network of dining venues spans cuisines from traditional American comfort food to international options, many featuring live musical performances. Year-round entertainment includes performing arts programming and evening outdoor events organized around central community squares.

Fitness and recreation are named among the community’s formal offerings. Common gathering spaces facilitate resident interaction and social events.

Independent living serves seniors who do not need medical care, medication supervision, or help with bathing, dressing, or personal hygiene. These communities emphasize lifestyle and convenience over clinical support.

The Villages is designed for active, independent-living seniors seeking an entertainment-rich, recreation-focused residential environment with golf, dining, and social programming built into the daily infrastructure.

Contact The Villages

Weighting overview

  • 35%
    Resident Experience
  • 25%
    Regulatory
  • 15%
    Visual Media
  • 10%
    Website
  • 10%
    Stability
  • 5%
    Environment
01

Resident & Family Experience 35%

The single largest share of every ranking. Aggregated review sentiment and volume from major platforms — the closest signal to real resident experience.

  • Includes
  • Review Sentiment
  • Review Volume
02

Regulatory & Safety Record 25%

State inspection records, citations, and complaint visits. We weight per-inspection rates more heavily than raw counts.

  • Includes
  • State Inspections
  • Citations/Inspection
  • % Inspections w/ Citations
  • Complaint Visits
  • Accreditations
  • BBB Rating
03

Visual Media & Transparency 15%

Communities that publish high-quality visuals give families a real preview. No photos or tours = a negative transparency signal.

  • Includes
  • Video Tours
  • Virtual Walkthroughs
  • Photo Quantity
  • Photo Quality
04

Website & Operator Transparency 10%

Site quality and whether the operator publishes basic accountability information — staff names, contact details, ownership.

  • Includes
  • Website Content
  • Mobile Usability
  • Staff Info Available
  • Owner Info Available
05

Community Stability 10%

Operational signals indicating whether a community is well-run and meeting demand.

  • Includes
  • Occupancy Rate
  • Bed Options
06

Environment & Pricing 5%

Walkability and pricing transparency. Walk Score is weighted higher for Independent Living than for Memory Care, where most residents do not leave unaccompanied.

  • Includes
  • Walk Score
  • Pricing Transparency
No paid rankings Communities cannot pay to influence placement.
How we're paid: If we help you find a community and you move in, that community may pay us a referral fee. This never affects where they rank or what you pay. Learn more
Submit a correction

Independent Living in Lake County at a glance

Avg Walk Score: 43/ 100The average Walk Score across facilities in Lake County, FL. A third-party neighborhood walkability score (0–100) measuring convenience and context, not healthcare quality. Individual facilities can vary widely from this average.
National Average: 50/ 100
Avg No. of Beds: 105The average licensed bed capacity across facilities in Lake County, FL. Individual facilities can vary widely from this average.
National Average: 90
Who we are

Your Senior Care Partner, Every Step of the Way

We help families find affordable senior communities and unlock same day discounts, Medicaid, and Medicare options tailored to your needs.

Contact us Today

Frequently Asked Questions about Independent Living in Lake County, FL

What is independent living?

Independent living communities are residential settings for active older adults — typically with private apartments or cottages, shared amenities (dining, fitness, activities), and no built-in medical care.

How many independent living communities are listed on this page?

This page features 4 independent living communities in Lake County, FL. Use the filters and comparison tools above to compare ratings, amenities, and pricing.

How do I choose the right independent living community in Lake County, FL?

Start by matching the level of care offered to the resident's current and anticipated needs, then compare licensing status, staff-to-resident ratios, recent inspection results, and pricing. Tour at least two or three communities in Lake County, FL, talk to current residents and families, and confirm what is included in the base rate versus billed as add-on services.

What should I look for when visiting independent living communities in Lake County, FL?

Pay attention to staff interactions with residents, cleanliness and odor, food quality at meal times, the activity calendar, and how questions about pricing and care plans are answered. Ask to see the most recent state inspection report, the move-out / level-of-care-change policy, and a sample monthly bill that lists every fee.