2023 Best Places to Live in Sarasota County

Niche User: Honestly, a fantastic area. Removed from downtown so you don't have to get caught up in everything that entails. Quick commute to the beach. Lots of stores close by. Most of the neighbors are families so you don't have to worry about anything crazy. Weather in unbelievable. Great place.... Read 14 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 2,437

Current Resident: Wonderful rustic beach town with great restaurants and shops and the nicest beach in the country. Daily running trolleys and free ride services allow visitors to go up and down the island to enjoy all of the things to do.... Read 7 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 5,416

Former Resident: Good shopping, great schools, good and affordable housing. Near Siesta Key beaches. Great place for kids to grow up.... Read 7 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 4,700

Parent: the beaches are wonderful, the entertainment is wonderful, but the traffic is horrible. Seasonal residents clog the roads, doctors offices, and restaurants so locals have a difficult time getting to their jobs/work half the year. The beaches and downtown are wonderful, so they make up for the frustrations. I love Sarasota and would definitely choose to live here if I had it to do over!... Read 21 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 6,125

Current Resident: Osprey is safe, peaceful, and so pretty. It is only fifteen to twenty minutes from Siesta Key Beach and has many great places to eat.... Read 12 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 6,395

Niche User: This area is probably one of the best in the country. We just built a new mall and we have siesta key the number one beach in the country. The weather is perfect and the restaurants are great.... Read 9 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 9,921

• Town in Florida

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  Rating 4.14 out of 5  164 reviews

Nearby Resident: I really love Sarasota. The city is growing so fast with so many new entertainment spots and restaurants. The beaches in Sarasota are some of the best in the state in my opinion. I absolutely love the charm of downtown, Saint Armand’s, and Siesta Key village. This place is also a wonderful place for young adults with many things to do. It is also a great place to raise a family due to the safety and the (A) rated public school district. The city, as well as Sarasota county, is also a very inclusive, friendly, and progressive place which I love. The only two downsides to Sarasota is the traffic and the cost of housing, but other than that the city and the county is amazing.... Read 164 reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• Population 53,786

Current Resident: This neighborhood is safe day and night. Very quiet and calm. I walk my dog at night and see many other people doing the same.... Read 5 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A minus

• Population 6,045

• Town in Florida

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  Rating 4.18 out of 5  67 reviews

Current Resident: Venice is a beautiful little town that meets the needs of practically everyone. With lovely year-round weather, so many beaches to choose from, and an adorable town filled with different cultures and traditions, Venice is truly a town for everyone. Venice is what you make of it!... Read 67 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A

• Population 24,876

Current Resident: Overall it is a great community basically 8 to 10 minutes away from Siesta Key beach. 10 minutes away to get to main street where a lot of great restaurants. Plenty of shopping centers and big stores Costco Macy’s Home Depot and Lowe’s are you name it it’s all within 10 minutes... Read 5 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A

• Population 4,875

Current Resident: Very nice place, but has lots of traffic in the winter and the median age here is like 200. As a 15-year old, I have to go to the mainland for education, which is hard with traffic. However, the beaches are very pretty, stunning nature and very nice people. It's expensive too but compared to Industrial Austria it's great.... Read 11 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade B+

• Population 7,446

Niche User: The weather is always warm, with a chance of showers. The winters are very mild and the beach is always here. I love living in Sarasota and I couldn't imagine it any other way. I know that leaving for school, leaving Sarasota and my family is going to incredibly tough. I love living minutes from one of the World's most beautiful beaches, Siesta Key. Our UTC shopping city is just breath taking. Every store known to man will be within its regions, and the restaurants, wow I can't even begin. The other beautiful cities within Sarasota county are building and catching up to our larger towns. If I had to be reborn somewhere, it would be right here in Sarasota. We have Nationally recognized hospitals and schools. The wealth in this city is outrageous. Opportunities are everywhere in this town.... Read 7 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A minus

• Population 12,366

Current Resident: This neighborhood is nice overall. The neighborhood is very diverse and has a wide variety of cultures and lifestyles. The general look of most of the neighborhood is appealing. One slight hindrance to quick travel is the presence of a school zone in the neighborhood, but otherwise it is easy to commute here.... Read 6 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A minus

• Population 3,689

Current Resident: Fruitville is a nice, up-and-coming area in Sarasota. I've lived in a few places around town and Fruitville is definitely home to the young professional type of crowd I've been looking for. That's probably due to the recent rise of many apartment complexes in the area. There's good shopping and food (though it's mostly chains) and it's just a short drive from UTC where the shopping and dining is world-class. The commute to downtown is a lovely straight-shot, about 15 minutes at most. And the proximity to 75 makes getting anywhere a pretty quick, painless experience. I would recommend Fruitville to anyone. It's relatively cheap (by Sarasota standards) and mostly middle to upper-middle-class families and professionals. A nice place to live in Sarasota.... Read 24 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A minus

