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Living in
Sarasota.
About
Life in Sarasota
Sarasota offers a slower-paced lifestyle centered around arts and culture rather than nightlife or tech jobs—this is a city built on circus history, performing arts venues, and an engaged community of artists and retirees. The cost of living is moderate for Florida, with homes averaging around $460,000 and rent about $1,684 monthly, though housing inventory can be tight with vacancy rates around 11 percent for rentals. Job growth exists in healthcare, education, and tourism-related work, and the unemployment rate sits at 4.1 percent, but if you're not in those sectors, you may find yourself commuting outside the immediate area (average commute is about 21 minutes).
Sarasota at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
48.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
15.0%
Foreign-Born
16.2%
Broadband Internet
90.2%
of households
Population Growth
+6.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics16.2% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Sarasota: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Sarasota, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (17.0%), and 13.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
15.6%
of residents
65 and Older
29.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
19.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
38.4%
of households
Married Couples
37.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.05
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for FL
Rent, home values, and income in Sarasota
In Sarasota, home values are 29% above the FL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
59.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
30.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
102.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,230
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
57.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1976
median year built
Vacant Homes
20.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $410,998 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for FL
Unemployment in Sarasota
Unemployment in Sarasota is close to the FL average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Sarasota Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute20.7 min avg
How Sarasota residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Sarasota, most residents drive alone to work (72%), and 76% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 4 mi
Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ)
Small hub2.2M passengers boarded in 2025
- 44 mi
Tampa International Airport (TPA)
Major hub12.1M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 15% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Sarasota runs 15% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
379.9
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,430.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Sarasota Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 1 event in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
98.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Sarasota County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Sarasota County, which includes Sarasota, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 1 recorded event in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5,000 |
| 2024 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $10.8M |
| 2023 | 3 | Tropical Storm | $10,000 |
| 2022 | 7 | Tornado | $2001.1M |
| 2021 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | $252,000 |
| 2020 | 7 | Tornado | None reported |
| 2019 | 3 | Thunderstorm Wind | $90,000 |
| 2018 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $52,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Sarasota County, county-wide
Air Quality46 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Sarasota County, which includes Sarasota, is typically good — 236 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
46
Good Days
236
per year
Moderate Days
129
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Sarasota County, county-wide
Climate91°F summers, 54°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Sarasota has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and warm winters (avg low 54°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
83°/63°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/75°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
86°/67°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
74°/54°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
49.1"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
85
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
1
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
113
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 73°F | 52°F | 2.79" |
| Feb | 75°F | 55°F | 1.92" |
| Mar | 78°F | 58°F | 2.85" |
| Apr | 83°F | 63°F | 2.46" |
| May | 88°F | 68°F | 2.58" |
| Jun | 90°F | 74°F | 7.05" |
| Jul | 91°F | 75°F | 7.39" |
| Aug | 92°F | 75°F | 9.11" |
| Sep | 90°F | 74°F | 6.00" |
| Oct | 86°F | 68°F | 2.76" |
| Nov | 80°F | 60°F | 1.81" |
| Dec | 75°F | 55°F | 2.33" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 5.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Sarasota
Sarasota has 1 hospital, averaging 5.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
15.6%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
5.0 / 5
Sarasota Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.1 mi away · Sarasota
Lakewood Ranch Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.7 mi away · Bradenton
Suncoast Behavioral Health Center
Psychiatric · 9.4 mi away · Bradenton
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education16.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Sarasota
Sarasota's student/teacher ratio is 16.0:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 41.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
12
within city limits
Private Schools
6
within city limits
College Degree Rate
41.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Sarasota
Ringling College of Art and Design
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,662 students · in-state tuition $60,170 · 74% graduate · median earnings $55,053 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 843 students · in-state tuition $6,916 · 66% graduate · median earnings $53,164 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
State College of Florida-Manatee-Sarasota
7.5 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 7,379 students · in-state tuition $2,540 · 35% graduate · median earnings $45,866 (10 yrs after entry)
Galen Health Institutes-Sarasota
5.8 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 2-year · 574 students · in-state tuition $18,790 · median earnings $69,188 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: De Soto National Memorial, 14 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Sarasota
Sarasota has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being De Soto National Memorial (14 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
De Soto National Memorial
National Memorial
14 mi awayPublic Libraries in Sarasota
Selby Public Library
1331 First Street, Sarasota
Cities Near Sarasota
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Sarasota?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Sarasota FAQ
Is Sarasota, Florida affordable?⌄
Sarasota's median rent is $1,684/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $72,105/year. Median home value is $463,000.
Is Sarasota, Florida safe?⌄
Sarasota's violent crime rate was 380 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1431 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Sarasota, Florida?⌄
Sarasota has an unemployment rate of 4.1%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Sarasota, Florida?⌄
The cost of living in Sarasota is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,684/month and median household income is $72,105/year. The median home value is $463,000. About 59% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Sarasota, Florida?⌄
The average commute in Sarasota is 21 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from