The most sought-after amenities in new home communities focus on space to gather, rather than gates that keep people out.
According to NewHomeSource data that tracks house hunters’ amenity searches, interest in gated security continues to decline, while other amenities, primarily community pools, rise in popularity.
Of total amenity searches, gated communities have been trending downwards since 2024, while the share of searches for pools has almost doubled. Searches for other amenities remain relatively stable, with more modest movement, including waterfront, golf and nature.
Beyond revealing what’s hot and what’s not in terms of amenities, these data trends provide a snapshot into changing preferences among homeowners, their expectations regarding homeownership and community, and their perception of value.
“While gated communities offer security and privacy, the associated costs and regulations can be a deterrent for home shoppers, especially in today's market,” says Ali Wolf, NewHomeSource’s chief economist. “With housing affordability being a major challenge, many consumers are finding that the high Homeowners Association (HOA) fees and the premium price often attached to gated communities have made them less favorable for the time being, as they grapple with rising housing costs.”
Gated communities gained traction in the United States in the 1970s and 1980s because of rising crime rates and the perceived need for safety. Homeowners valued the extra layer of security and saw these exclusive enclaves as a status marker in the decades that followed.
It’s a different world now for house hunters, particularly Gen Z and Millennials, as other housing priorities are emerging.
Affordability trumps exclusivity, thanks to the high cost of living. Crime rates have declined, and people feel safer. Meanwhile, home security has shifted from community responsibility to the purview of the household, with the wide availability of smart tech and monitoring systems.
Take a look at three major reasons gated communities are no longer as popular with buyers as they once were.
1. Crime is Down, People Feel Safer, Security Has Evolved
Residential burglaries are no longer the threat they were decades ago, when a gate around the community was a clear value-add, explaining in part why gated security is becoming less popular.
“When we look at victimization for residential burglary, like many other crime types, it has significantly declined since the mid-1990s’”, says Ernesto Lopez, one of the authors of the Crime Trends in U.S. Cities Report Mid-Year 2025 Update from the Council on Criminal Justice.
According to the report, residential burglary rates fell by 19 percent in 2025, compared to the first part of 2024. This is significant, because residential burglary is one of the main crimes that gated security is meant to protect against.
The drop in residential burglaries “is a clear trend, and it is a pretty significant decline that we are continuing to experience,” says Lopez. “It is a pattern that we have seen for some time.”
Further, the public’s perception of safety has improved. According to Gallup Poll data in 2024, the number of American adults who feel crime is an “extremely” or “very serious” problem is falling. The most recent data from the FBI shows crime is declining across all categories, supporting that view.
It’s not that homeowners no longer need security; it's that the threat has evolved, and security systems have adapted to reflect new priorities.
Instead of a gate that controls community access, ring doorbells, security cameras, smart tech, and monitoring systems do the job effectively. Homeowners are not as worried about break-ins, but they are worried about keeping kids and elderly parents safe at home, deterring porch pirates, and discouraging auto theft, where cameras may convince thieves to keep on walking.
2. Gated Communities Have Too Many Rules
Gen Z and Millennial homebuyers want flexibility and freedom with their new-build homes.
Gated communities typically come with numerous rules, ranging from HOA requirements to regulations on decorating, home design, visitor access, and the types of activities permitted. Following numerous rules is a compromise that today’s younger house hunters are not willing to make.
It’s also important for homeowners to have the opportunity to use their homes to generate income to make homeownership more affordable, from short-term rentals, to renting out parking, housing space, home-based businesses, and side hustles. Gated community rules might prevent this.
3. Community Pools Are Making a Splash
“We’ve seen consumers show a strong preference for living in a community with a pool,” says Wolf. “Put a different way, the presence of a community pool has become a highly sought-after, if not a near-essential, amenity for many homebuyers. This contrasts with the status of a gated community, which is increasingly viewed as a 'nice-to-have' feature rather than a 'must-have.'”
Community pools are a natural gathering spot to engage in spontaneous, unstructured socialization, a priority for homeowners.
“Community pools have become one of the most sought-after amenities because they bring people together in a way that truly enhances neighborhood life,” says Tiffany Arrington, marketing manager at Cascades at Embrey Mill.
House hunters are seeking neighborhoods that are diverse and inclusive, which isn’t always the case with gated communities. If the main draw is a community pool, however, the dynamic of the neighborhood changes, appealing more broadly.
“Interest in a community with a pool generally spans a wide range of income levels and ages. However, we do find that younger families with children put an even higher priority on this amenity. For them, a community pool offers a convenient, social, and memory-building activity for their children on weekends and during the summer, without the high costs and maintenance of a private pool,” says Wolf.
Arrington says that house hunters choosing between communities should look beyond the pool itself to consider other features that will enhance the overall experience.
“Homeowners often value not just the size, but the surrounding features, like shaded pavilions, seating areas, and walkability.”
Is the Gated Community Dead?
While the gated community is generally declining in popularity, living in an exclusive enclave remains a high priority for certain buyer segments.
“Higher-wealth individuals who don't have as many trade-offs due to affordability are still interested in living in a gated community,” says Wolf. “Besides the accompanied security and privacy, there is a clear status symbol that keeps these communities relevant for this segment of the market.”
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