Where to Retire reveals “The Short List: 50 Best Master-Planned Communities in the United States,” in the July/August issue, on newsstands June 11. Waterways, in Richmond Hill, is one of three master-planned communities in Georgia to be recognized this year.

The magazine says residents at Waterways, a 2,300-acre development, enjoy kayaking, canoeing and paddle boarding on peaceful lagoons, hooking largemouth bass on a Bill Dance Signature Lake and walking the dog along tree-lined trails.

The selected 50 best master-planned communities showcase the variety of housing options and amenities that enrich the lives of relocating retirees. “Moving after retirement doesn’t mean just a new home; it means a new life,” Where to Retire editor Annette Fuller said. “Yes, each of our 50 communities builds attractive homes, but they also nurture new friendships."

Nearly a year ago, editors began gathering and evaluating information on hundreds of communities, but chose only established neighborhoods with enough acreage to build at least a year’s supply of homes. The communities come from 17 states. Florida has nine of the winning 50 communities, followed by North Carolina with eight, Arizona with seven and South Carolina with five. 

Home prices begin in the $120,000s and go upward of $3 million; 35 communities on the list have homes that start at less than $300,000. Almost half of the neighborhoods are age-restricted or age-targeted while the rest are all-ages.