Lakewood Ranch, the master-planned, sprawling neighborhood, has outsold every other multi-generational community in the country—again. The community has notched 1,026 sales so far this year, according to national real estate consulting firm RCLCO’s semi-annual "Top 50 Master-Planned Communities" report.

The Ranch, all 33,000-plus acres of it, is a thriving metro of more than 20,000 homes and nearly 57,000 residents. And it's growing, with six new villages slated to open next year. 

The east side community debuted its first “village,” Summerfield, in 1995, when homes there started in the high $80,000s. Now they range from roughly $350,000 to $3.5 million, minus HOA fees. Rentals are also now available.

Lakewood Ranch's original “live, work, play” marketing campaign has come true. Homes span the gamut, from apartments to golf-course-view executive mansions. There are 1,800-plus businesses—.everything from mom-and-pop type pizzerias to corporate headquarters. Schools and medical facilities include a hospital and LECOM, one of the country’s largest schools of dentistry. There's also a huge range of outdoor amenities, including 11 parks and 150 miles of trails, as well as  the Sarasota Polo Club and the 75-acre Premier Sports Campus

Florida leads the nation in master planned community performance, representing 36 percent of all sales among ranked communities. Texas was close behind with 34 percent.