• Population 14,673

Current Resident: I used to live here when I was 8 years old. I had moved to Ft. Lauderdale when I was 12 because my mom had received a better job. It was sad to leave all my friends and teachers, but I had gotten used to it after some time. However, now I am 16 and I have recently moved back and I love it. Plantation is one of the best cities to live in Florida. It has everything and more near it. We have the famous and very busy Sawgrass Mills Mall. I love going there because there is literally every store you can imagine there, not to mention the movie theater, arcades, and a bunch of delicious tasty restaurants there that will definitely satisfy your taste buds. Another good thing about Plantation, Florida is that everything is near each other. I can literally ride my bike to the mall and home and it is the most convenient thing ever. I love it here!... Read 64 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A

• Population 4,565

Current Resident: Legend has it, this area was used as ancient Indian burial grounds because of its unique ability to reject hurricane interference. Despite being right on the Gulf of Mexico the small city has been blessed with peaceful weather since Ive been alive to witness it. Gators and people alike bathe in the endless sun, enjoying superior Vitamin D levels and delicious orange juice.... Read 39 reviews

• grade B+

• grade A

• Population 16,426

Current Resident: Nokomis is a nice coastal town with a beautiful beach ready for shark tooth hunting and a day in the sun! There are a few cute shops and of course a Publics. The housing availability varies but today it’s constant.... Read 14 reviews

• grade B+

• grade A

• Population 3,481

Current Resident: I have lived here my whole life and I love this town! The beaches are beautiful and I know almost everyone here. The schools are good and there are a few little parks. It’s a very safe place to live and I have never felt unsafe here, even getting out of work at 10pm and walking to my car doesn’t worry me. The downside is that during season the town is overrun with snowbirds and the traffic is horrendous. There is not much to do unless you are 65+ (which most the population is). The town is growing though and being taken over by retirees, it’s kind of sad to see my hometown change so much.... Read 36 reviews

• grade B+

• grade B+

• Population 19,683

Niche User: I love the area and the people and it has perfect weather as well as many school options!... Read 7 reviews

• grade B+

• grade A

• Population 11,263

Current Resident: We bought our home in May 2017. Gulf Gate Village is a corridor of successful boutique shops and restaurants that contribute to the rising value of the neighborhood homes. It's close to Siesta Key, and the homes are concrete block ranch style homes that were the retirement homes for the civic generation in the mid-1970s. Landmarks include, St. Thomas More Catholic Church, The Chelsea Center, and Gulf Gate Village Library.... Read 26 reviews

• grade B+

• grade A

• Population 11,118

• Town in Florida

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  Rating 3.69 out of 5  266 reviews

Current Resident: I love how it feels like a "small-big" town. North Port is small enough you see familiar faces everywhere you go, yet big enough to see new people all the time. For the past two years, North Port has been growing into a more "modern" fast paced environment. Florida is known as the retirement state, but North Port has been growing with the presence of young families. North Port is a safe place to live and not to mention only 25 minutes away from the nearest beach. There is a great sense of community here as well. Being a Ukrainian, it is amazing with how many slavic churches are in the North Port area. The whole community is growing and always sticking together.... Read 266 reviews

• grade B+

• grade A minus

• Population 74,131

Current Resident: I have lived in Venice Gardens for fifteen years. The area is beautiful and relatively quiet for the most part. I live across the street from the Venice Civic Center. Many people host special events there. My favorite part is taking advantage of the field across the street. Everyday I utilize it because my boyfriend and I walk our two Siberian Huskies. Having an open field allows us to play catch with the dogs. This is also a wonderful neighborhood to raise a family. My only complaint is that the cost of living. It is highly populated with older folks.... Read 2 reviews

• grade B+

• grade A minus

• Population 3,423

Current Resident: Technically I live in Manatee County, but it's considered Sarasota. There are four Walmarts and two Publixs within a three mile radius from me. Countless restaurants and shopping places, I literally cannot even keep track.... Read 14 reviews

• grade B+

• grade A minus

• Population 2,370

Current Resident: I loved living there ! It’s super convenient to hop on the interstate and go anywhere you want super quick ! Also the beach is really close it’s just a short drive down Clark road and there you are. The restaurants around here are great you gotta try cafe Barbosso it’s super good Italian food. The cost of living here is super cheap as well. You would also have no problems finding a job.... Read 5 reviews

• grade B+

• grade A

• Population 4,032

Current Resident: There is a lot of outdoors space, so room to run, cycle, and walk. Very pet-friendly. You are also about 5 minutes away from Benderson park by bike and easy access to every sort of store you might need at University Town Center and the surrounding shopping. Depending where you are attending school, nothing is more than 30 minutes away by car. Commute should be easy.... Read 5 reviews

• grade B+

• grade A minus

• Population 5,330