What type of living arrangement do the main characters in "The Golden Girls" have?

The main characters in The Golden Girls share a house. The sitcom follows four older women—roommates Dorothy Zbornak, Rose Nylund, Blanche Devereaux, and Dorothy’s mother, Sophia Petrillo—living together in Miami, Florida.

The shared home is central to the show’s format. It gives the characters a common kitchen and living room where they trade stories, argue, offer advice, and gather for cheesecake. Blanche owns the house, while Dorothy, Rose, and Sophia are her housemates. Their different personalities and backgrounds create the show’s recurring comic conflicts.

The arrangement is sometimes confused with a retirement home because all four women are older, but they do not live in an institution. The series instead presents shared housing as a way for independent adults to manage companionship, finances, and everyday life. The Golden Girls premiered on NBC in 1985 and ran for seven seasons.