Ave Maria is a master-planned community and census-designated place in Collier County, Florida, located about 36 miles northeast of Naples in the rural eastern portion of the county. The community was founded in 2005 by Ave Maria Development, a partnership of Barron Collier Companies and the Ave Maria Foundation led by Roman Catholic entrepreneur Tom Monaghan. From its inception, Ave Maria was conceived as a purpose-built town organized around a Catholic university, and that founding vision remains central to its identity.
At the heart of the community stand Ave Maria University and the Ave Maria Oratory, a large Gothic-inspired church that anchors the town center and dominates its skyline. The town center also includes the university library, a central park, shops, and services, making it the social and civic hub of the community. Around this core, residential neighborhoods of single-family homes are arranged in a planned, walkable pattern.
Education defines much of Ave Maria's character. In addition to the university, the community is home to the Rhodora J. Donahue Academy, a K–12 school, while public school students attend Collier County Public Schools, zoned for Estates Elementary, Corkscrew Middle, and Palmetto Ridge High School. This layered educational landscape—university, private academy, and public district—reflects the community's emphasis on family and faith.
With a population of about 6,200 at the 2020 census, Ave Maria has grown steadily since its founding. The community is about 45 miles from Southwest Florida International Airport and within reach of Naples' amenities, yet its rural setting and master-planned design give it a distinct, self-contained character. For those seeking a faith-centered, university-anchored community in southwest Florida, Ave Maria offers a cohesive and intentional place to live.
