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Sarasota County

#3 in Best Counties for Families in Florida
  • A+
    Overall Grade
  • County in Florida
  • 145 reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Public Schools
    A
  2. Crime & Safety
    C+
  3. Housing
    B
  4. Nightlife
    A
  5. Good for Families
    A
  6. Diversity
    B-
  7. Jobs
    B+
  8. Weather
    A
  9. Cost of Living
    C+
  10. Health & Fitness
    A+
  11. Outdoor Activities
    A
  12. Commute
    B
View Full Report Card
Sarasota County is located in Florida with a population of 404,839. Sarasota County is one of the best places to live in Florida. Living in Sarasota County offers residents a suburban feel and most residents own their homes. In Sarasota County there are a lot of bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Many retirees live in Sarasota County and residents tend to lean conservative. The public schools in Sarasota County are highly rated.
Population
404,839

Real Estate

Median Home Value
$215,300
National
$184,700
Median Rent
$1,116
National
$949
Area Feel
Suburban
Rent vs. Own
  • Rent
    27%
  • Own
    73%
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Sarasota County Rankings

Niche ranks thousands of places to live based on key statistics from the U.S. Census and and expert insights.

Crime & Safety

Crime & Safety
C+
Based on violent and property crime rates.
Violent Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Assault
    210.8
    282.7
  • Murder
    1.4
    6.1
  • Rape
    38.5
    40.7
  • Robbery
    65.9
    135.5
Property Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Burglary
    309
    500.1
  • Theft
    1,691.8
    2,042.8
  • Motor Vehicle Theft
    98.2
    284
Home Security Options for Sarasota County
Learn More
  • 24/7 Whole home protection with no contract
  • CNET Editor’s choice winner 2018

Residents

Diversity
B-
Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
Age
  • <10 years
    8%
  • 10-17 years
    7%
  • 18-24 years
    6%
  • 25-34 years
    8%
  • 35-44 years
    9%
  • 45-54 years
    12%
  • 55-64 years
    15%
  • 65+ years
    35%
Education Levels
National
  • Master's degree or higher
    14%
    12%
  • Bachelor's degree
    20%
    19%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    29%
    29%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    30%
    28%
  • Less than high school diploma
    7%
    13%

Working in Sarasota County

Jobs
B+
Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living.
Median Household Income
$55,236
National
$55,322
Search for Jobs in Sarasota County
  • Public Schools
  • Private Schools
  • Colleges

    Sarasota County Reviews

    145 reviews
    All Categories
    Of course, one hears Sarasota and thinks "beautiful beaches." This is most definitely true! I am a Sarasota native, born at the local hospital, and have seen many changes - both good and bad - in my years of life in Sarasota. One of my favorite things about Sarasota is the community's love for the arts. It is a very vibrant, "artsy" town with numerous art festivals, galleries, events, performances, venues, etc. The most unfavorable aspect of Sarasota would have to be the affordability for young professionals and college students, which draws this group to the Tampa/St. Petersburg area to better themselves. This is unfortunate as there is so much potential in our county for far better, if only focus could be placed even momentarily, on devising a plan on how to make living more affordable for these "millennials."
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    Living in Sarasota county for practically all of my life I have realized a lot of things about the place that I call home. There is always something to do! You have multiple places to see and do. Such as: take a walk along our lovely waterfront know as Marina Jack, or if you're feeling artsy and historic you can take a tour of the John and Mable Ringling Museum and not to mention the countless eateries, malls, and amazing beaches. Here in Sarasota county we house one of the best beaches in the world known as Siesta Key Beach. Or to residents of the area known as our vacation 20 minutes from home. Sarasota is and always will be an amazing place and I am truly blessed to be able to say that I live in it
    Sarasota County is a beautiful place to live with various activities downtown, by the bay, at the beach, or at the park. As the home to the #1 beach in America, it is bombarded with snowbirds and tourists who fill the roads, especially during the winter. There is a broad age range from young families to older couples who come to Sarasota after they retire. There are plenty of schools in the area and it is overall a great place to grow up, having don’t so myself. Whether you are visiting or living here permanently, Sarasota is a marvelous town to live in!