Columbus, Ohio · Head-to-Head
Epcon Courtyards vs. Del Webb in Columbus
Two very different visions of 55+ living. For decades Columbus offered only one of them. Here is how to choose now that both exist.
Why this is the central Columbus decision
Columbus is, historically, an Epcon market. Epcon Communities was founded here in 1986, and the metro is dotted with dozens of its “Courtyards” neighborhoods — small, single-level luxury ranches built around private courtyards, most under 150 homes, with modest shared amenities. The big national resort brand, Del Webb, never built here.
That changed in 2026. Del Webb broke ground on Del Webb Maygrass in Plain City (711 homes, age-restricted 55+) — the metro’s first true resort-style active-adult community. So for the first time, Columbus buyers face the choice retirees in Phoenix or Florida have had for years: the intimate low-maintenance enclave, or the big amenity-rich resort.
One critical clarification: Del Webb also opened Explore at Northstar in Sunbury — but that community is open to all ages, not age-restricted. If a 55+ buyer specifically wants the age-restricted Del Webb experience in Columbus, Maygrass is the one. Do not assume every “Del Webb” sign means 55+.
The two models, side by side
| Factor | Epcon Courtyards | Del Webb Maygrass |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Small (often <150 homes) | Large (711 homes) |
| Home style | Single-level ranch, private courtyard | Range of single-level plans |
| Amenities | Modest (clubhouse, pool at most) | Resort-scale (clubhouse, pools, activities, staff) |
| Social life | Quieter, neighborly | Programmed, activity-director driven |
| HOA fee | Lower (less to maintain) | Higher (funds the big amenities) |
| Locations | Many, all over the metro | One, Plain City (west edge) |
| Build status | Many finished + some new | New, building out through the decade |
The cost difference is mostly the HOA
Property tax tracks home price and county the same way for both. The structural cost difference is the HOA: Del Webb’s resort amenities — multiple pools, a large clubhouse, fitness, and an activities staff — cost more to run, so the monthly fee runs higher than a small Epcon community’s. You are paying for the amenity package whether you use it daily or rarely. The question is honest use: a buyer who will swim, attend classes, and join clubs gets real value; a buyer who wants quiet and a low fee is overpaying for a clubhouse they will skip.
How to choose
Choose Epcon Courtyards if you want a quieter, neighborly community, a lower HOA, your pick of locations across the metro, and the option of a finished community you can move into today. It suits buyers who get their social life from existing friends, family, and the wider community rather than an on-site activities calendar.
Choose Del Webb Maygrass if you want the resort lifestyle — a built-in social calendar, big amenities, and a large peer group of new neighbors arriving at once — and you are comfortable with the higher HOA, the Plain City location, and living through a multi-year build-out. It suits buyers who are relocating without a local network and want community handed to them.
Resort or enclave — which suits your retirement?
Tell us how you want to spend your days and we will line up Maygrass against the right Epcon communities on real cost.
Compare them for me