Leisure World, Maryland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leisure World, Maryland
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|
Aerial view of apartment buildings at Leisure World, mid 80s
|
|||
|
|||
 |
|||
| Country |  United States |
||
| State |  Maryland |
||
| County |  Montgomery |
||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 1.14 sq mi (2.94 km2) | ||
| • Land | 1.13 sq mi (2.92 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 423 ft (129 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
|
|||
| • Total | 9,215 | ||
| • Density | 8,169.33/sq mi (3,153.90/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | ||
| ZIP codes |
20906
|
||
| Area code(s) | 301, 240 | ||
| FIPS code | 24-68675 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 2389782 | ||
Leisure World is a special community in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It's a place designed mainly for people who are retired or older. It's a gated community, which means it has controlled entrances and exits for safety. In 2020, about 9,215 people lived there. For a while, it was known as Rossmoor during the 2000 census.
Contents
History
How Leisure World Started
In 1963, a builder named Ross Cortese had an idea. He wanted to create a large community for people aged 52 and older. He planned to build homes, townhouses, and apartment buildings on 1,000 acres of land. This land was south of Norbeck, Maryland.
Cortese imagined a community with lots of fun things to do. He planned to include clubhouses, a swimming pool, places for horses, an auditorium, a shopping center, and even medical facilities. There would also be a hotel for visitors, an 18-hole golf course, and a small lake. A big part of the area, about 65%, would be left as green space. The whole community would be surrounded by a wall with security guards.
Cortese had already built similar communities in California, like Rossmoor Leisure World and Leisure World Laguna Hills.
Getting Approval
The local government, the Montgomery County Council, approved the plan. They voted 3 to 1 in favor. Some local groups were against it because they wanted the area to stay less developed.
Soon after, water and sewer lines were approved for the new community. Architects designed the homes and buildings, and the landscaping even won an award. A large spinning globe was placed at the main entrance.
Opening Day
Leisure World opened its sales office and model homes in August 1965. The community was promoted to people who wanted to stay active in their older years. While it was for people aged 52 and up (later changed to 50), it was open to people of all backgrounds.
The community's facilities were managed by a non-profit group called the Foundation of Leisure World. Homes were sold as co-ops, meaning residents owned a share in the community.
Shopping and Community Life
Plans for a large shopping center at Leisure World were announced in October 1965. It would have stores like Safeway and Peoples Drug Stores, plus restaurants. An Interfaith Meeting House, a place for different religions to gather, also began construction.
The very first residents moved into Leisure World on August 15, 1965. They were welcomed at the golf course. The first nine holes of the golf course opened in June 1966.
Challenges and Changes
In the late 1960s, sales of homes slowed down. This was partly because it became harder to get home loans. Leisure World even changed its marketing to focus more on being a "country club community" for adults, rather than just a retirement community.
There were also some challenges with building more homes. The state of Maryland stopped new construction until a new sewage treatment plant could be built. The developer faced high costs and even sued the state over these issues.
Over the years, there were also some fires in the community. For example, in 1968, a fire damaged four townhouses. In 1976, a fire destroyed twelve apartment homes, and in 2020, another fire caused one death and displaced many residents.
Leisure World also tried to change the age limit for residents. They asked to lower the age from 50 to 40, and even to remove the age limit completely for some areas. The Montgomery County Planning Board disagreed with these changes at first. However, the Montgomery County Council later allowed the age limit to be changed for about 40% of the land. This part of the land was then developed as a separate area without age restrictions.
Geography
Leisure World is an area that doesn't have official city borders. Instead, its boundaries are generally marked by a fence around the community.
However, the United States Census Bureau and the United States Geological Survey recognize Leisure World as a census-designated place. This means it's a specific area used for gathering population data.
The community covers about 1.1 square miles (2.9 square kilometers) of land.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2010 | 8,749 | — | |
| 2020 | 9,215 | 5.3% | |
| source: 2010–2020 |
|||
Leisure World is home to many people. In 2020, its population was 9,215.
Population Details
Between 2011 and 2015, about 23% of the people living in Leisure World spoke a language other than English at home. This shows the community is quite diverse.
Most adults in Leisure World are well-educated. As of 2015, about 92% of people aged 25 or older had finished high school, and 46% had earned a college degree.
The community is mainly made up of older adults. In 2010, about 73% of the population was 65 years old or older. The average household size was small, with about 1.57 people per home, which is common in communities for older adults.
The community is also diverse in terms of race and background. In 2010, about 75% of residents were White, 17% were African American, and 4% were Asian. About 7% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino. Many residents, about 23%, were born outside the United States.
See also
In Spanish: Leisure World para niños
